Pune: On-screen Threes, Games, Gambling Addiction
Report from Childline, A 24-hour helpline for children suffering, and two addiction elimination centers in the city, Muktangan and Anandwan, show that the number and severity of addictions have increased significantly. ..
College students are also crazy about web series, and online gambling addiction was seen in older people, who are primarily working professionals. The three observers said that even a 6-year-old kid who was crazy about online games was getting older.
According to Muktangan, three out of ten people currently being treated have screen addiction problems. Since the beginning of the pandemic related to internet addiction, there have been more than 35 inquiries and 20 cases.
Psychologist Sonari Kale, who works with Muktangan, said that denial of access to the Internet would make children more aggressive. “Parents are allowed to use mobile phones because the school is closed and they can’t meet friends. However, children play with random strangers and don’t know their age, gender, or motives. There are also games for chatting and talking. This is very dangerous. A 6 year old kid had a case of game addiction, “she said.
She is currently treating three children, including a 16-year-old child with porn addiction and two children aged 21 and 17 with game addiction. “One kid lost 40-50 rupees online in the game before he realized his parents needed help. The other just passed standard XII but was connected to the screen. Children are also learning to manipulate parents to achieve more screen time goals. Lying is one thing, especially at such a young age. Is dangerous, “said Kale, adding that porn addiction was also widespread in young couples, leading to discord and separation between the couples.
Ajay Dudhane, chairman of the Anandvan De-addiction and Rehabilitation Center, said there were 312 calls in 2019-20 and 465 calls by February 2020-21. The number of OPD patients during the same period increased from 118 to 262, and the number of inpatients increased from 48 to 62.
“The number has increased since the pandemic began. There are 2 inpatients in the 8-15 year old group, 22 inpatients in the 16-21 year old group, and 24 over 21 years old. One inpatient was hospitalized for screening and other addictions, “he said.
Dudhane said online gambling is becoming an increasingly important issue among young adults. “This is a serious problem among young people and can lead to loss of money and needs to be addressed. Among children, it is displayed on the screen for a long time and parental monitoring is becoming less and less common. This disrupts the entire sleep cycle, leading to aggressive behavior and physical discomfort. The problem with web series is that young people are crazy about them. After a glance, when talking to friends , It’s about these series again. Therefore, they spend their lives more or less watching, thinking, and talking about web series, “says Dudhane.
Anuradha Sahasrabudhe, Director Dnyana Devi ChildlineFeatures Internet Detox Camps for Kids and Internet / Porn Addiction-related Awareness Programs.
“The number of cases of addiction is increasing and needs to be addressed as we go to school, meet friends online, and have less parental supervision,” she added.
Pune: On-screen Threes, Games, Gambling Addiction | Pune News