UP: Special clinics to provide counselling to youth addicted to social media

Special clinics to provide counselling to youngsters addicted to social media platforms will soon be set up by the King George Medical University here. The psychiatry department of the University will run the clinics targeted at adolescents.

Professor PK Dalal, the head of KGMU's psychiatry department, told PTI that "Owing to massive usage of various social media tools/platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, mobile games and Instagram, a number of people are suffering from mental disorders. "The Bengaluru-based NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) had four years ago started SHUT clinic -- Service for Healthy Use of Technology. Following the success of the first SHUT clinic, the psychiatry department of KGMU also decided to open similar clinics," he said.

"Through the special clinics, counselling will be done of youngsters so as to motivate them to use less of social media tools. Most of the children from middle-income families get addicted to social media. As a result, there is an adverse impact on academics, the children become irritated, impact is also on their eyes and they tend to lose their concentration. If parents tell them to refrain from using mobile phones, they become stubborn, and hide it from their parents," Dalal said. Director of NIMHANS, professor BN Gangadhar during his recent visit to Lucknow had suggested that 'SHUT' clinics should be started at all major and prominent institutes.

"On this suggestion, KGMU is planning to open similar clinics," Dalal said. The HoD also said that the clinics opened here will not be called 'SHUT' clinics, but will be given some other name. He also added that counselling centres will also be started in various schools and colleges to fight the adverse impact of social media.

(With inputs from agencies.)