Internet addiction catches on among youth in Bengal
KOLKATA: A 17-year-old boy from Bongaon, who fared exceptionally well in his Class X exams, developed severe depression months before his Class XII exams this year. So much so that he left Kolkata, where he stayed alone to attend a renowned coaching centre, and returned home to tell his parents that he would not take the exams. The parents, both schoolteachers, could not fathom the reason.
Finally, after sessions of counselling at Calcutta National Medical and College (CNMC), doctors diagnoses the root of his problems; the boy had been spending hours on the internet once he returned from his coaching classes. His period and frequency in the virtual world kept increasing and soon he had become so engrossed in it that he almost stopped studying. Gradually, the boy lost confidence and the fear of poor performance in exams overpowered him.
"The depression was so deep-rooted that the boy developed suicidal tendency. After sessions of counseling, we nailed the central problem as internet addiction," said Dr Sanchari Roy, assistant professor, psychiatry at CNMC.
Earlier considered primarily an urban phenomenon, internet addiction seems to have crawled into the suburbs and districts, with government medical colleges witnessing a rise in the number of such cases. Affordable smartphones have narrowed the urban-rural divide with regard to internet access.
"Internet addiction is no more an urban phenomenon unique to theMONEYED
people. It is seeping into other levels of society and rural population. I come across a number of cases where young adults need counselling," said Dr Anidya Ray of the psychiatry department at Malda Medical College. Ray who was posted at RG Kar Medical College till a year ago attended to a youth from North 24 Parganas, who had become almost bankrupt due to internet addiction. He had spent Rs 1.5 lakh on online games through his credit card in one sitting.
Whether it is getting hooked to social media, online chatting, porn sites or playing online games, internet addiction is gaining on the younger generation fast. Even as some parents realize the problem and bring the youngsters in for counselling, the majority do not fathom the problems. "Parents mostly bring their wards for issues like behavioral changes, sudden dip in academic performance, inter-personal problem, lack of concentration, depression. It is during counselling only that we find internet addiction as the trigger," said Dr Shiladitya Ray, a Kolkata-based stress management expert.
A holistic approach of counselling, psychotherapy could help but it is only for the ones with willpower and motivation. Like in case of drug addicts, who go into relapse after de-addiction sessions, many might slip after professional help. Therefore, preventing one from getting addicted could be a wise solution.
"Parents should discipline their children when it comes to internet use and see they use it rationally. If a mobile is given to a kid, it should not be internet enabled," said Dr JR Ram, consultant psychiatrist at Apollo Hospital, Kolkata.
Finally, after sessions of counselling at Calcutta National Medical and College (CNMC), doctors diagnoses the root of his problems; the boy had been spending hours on the internet once he returned from his coaching classes. His period and frequency in the virtual world kept increasing and soon he had become so engrossed in it that he almost stopped studying. Gradually, the boy lost confidence and the fear of poor performance in exams overpowered him.
"The depression was so deep-rooted that the boy developed suicidal tendency. After sessions of counseling, we nailed the central problem as internet addiction," said Dr Sanchari Roy, assistant professor, psychiatry at CNMC.
Earlier considered primarily an urban phenomenon, internet addiction seems to have crawled into the suburbs and districts, with government medical colleges witnessing a rise in the number of such cases. Affordable smartphones have narrowed the urban-rural divide with regard to internet access.
"Internet addiction is no more an urban phenomenon unique to theMONEYED
people. It is seeping into other levels of society and rural population. I come across a number of cases where young adults need counselling," said Dr Anidya Ray of the psychiatry department at Malda Medical College. Ray who was posted at RG Kar Medical College till a year ago attended to a youth from North 24 Parganas, who had become almost bankrupt due to internet addiction. He had spent Rs 1.5 lakh on online games through his credit card in one sitting.Whether it is getting hooked to social media, online chatting, porn sites or playing online games, internet addiction is gaining on the younger generation fast. Even as some parents realize the problem and bring the youngsters in for counselling, the majority do not fathom the problems. "Parents mostly bring their wards for issues like behavioral changes, sudden dip in academic performance, inter-personal problem, lack of concentration, depression. It is during counselling only that we find internet addiction as the trigger," said Dr Shiladitya Ray, a Kolkata-based stress management expert.
A holistic approach of counselling, psychotherapy could help but it is only for the ones with willpower and motivation. Like in case of drug addicts, who go into relapse after de-addiction sessions, many might slip after professional help. Therefore, preventing one from getting addicted could be a wise solution.
"Parents should discipline their children when it comes to internet use and see they use it rationally. If a mobile is given to a kid, it should not be internet enabled," said Dr JR Ram, consultant psychiatrist at Apollo Hospital, Kolkata.
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