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Digital Addiction Crisis Hits Youth: Govt Flags Mental Health Emergency

The government's Economic Survey 2025-26 has flagged digital addiction as a significant and growing health problem among children and youth, contributing to a national mental health crisis. It highlights a strong link between excessive digital use and issues like anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, and cyberbullying stress. To combat this, the government has implemented measures like the Tele-MANAS helpline, the SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, and the Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025. The Survey calls for a holistic approach, including a Digital Wellness Curriculum in schools and the creation of offline youth hubs to provide healthier alternatives.

Key Points: Govt Warns of Digital Addiction, Youth Mental Health Crisis

  • Digital addiction linked to mental health crisis
  • High social media addiction in 15-24 age group
  • Govt measures include Tele-MANAS, SHUT Clinic
  • Schools urged to adopt Digital Wellness Curriculum
  • Offline youth hubs suggested as alternative
2 min read

Govt flags growing digital addiction, mental health crisis in children, youth

Economic Survey 2025-26 highlights digital addiction as a major health problem, linking it to anxiety, depression, and poor academic performance in youth.

"Digital addiction negatively affects academic performance and workplace productivity due to distractions, 'sleep debt', and reduced focus. - Economic Survey 2025-26"

New Delhi, Jan 29

Digital addiction is growing as a significant health problem among children and the youth and is also contributing to the mental health crisis in the country, said the government on Thursday in the Economic Survey 2025-26.

The Survey tabled in the Parliament by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, noted that digital addiction is closely linked with the degrading mental health of the youth in the country.

"Digital addiction negatively affects academic performance and workplace productivity due to distractions, 'sleep debt', and reduced focus. It also erodes social capital," it said.

To address this problem, the CBSE has issued guidelines on safe internet use in schools and school buses. Other measures include the Ministry of Education's Pragyatah framework, which guides digital education planning with attention to screen time, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights guidelines on screen time limits and online safety.

Further, the Survey also mentioned the high prevalence of social media addiction among those aged 15-24, which is strongly associated with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and cyberbullying stress.

Other issues plaguing Indian youth include compulsive scrolling, social comparison, and gaming disorders.

These are increasingly leading to sleep disruption, aggression, social withdrawal, and depression, with adolescent populations being especially vulnerable.

To address this issue, the government has taken multiple measures, the Survey said.

This includes the Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States), which has since its launch in October 2022, received over 32 lakh calls; the SHUT (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) Clinic at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, which provides specialised care for excessive and compulsive technology use, focusing on adolescents and young adults; and he Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025, which represents a major step to address digital addiction and financial harm among youth.

As digital access cannot be fully restricted, the Survey suggested the establishment of offline youth hubs, particularly in urban slums and rural areas, to provide alternatives to digital spaces; moderated online safe spaces hosted by schools or similar institutions.

"Schools play a critical role in shaping digital habits, and hence, they should introduce a Digital Wellness Curriculum covering screen time literacy, cyber safety, and mental health awareness," it said, while calling for a "holistic approach, including physical and mental health, is essential to ensure a resilient future".

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While the concern is valid, simply blaming screens is not the solution. The real issue is the lack of safe, engaging offline spaces for youth, especially in cities. Where are the parks, sports complexes, and community centres? Building offline youth hubs is a fantastic suggestion that should be implemented ASAP.
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Aman W
The Online Gaming Act is crucial. I've seen friends lose lakhs on these fantasy apps. It starts as fun and becomes an addiction. Parents also need to be educated. Just giving a child a smartphone at age 10 without guidance is asking for trouble.
S
Sarah B
The social comparison point hits home. My younger sister is constantly anxious about her looks and life because of Instagram. Low self-esteem is a silent epidemic. A Digital Wellness Curriculum in schools is a proactive and much-needed idea.
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Vikram M
Good to see the Survey highlighting this. But the guidelines are only as good as their implementation. Will schools actually enforce screen time limits? Or will coaching institutes just shift online and add to the problem? The focus has to be on creating balance, not demonizing technology which is also essential for education.
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Karthik V
Respectfully, the government's own push for "Digital India" has made screens unavoidable for everything from schooling to banking. We can't have it both ways. The solution isn't just in reports, but in providing compelling alternatives. More power to the SHUT clinic model—we need such facilities in every major city.

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