Youth screen addiction is a ‘Silent Crisis'; India needs a plan-- Why children can't focus, and why it matters

Time of India

2 days ago

A small story that imagines a school night: a 14-year-old lies awake on her bed, her face lit only by the glow of a phone. We know she isn't the only one. Across India, children and teenagers are confined to the realm of doomscrolling, endlessly swiping through random and unnecessary reels, memes, and cat videos.
Unlike past addictions like smoking or drinking, this one came without warnings and it's silently rewiring adolescent minds.
The silent strain behind every swipe:
What began as curiosity or connection has now morphed into compulsive behavior. Shrinking attention spans, rising anxiety, and a dependence on online validation are fast becoming the new normal. Parents often feel helpless, sometimes, even the child's own digital ventures stand in the way of setting boundaries.
Schools are reporting rising aggression and a visible decline in focus.
Are we witnessing a silent crisis? And yet, there is barely any intervention from those who should be addressing it.
Mental health is cracking under the scroll:
Recent Indian research links heavy screen/social media use with poorer mental health. A 2024 Indian study of 1,392 adolescents and young adults found depression symptoms in 37.9% and anxiety in 33.3%, with screen time and social media use positively correlated to both; poor sleep worsened outcomes while physical activity helped.
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For younger children, evidence is stark: in Tamil Nadu, 73% of under-five children exceeded recommended limits, and higher screen exposure was associated with developmental risk, especially language/communication.
Clinicians have also described case reports where excessive early screen exposure is associated with autistic-like symptoms and speech delay that improve after screen restriction. Importantly, some Indian authors caution that the term 'virtual autism' is non-clinical and used informally; the underlying concern is screen-linked developmental risk, not a formal diagnosis.
A billion screens, a billion distracted minds:
Post-pandemic, usage exploded. A national LocalCircles survey of 11,507 urban parents found 61% of children (9–17) spend 3+ hours/day on social media/OTT/games. Indian studies also report very high prevalence of excess screen time among schoolchildren one 2024 study found 83.2% of secondary students exceeded 2 hours/day.
India's own professional bodies have raised flags.
The Indian Psychiatric Society issued guidance urging limits and digital hygiene and noted the need to address unregulated screen use in children and adolescents; the Government's PRAGYATA digital-education guideline caps online class durations by grade but is not a comprehensive addiction policy.
Struggled focus? Why it matters:
Fast, auto-playing, infinite content trains the brain for novelty over depth. Teachers say students struggle to stay engaged; patience, creativity, and deep thinking give way to 'quick hits'. Learning to be bored and being fine with it can spark some of the best ideas, once that restlessness is steered in the right direction. If we don't guard their ability to focus now, we may end up with a generation that isn't just glued to screens, but left feeling empty inside.
Authored by: Sri Kalyani Nippani, Communications Professional and Policy Enthusiast
#MindfulParenting series: How to understand and manage your child's screen time