Addictive screen use doubles teens’ suicide risk, study finds

(Web Desk): A recent study has revealed that teenagers who use social media, mobile phones, or video games to an addictive extent are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors compared to their peers.

The study spanned four years and observed over 4,300 adolescents who were initially between the ages of 9 and 10. By the end of the study, researchers found that those who had increasingly engaged in “compulsive screen use” over time had nearly double the risk of developing suicidal ideation or behavior.

The study emphasized that the amount of screen time was less significant than the way it was used. For example, screen usage that interfered with schoolwork or physical activity, or that triggered anxiety or restlessness when unavailable, was more strongly associated with mental health risks.

Using machine learning, researchers categorized the teens into different behavioral groups. For mobile phone use, nearly half of the children showed signs of addiction from the start of the study, while one-quarter exhibited increasing signs of dependency over time. In terms of social media, 41% of teens displayed high or escalating signs of addiction.

Among those addicted to video games, researchers observed not only a higher tendency toward suicidal thoughts, but also elevated levels of anxiety, depression, aggression, and behavioral problems.

Dr. Yinuo Xiao, the study’s lead author, stated: “Simply restricting screen time isn’t a complete solution. In fact, partial restrictions can worsen the addiction — similar to what we observe in the treatment of other addictive behaviors.”

Professor Amy Orben of the University of Cambridge also highlighted that while the study does not directly prove that technology causes mental illness, it clearly shows that how technology is used can have a profound impact on adolescent mental health.