One in Ten Teenagers Has Mental Health Issues, WHO Reports Causes

One in ten teenagers suffers from mental health issues due to addictions to social media and video games. This was reported in a document by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“New data from the WHO European Regional Office indicate a rise in problematic use of social networks from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. Problematic behavior regarding digital games is relevant for 12% of teenagers. All of this raises serious concerns about the mental health and well-being of the youth,” the report states.

WHO experts specify that problematic use of social media is “defined in the report as a behavioral model characterized by symptoms of addiction.” “Symptoms include an inability to control the use of social media, dependence syndrome, withdrawal from other activities, and negative impacts on daily life,” the report notes.

As one consequence of problematic social media use, experts have pointed out “higher rates of substance use among individuals who engage responsibly with social media.” Overall, problematic use of social media is associated with a decline in psychological and social well-being, highlighted the WHO.

“Moreover, problematic use of social media is associated with reduced sleep duration, which can affect teenagers' overall health and academic performance,” the organization added.

Hans Kluge, head of the WHO European Regional Office, addressed the issue by stating that raising digital literacy is vital in combating the negative impacts of this phenomenon. “In many countries, almost nothing is being done for this, and where there are digital literacy programs, they often lag behind new trends and technological developments,” he continued. “Now we are seeing the consequences of this gap, and the situation will worsen if governments, health authorities, educators, and parents do not understand the causes and do not take action to remedy it.”

As noted by the WHO, the data presented were obtained through the “Health Behaviors of School-Aged Children” study, which included about 280,000 children aged 11, 13, and 15 in 44 countries and regions in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada in 2022.