Ludhiana: Rationing mobile phone usage, closely monitoring content and linking screen time to a reward system are among the key steps psychiatrists and psychologists in the city are advising parents whose children are addicted to mobile phones to take. Mental health experts said cases of excessive mobile phone use among children and adolescents have become increasingly common, with parents approaching them almost every day, seeking help to address the problem.City-based psychiatrist Dr Ranjive Mahajan said there has hardly been a day when he does not see children or adolescents brought in by parents for mobile phone addiction. He said he sees around 20 to 22 such patients regularly, many of whom spend hours continuously on their phones. According to him, these children often struggle to differentiate between the real world and the virtual world and display focus-related issues and anger problems.Dr Mahajan said parents are counselled to strictly ration usage of devices by fixing specific time limits on different days. “We advise parents to allow device usage only for a limited and fixed duration,” he said. He added that screen time is also suggested as part of a reward system, but the rewards should be minimal and strictly linked to positive behaviour or tasks completed by the child.He added that parents are regularly educated about the importance of monitoring the kind of content their children consume. “Wherever possible, parents should try to watch the content with the child so that they remain aware of what is being viewed,” Dr Mahajan said.Experts also stressed that mobile phones and digital devices are now an integral part of the education system, making it unrealistic to completely eliminate their use. Dr Navkiran Soch Mahajan, head of the department of psychiatry at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), said she also receives cases where children and adolescents are brought by their parents to address excessive mobile usage.She said since students increasingly receive assignments online, parents should also focus on the positive aspects of mobile phones and similar devices. “Parents need to be guided on how to balance the use of such devices while simultaneously monitoring the negative impacts,” she said.Dr Navkiran said parents are advised to gradually reduce screen time and ensure that usage is both minimal and need-based. She said sudden withdrawal of mobile phones or devices is not advisable, as it can worsen behavioural issues and lead to emotional distress in children.Experts also highlighted the behavioural and psychological problems that often accompany mobile phone addiction in children. City-based psychiatrist Dr Anshu Gupta said he sees around three to four such cases every week, mostly involving children between the ages of eight and 15 years. He said these children exhibit cognitive decline, anger-related issues, behavioural problems, difficulty interacting with peers and poor concentration.“I have seen cases where children have banged their heads when denied mobile phones and have also injured elderly family members, including grandparents,” Dr Gupta said. He added that treatment largely focuses on counselling parents, though some children may require symptomatic treatment as well.Several experts hold parents primarily responsible for development of mobile phone addiction among children. Dr Arvind Goyal, a psychiatrist at the civil hospital, said in most cases, parents initially hand over mobile phones to children for their own convenience, as they are occupied with other work.“There are many parents who give mobile phones to their children to make them eat meals. Once addiction develops, it starts causing multiple mental health issues,” Dr Goyal said. He added that normally screen time of around half an hour is advisable, but many children end up using mobiles and other devices for several hours a day. He stressed the need for constant monitoring of both screen time and the content being consumed.Experts also pointed out that prolonged and unregulated usage of mobile phones has increasingly become a family issue, with children developing dependency early and parents struggling to correct the habit later.Box 1: Counselling parents over childrenPsychologists said they primarily focus on counselling parents rather than children when dealing with mobile phone addiction.City-based clinical psychologist Dr Param Saini said parents often introduce mobile phones and tablets to children for convenience but later find it difficult to control usage once children develop dependency.“I mostly educate parents about parenting rather than counselling the children alone,” she said. Dr Saini added that parents are advised to spend more time with their children, focus on outdoor activities and avoid handing over devices during children’s free time.She also said parents are cautioned to ensure children do not watch violent or inappropriate content, as it has a direct impact on their mental health. Dr Saini added that overexposure to social media and digital platforms often makes children impatient and anxious.Box 2: Behaviour therapy and awarenessMental health experts said parents and children are educated about how excessive screen time affects the brain, sleep patterns, focus and mood.They are informed about the difference between healthy and harmful use of devices such as mobile phones and tablets. Experts said behavioural therapy techniques include setting gradual limits, using reward systems where screen time is earned after completing tasks and replacing digital exposure with sports, hobbies and physical activities.Dr Ranjive Mahajan said some initiatives in Maharashtra promote the concept of “digital vrats” or digital fasting to address excessive device usage.
