Summer vacation is here, and children are indulging in phones and the internet at home, causing many parents a headache. According to information from the hospital, a small peak in consultations related to adolescent mental health has been observed since the start of summer vacation, with around sixty to seventy percent of patients seeking advice due to “phone addiction” issues. Does your child love to play with phones or tablets? How can parents determine if their child is addicted to phones?
Symptoms of “phone addiction” in children.
Dr. Wang Yongguang
“The types of addiction differ between boys and girls. Boys are mainly addicted to online games, while girls are more into short videos and chatting.”
Dr. Wang Yongguang also mentioned that among the patients seeking treatment, the youngest is only six or seven years old, and there are also many college students in their early twenties. He warns that among phone addiction patients, 80%-90% also have severe mental illnesses, such as severe depression, anxiety disorders, or high-risk behaviors like suicide or self-harm. Parents must take this seriously. How can parents determine if their child is addicted to phones?
Dr. Wang Yongguang
“An important feature of addiction is relapse, where the individual has tried to quit before but failed. This is the first point. The second is the emergence of conflict behavior patterns, exceeding their tolerance in a particular environment and still engaging in such behavior, indicating a certain level of conflict. Additionally, addiction serves a purpose, meaning that the individual plays games to alleviate or release negative emotions.”
Once parents discover their child is addicted to their phone, what should they do? The doctor suggests that understanding the addictive behavior of the child is crucial in helping them quit their phone addiction. Parents should not resort to aggressive methods but rather be patient, identify the root cause of the addiction behavior, and provide appropriate treatment.
Discussion Topic:
Summer vacation is here, and children are indulging in phones and the internet at home, causing many parents a headache. According to information from the hospital, consultations related to adolescent mental health have spiked at the beginning of summer vacation, with around sixty to seventy percent of patients seeking advice due to “phone addiction” issues. What are your children doing this summer? Engaging with electronic devices, attending classes, or traveling? Are you guiding your children to form good phone usage habits?
Zhongshan Torch Media Center
Editor: Yang Shuwen
Edited by: Zhao Panfeng, Li Jiahao
Executive Editor-in-Chief: Rong Mingxing
Editor-in-Chief: Long Mengjun
Source: Zhongshan News
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