Beyond Likes & Levels: Strategies for Colleges & Parents to Address Social Media & Gaming's Impact on Students

Frequently, we overlook the swift transformations occurring in our surroundings, the possibility of addiction in children, and the difficulties parents encounter in attempting to find a resolution and incur expenses without a definitive solution.

The phenomenon engenders emotional imbalance, irritation, disputes, wrath, and antagonistic dynamics within parental relationships. The burgeoning social media and gaming business prompts consideration of the impact on individuals' mental well-being.

Is it impeding your academic pursuits and diverting you from your other interests?

Are you at risk of societal exclusion?

Are you feeling down, and are your grades taking a toll?

Do you feel adverse effects on your interpersonal connections with peers, parents, and social circles?

The focus is not on a specific habit that your ward is cultivating, such as excessive television viewing, online gaming, social media usage, and other similar activities. Multiple associated platforms are providing monetary credit along with hyperlinks to download applications and engage in gaming activities. The perception of freedom is not accurate.

If the payment for the service is not made in the form of monetary funds, it suggests that alternative forms of payment are being made. Digitalization ensnares your focus, information, and sentiments, establishing habits that you are oblivious to.The presence of our environment, our hectic schedules, especially when both parents are employed, and the absence of attentiveness and oversight over their children's actions undermine behavior, exacerbating its severity and exerting a detrimental influence on personal, professional, and social aspects of life.

Numerous studies have underscored the heightened susceptibility to self-harm, diminished self-esteem, anxiety, sadness, social isolation, and potentially even suicidal tendencies. Please refer to the following URL for accessing the research findings: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/.

According to the National Journal of Community Medicine, engaging in gaming activities can result in the development of gaming disorders. The research was carried out in the southern region of India, focusing on college students. The study may be accessed at the following link: https://njcmindia.com/index.php/file/article/view/3489.

The Times of India, in an article published on May 30, 2022, examines the detrimental impact of gaming on human conduct.

An investigation conducted among adolescents aged 12 to 17 in the United States reveals an upward trend in mental health over the past few years.

The World Health Organization recognizes internet gaming disorders (IGD) as mental health conditions that affect youth globally. Game addiction can result in adverse effects on several parts of everyday life, such as social interactions, education, and work.

During my recent work on the utilization of AI in education, I acquired knowledge regarding the impact of social media and game addiction on our mental well-being.

First of all, the educational institution needs to check:

• To what extent does the school monitor its kids' psychological and social health and safety? Do they have a policy in place for this?
• Has a policy been established and is it being enforced regarding the use of social media by students? Restricting the use of the phone is not a solution.
• How are teachers finding students' weaknesses who are addicted, facing depression, helping them overcome, and giving them opportunities to improve and normalize?

Who is responsible for overseeing this matter and implementing the necessary actions, without assigning blame to educational institutions, educators, the environment, or parents?

The shared responsibilities include the recognition, implementation of resources, and cultivation of behaviors to mold the wards.

Parents

• They can actively monitor their children's activities and utilize tools to identify any behavioral alterations, which may be addressed promptly.
• They might engage in conversations with the instructors and consult with counselors inside the school system regarding this matter.
• If they determine that remedial action is still necessary to mold their children, they have the option to engage external specialists for workshops and personalized sessions.

Academic institutions, their instructors, and counselors:

• Incorporate emotional awareness exercises in various classrooms to recognize the signaling of red, yellow, and green among pupils.
• Develop and implement a social media strategy for students, employing instructional methods such as lectures, role play, and case studies to raise awareness.
• Additionally, explore the impact of AI integration and its consequences while maintaining a record of progress in the case of students exhibiting red and yellow signals.

Please contact [email protected] for student implementation tools, including an activity sheet.