Do youngsters have a healthy relationship with Tiktok? Health insurers in Germany have their concerns. — Photo: Robert Michael/dpa
BERLIN: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and computer games pose a more immediate threat to teens than alcohol and cannabis, according to new research in Germany, shedding light on the numbers of teens with dangerous and addictive digital media habits.
"We are facing a tsunami of addiction disorders among young people, which I believe we are completely underestimating," says Rainer Thomasius, Medical Director of the German Centre for Addiction Issues in Childhood and Adolescence (DZSKJ) at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) which carried out the study together with health insurer DAK.
Significantly higher rates than alcohol or cannabis
The study found that more than a quarter of all 10 to 17-year-olds show risky or pathological use of social media, and 4.7% are what experts consider addicted. "The figures for problematic media use are five to fifty times higher than for risky cannabis or alcohol consumption in this age group," Thomasius told dpa.
Although media use, unlike alcohol or cannabis, only has an indirect effect on a person's central nervous system, the effects on the reward system in the brain are the same.
In both cases, there is a risk of addiction, "that more and more of the same is sought and a loss of control occurs," says Thomasius. "The enormous amount of time consumed by media use then leads to other areas of life being neglected."
Symptoms and consequences of social media addiction
A loss of control over one's own media behaviour can have serious consequences for the lives of young people. In many cases, it can lead to a drop in their performance at school, often to the point of failing. On top of this come social isolation, the loss of leisure interests and family conflicts.
Boys are particularly affected, with 6% of them meeting the criteria for pathological media use, while the figure for girls is around half as high at 3.2%, the study says.
Girls often have more pronounced social skills during puberty, Thomasius says. They are socialised differently according to their gender role and isolate themselves less often than boys, and this is a key aspect when it comes to developing a powerful addiction.
The distinction between risky and pathological media use is not always clear, says Thomasius. "A typical early symptom is a drop in performance at school and a loss of interest in lessons." However, a pubertal crisis or emotional strain resulting from stress among school friends could also explain such problems.
Use is considered pathological at the latest when the symptoms persist for at least 12 months. The study deliberately used the 12-month criterion in order to avoid premature diagnoses and to ensure a differentiation from temporary crises during puberty.
What parents can do
Parents should intervene quickly, before an addiction develops, if youngsters are using social media in a risky way, says Thomasius. It is crucial parents use their intuition and that they have a good relationship with their child.
Alongside consistently regulating the time and content of media use, it is particularly important for parents to show an interest in their children's online activities, he says. "They should provide guidance. They should be good mentors and moderators."
But many parents are overwhelmed by today's media and are not sure how to handle it, he says. And much is needed, if you are going to be able to steer your youngster's social media use.
You need your media skills plus a high degree of consistency when it comes to educating your child, he says. "This is a time-consuming process that requires patience and a knowledge advantage over your own children - especially when it comes to assessing media dangers," says Thomasius.
Many parents are struggling and are not able to provide these skills. Some 40% do not take sufficient care to limit their children's media use in terms of time. Meanwhile a quarter of parents do not moderate the content that their children access online. "That's actually an alarming finding," he says. – dpa
