TikTok suicide, PUBG death: Here's how to fight digital addiction

Digital addiction is real and it could be as dangerous as drug addiction, warned psychiatrists while outlining practical ways to fight the urge to use gadgets non-stop both among children and adults.

The warning came following reports of a 24-year-old mother committing suicide last week in Tamil Nadu after she was prevented from using TikTok and a 16-year-old student from Madhya Pradesh suffering a major cardiac arrest and losing his life after playing PUBG for six straight hours last month.

The key to fighting digital addiction is to realise the problem when someone develops it, the experts said. "The two most important things that people have to do is maintain a balance between work, life indoor, outdoor recreation and social engagements. One must also ensure they are getting proper sleep.

It is essential," Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, said. Parikh also recommended that adults should undergo four hours of "digital detox" every week - a period when they do not use their phone or any gadget.

People who are addicted to using gadgets, tend to get "withdrawal symptoms" in the form of always thinking about that them, or becoming irritable with disturbed sleep when they try to stop using their devices, said Sandeep Vohra, Senior Consultant, Psychiatry, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.

Such people can neglect personal hygiene and their own self. They also tend to stop interacting with the society, with their family members and stop thinking about their responsibilities or stop doing their day-to-day chores.

s use of smartphones and other gaming devices have become common among children. But do we know when a child starts showing signs of addiction and when to seek help?

The experts suggested that parents should be alarmed when they notice that a child's ability to live life normally has got affected and they lash out badly when digital access is denied.

Vohra suggested that when parents realise that their child is spending too much time on screen, it is very important first to have a dialogue with the kid and ask them to cut down on media consumption.

"If they feel that either the child is not responding the way they want, or if they feel that the child is trying to tell them lies and still using time on screen, then it's better to consult a mental health professional," Vohra informed.