As the digital age continues to evolve, South Africa finds itself at the forefront of a concerning trend: its citizens are among the worlds highest users of screen time, Cape town Etc reports.
Their obsession with digital devices, particularly smartphones, has drawn sharp critiques from health professionals, who warn that this trend is exacerbating a mental health crisis among children and adolescents.
The South African Society of Psychiatrists SASOP has raised alarms about the escalating impact of excessive screen time, leading to severe implications for young peoples mental well-being.
The term brain-rot, which signifies the harmful effects of consuming excessive low-quality online content especially on social media has recently garnered recognition as the Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year. This encapsulates a growing societal concern about how digital media consumption influences cognitive health.
The ramifications for children are particularly alarming. According to research findings, adolescents who spend more than five hours a day on digital devices are 70 more likely to entertain suicidal thoughts when compared to those who limit their screen time to under an hour daily.