KOCHI: A shish (name changed), a Class X student from Kochi, hit his mother when she forcefully took his mobile phone away from him. The boy was addicted to a popular online game and did not pay any attention to his studies or health. He used to spend most of the time in his room.When the situation worsened, the mother informed Childline officials who came to the family’s rescue. The officials found the mother had been raising the son alone as his father was working abroad.
The officials then met the mother and son at their home. When they realised the boy needed more care, they informed the Child Welfare Committee and District Child Protection Office. With advanced care and counselling, they brought down the boy’s level of addiction, but he is still under treatment.“There are many factors that cause screen addiction among students. In Kochi, more cases are reported from middle-class families, where the children are often raised by one parent,” said Childline Intervention Coordinator Reshmi Mampilly.
“There are also cases in which parents are not able to monitor their children as they both are working. Recently, a 16-year-old girl’s mother called up citing a similar issue. She was also given counselling and asked to attend follow-up sessions,” added Reshmi.Similar incidents are happening in the capital city also. Parents of Akash (name changed), 14, recently sought the help of Childline as their son was badly addicted to online games. He was so hooked to it that he stopped talking to his family members and was mostly confined to his room without paying attention even to his health. In several instances, he even quarrelled and hurled abuses at his parents who tried to control him.
During an intervention, the Childline officials found he had developed severe addiction to an online game. The child was immediately given counselling and later referred to the Child Welfare Committee and the District Child Protection Office.Another case of screen-time addiction was reported a few months ago in Thiruvananthapuram, where the mother of a first-year degree student who died by suicide claimed that addiction to a mobile game called Free Fire was the main reason behind his death.
According to a Childline official, the number of screen-addiction cases reported before the pandemic in Ernakulam district was just 10, but it has doubled during 2020-21. According to Childline intervention unit (Thiruvananthapuram centre) coordinator Ananthu Siby, about 30 screen addiction cases were reported at the centre from January last year till July 2021.
Children have been excessively using gadgets during lockdown. As classes became online, the parents, unlike in the past, are not in a position to question the child for being glued to a mobile phone.
Childline state programme head Manoj Joseph says: “Three type of cases are being reported regarding online safety issues of children. One is the online sexual abuse or stalking. Strangers tend to get details of children during online classes and later try to build a relationship with them. The other two are related to gaming addiction and mobile phone addiction, which includes spending a lot of time on social media.”
“Screen addiction has definitely increased in children and those below 16 years are the most affected. In many cases, children were seen showing severe withdrawal symptoms such as violent emotional outburst, damaging the household things and even harming their parents,” said Ananthu.Screen addiction cases were also reported at the Thampanoor Intervention Unit.
“We intervened in about 35 screen addiction cases from January last year till this month. Only 25 cases were reported in 2019. Several cases of minor girls being lured into a love trap and predators blackmailing them by threatening to circulate their pictures on social media were also revealed during counselling sessions,” said Mareena Emanuel, Childline’s coordinator at Thampanoor Intervention Unit.
Free Fire, an online shooter game that involves a fierce battle with multiple players, is one that the children are most addicted to, say counsellors.
“Awareness is being created among the parents to reduce the screen time in children. Counselling sessions are also being held regularly,” said a Childline counsellor. Only if the child needs more care, a case is referred to the Child Welfare Committee and the District Child Protection Office, she said.
Childline Foundation in Ernakulam district has started a campaign to support the children and families that suffer from screen addiction, says Ernakulam district coordinator Arun Thankachan. The campaign has been started in Railway Childline and it is spreading to other parts of the district.“We are seeking the help of ASHA workers to collect the details of families suffering due to this addiction — screen addiction, mobile addiction and game addiction. Once the victims are identified, they will be given counselling by trained people including NSS volunteers,” Arun said.
The many faces of screen addiction
Online sexual abuse or stalking. Strangers find the details of children during online classes and later try to build a relationship with them Addiction to online and mobile games Mobile addiction, which includes using excess social media
A Steep Rise
Ernakulam No of cases before the pandemic 10
The number has doubled to 20 between 2020 and Jul 2021
Thiruvananthapuram (Jan 2020 to July 2021)
Total number of cases reported 65
Cases reported at Thiruvananthapuram Childline
Intervention Unit 30
Cases reported at Thampanoor Intervention Unit 35