Internet Addiction in Medical Students. How to Stop it Before it becomes Unstoppable?
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: To the Editor, Internet addiction is an undercurrent in the society. The prevalence of Internet addiction among college students varies by country, ranging between 5% and 21% in six Asian countries.[1] Here, we aim to highlight this issue among medical students. The problem of this Internet addiction is widespread and seen in all strata of societies. How can the medical students escape this?[2] It is the most noticeable thing in teenagers due to curiosity, hormonal changes, getting freedom, and shifting from disciplined school life to unrestricted college life. A study by Abbas et al. on medical students highlights that the most common device for Internet access is a mobile phone. The average student uses the Internet for 2.9 h a day, and 90% of them are addicted to it, with 3.3% having a serious addiction.[2] Long stretches of focused attention are required for medical education and research. More research is needed to fully understand the potential impact of short videos. Online videos provide inspiration and assistance for creating virtual effects and imagination, but they are insufficient for acquiring knowledge and abilities. After watching the videos, students must read the relevant book chapters and connect them to the video sessions.[3] With content creation becoming more popular, many students are considering making nonacademic content which also can create disturbance and unnecessary distraction from their coursework. The potential to earn money through blogging and reels leads to increased engagement with nonrelevant and unimportant content on the Internet. Soon, de-addiction centers and clinics for Internet and mobile phone addiction should be accessible, just as they were in the past for addiction to tobacco, smoking, and other substances, and they should offer counseling sessions.[4] Although content creation is not an addiction, the urge to check reach and followers may lead to increased Internet use and consequently addiction. After the 2000’s, mobile phones became affordable and accessible to the common man. Initially, they were used primarily for communication, but with the advent of smartphones and more affordable Internet plans, things have changed. Activities once used for playing video games indoors or outside or chatting with friends have been taken over by mobile phones. They use their laptops or mobile phones to play highly graphic games, losing out on the real indoor and outdoor gaming experience. The lockdown period saw an increase in addiction. If Internet addiction is not bad enough, sites with short videos or microblogging sites further impair the brain.[5] We need to motivate students to engage in more face-to-face activities. They must start by spending larger time of the day without mobile phone or Internet access. Mobile phones have a setting that tracks screen time, which can be useful for monitoring the progress in those genuinely interested in reducing their usage. Otherwise, this addiction has the potential to severely impact our upcoming generation. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4402052711