Students in Kerala struggle with online addictions as offline classes resume

As schools in Kerala resumed offline classes in full swing after a gap of two years, many students are reported to be struggling to come out of their online addictions.

A higher-secondary school student in Thiruvananthapuram who took her own life recently said in a note found in her room that she was finding it difficult to stop her addiction to Korean bands and hence could not concentrate on studies.

Child psychiatrists say that it was not a one off incident as many such cases were coming up now as offline classes resumed.

Child psychiatris Dr R. Jayaprakash of Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital said that some students themselves were concerned that they were not able to stop addiction towards online games and music.

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Police sources said that the girl student who died by suicide had even told her mother earlier that she was unable to quit her online addiction and it was affecting her studies.

A parent of another higher secondary student said that he was thinking that his daughter was learning music and dance online along with studies, but only after coming across the recent death of the girl due to addiction towards Korean bands did he realise that his daughter is also addicted to online contents.

Dr Jayaprakash said that children from primary classes to higher secondary were seeking consultation. There was a spurt in the cases when final year exams were conducted offline after year long offline classes in last academic year.

He also said that parents could play a key role in bringing the children out of addiction through counselling at home rather than scolding them.