In modern times, ‘digital dementia’ is becoming a serious problem. Digital dementia is actually a condition of mental weakness and memory loss that occurs due to excessive use of mobile phones, tablets and computers.
German neuroscientist Dr. Manfred Spitzer first introduced the term in 2012. According to him, children and adolescents who spend a lot of time on gadgets start showing the same symptoms that usually appear in older people during dementia, such as amnesia, difficulty in decision-making and decreased mental performance.
Causes
According to experts, the biggest cause of digital dementia in children is excessive screen time. Children spend many hours a day on mobile phones and video games, which results in damage to the parts of their brain that control memory and attention. Lack of sleep further exacerbates this problem, while distance from physical activities and social activities also makes children mentally inactive.
Speaking in this regard, psychologist Dr. Sehrish Iftikhar said that when children spend most of their time in the virtual world, they become distant from real-life activities. This behavior slows down their brain development and causes memory impairment at an early age.
‘Children with digital dementia are unable to concentrate in studies’
According to Dr. Sehrish Iftikhar, children with digital dementia are unable to concentrate in studies and often forget even trivial things. Due to excessive screen time, their sleep is affected, which increases irritability, fatigue and restlessness. Over a long period of time, these habits slow down mental performance and children lose the ability to make decisions or solve problems.
How is prevention possible?
Experts emphasize that if parents take timely measures, children can be protected from this problem. First of all, it is important to limit screen time for children so that they do not spend hours on gadgets. On the other hand, instilling a habit of sports and physical activities uses their energy in a positive way.
’Spending time with family and encouraging reading or creative activities also protects children from the negative effects of the digital world.’
