How to Overcome Digital Addiction: Tips for a Healthy Mindset
September 19, 20243 Mins Read
Addiction to technology and internet is known as digital addiction in the era of fourth industrial revolution. There are three types of digital addiction namely phone addiction, internet addiction and social media addiction. Although this addiction occurs in people of all ages, teenage students are more affected by this addiction.

Digital addiction

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 6 million children and adolescents between the ages of four and 17 are currently suffering from 'ADHD' (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Addiction to excessive internet and mobile leads to mental illness called ADHD. A person suffering from this disorder cannot give full attention to any particular task. The number of people suffering from this disease has doubled in the last two decades and experts have identified excessive addiction to mobile devices as the main reason. Experts have commented that children's imagination and thinking power are also decreasing.

Children and adolescents are affected mentally and physically due to digital addiction. A mental health review showed depression, irritability, aggressiveness, sudden anger, criminal tendencies, anxiety, loneliness, intellectual disability, unwillingness to attend school regularly, reacting negatively to good words, memory loss, mental insanity, etc. Many complications arise and even at one stage, not being able to use the Internet takes risks like suicide. Many such accidents have already happened in Bangladesh.
 

Following are some effective steps that can be taken on how to prevent internet addiction:

1. While using the internet on mobile or computer, enough irrelevant notifications or advertisements appear, which increases the desire of children to go online. If you can stop this advertisement, it will help students to get rid of digital addiction.

2. Parents or teachers should control mobile usage. Children imitate what they see their parents or teachers doing. So parents need to review their online usage habits and avoid negative behavior. Then it will be easy to keep children free from internet addiction.

3. Children should maintain strong relationships with others and relatives and spend necessary time with them. Spending too much time and energy on the Internet destroys relationships with others and increases digital addiction. So if you can establish a suitable relationship with the close people, it will be possible to keep the children away from this kind of addiction.

4. Be used to moderate living. Both the internet and technology make children interested in shopping, playing games or logging on to the computer, which is one of the reasons for creating digital addiction. So just as we have to be restrained in using the device, children also have to control the use of mobile or computer by setting the time. Then, children's digital addiction will decrease.

Apple is bringing software to prevent children's smartphone addiction

5. It is not right to have unnecessary technical devices and mobiles at home and keep them everywhere. Because children are eager to touch it and gradually become addicted. So devices should be allocated specific space in the home and their use should be prohibited in other places. Bedrooms, study rooms and dining areas must be avoided.