When I had reached my low point, I actually only had one thing in my head: the next game level and the next message on my smartphone. School, real contacts, even enough sleep – all of this had suddenly become secondary. Today I can say that I found my way from media addiction myself.
My own story: the way to addiction
I look back, sometimes I wonder how it could get that far. It was a creeping process: initially only a few hours a day on the net or on the console, later more and more. At some point, digital determines your entire thinking and feeling. Problems at school, lack of sleep and the topping of friends were the result.
Again and again I heard from outsiders: “Even to blame if you get in so.” But it is not that simple. Harmful media use is complex and often the result defective information and lack of prevention. I myself was lucky that at some point I made the decision to actively work on my behavior. But not everyone works like this. Not everyone finds their way out of the media spiral independently.
Florian Buschmann, founder of the “offline hero”, is committed to the prevention of media addiction. Once affected himself, he knows about the dangers. Every year he and his team conduct over 300 events with more than 10,000 participants in schools. The “offline heroes” are committed to media literacy, media addiction prevention and the correct way of dealing with AI. You know: the future begins with our children.
Scavis study: effectiveness of the stepped care approach
Today there are more and more scientific knowledge that show how crucial early and individually adapted help are. One of these studies is the Scavis study, in which a multi-stage supply system (stepped care approach) for people with Internet -related disorders was examined. This approach provides for different intensities of help, depending on the severity of the problem:
- App-based intervention For lighter cases
- Telephone short interventions According to the principle of motivational interviewing
- Behavioral therapy online therapy For more pronounced disorders
The study was able to show that participants who received these graded help developed more less dependency criteria than those in the control group. In addition, everyday impairments and online time in the intervention group decreased significantly more. Specifically, that means: Early and needs -based intervention Internet usage disorders can effectively reduce and affect those affected healthier handling of digital media.
Why prevention begins in primary school
My own example shows that the transition from normal use to problematic dependency is often inconspicuous. This is exactly why educational systems are needed before children and adolescents even get into the danger zone. In our school projects, we are increasingly experiencing primary school children who are already playing games like GTA or Fortnite – titles that should only be released from a significantly older age. Here is the problem: if risky usage patterns First of all, it will be all the more difficult to break it up later.
- Early awareness: Children at a young age learn quickly and take up many impressions unfiltered. It is therefore all the more important to teach them early on what healthy media consumption is.
- Parents as role models: Parents should also reflect critically on how to use digital media themselves. Children and adolescents are strongly based on their surroundings.
- Schools and teachers: A common strategy in educational institutions can help to strengthen children early. Digital competence not only means mastering tools, but also being able to set limits.
The influence of poor information
Many young people – and also adults – do not know at all, Which mechanisms Be behind popular games or social media platforms. “Freemium” models, constant updates and new features are designed in such a way that you keep tickling our reward system and captivating us on the screen. Without awareness of these tricks, adolescents quickly get into a suction effect that they can hardly escape.
Invitation to the parents' consultation hour
Because the topic is so important to me, I offer one Parents' consultation hour to. There they get First aidconcrete tips and individual strategies to accompany children and young people on their way to healthy media consumption. You can find information and appointments at: Parents' Consultation.
Together we can ensure that children and young people get the best out of the digital world – without losing themselves. My own way from media addiction may have been bumpy, but I hope that he shows others: there is always a way out. And with the right prevention measures and offers, it doesn't have to go that far.
