Workshop for teachers to help kids addicted to internet

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights organized a workshop for the teachers of secondary schools in east Delhi on Friday to help them identify children addicted to the internet. The workshop, held in collaboration with Flair NGO, was aimed at creating awareness, knowledge and skill-building among teachers for safe usage of internet to ensure the health and well being of school-going children and adolescents, the DCPCR said.

Various common issues that are faced by children and adolescents in the internet such as cyberbullying, cyberstalking, identity theft, profile hacking, online sexual abuse, and exploitation were discussed in the workshop. In recent times, children are getting addicted to video games. There is an addiction for such games because dopamine level increases in the brain and sense of satisfaction are experienced, the DCPCR said.

The teachers and parents can identify internet addiction disorder/ compulsive internet addiction by noticing the symptoms like depression, dishonesty, feelings of guilt, anxiety, euphoria when using the internet, mood swings, boredom with routine tasks, procrastination, backache, headache, insomnia, dry eyes, etc. DCPCR member Ranjana Prasad said the commission is highly concerned with the high rate of net surfing and gaming addiction among children which is proving harmful for their physical and mental health.

The DCPCR will conduct more such workshops for teachers as well as parents and children, she said.