The rising use of smartphones among children is becoming a major concern for mental health experts. According to child psychiatrists, excessive smartphone usage is causing severe mental health issues in children and teenagers.
A recent report highlights that children as young as 10 are suffering from problems like anxiety, online addiction, and depression, often made worse by social media. Many children are being exposed to online bullying, harmful peer pressures, and disturbing trends, such as self-harm challenges and even suicide pacts.
Shockingly, the average 12-year-old in the UK now spends 29 hours a week on their smartphone—equivalent to a part-time job. Experts warn that such prolonged screen time impacts neurological development, leading to difficulties like reduced attention spans, poor sleep, and impulsive behavior. Education and family interactions are also taking a hit.
Child psychiatrists say this isolation from real-world interactions has created an insular generation. A study reveals that time spent socializing face-to-face has dropped by 65% since 2010, with children increasingly turning to social media for validation and comfort.
Mental health professionals are calling for urgent action. Campaigns like “Smartphone-Free Childhood” encourage parents to delay giving smartphones to kids until at least age 16. Experts also suggest government intervention to regulate smartphone use among children.
This is a wake-up call for society to protect the mental health of the next generation before it’s too late.
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