Children ‘risk mental illness by using web too much’

Loneliness, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and heightened aggression are some of the possible issues faced by youngsters who may overuse the internet.

Public Health England (PHE) says there is an association between the amount of time spent on social media sites and “lower levels of well-being”, the Daily Mail reported.

The newspaper said the link becomes striking when children spend more than four hours a day in front of a screen – but it kicks in even at very low levels of use.

A PHE report says improvements in children’s wellbeing over the past two decades had now been “curtailed and may be in reverse”.

One in 10 children now has a mental health issue, and a third of teenagers feel “low, sad or down” at least once a week, the Mail said.

The report says the number of calls to ChildLine about online bullying, suicidal thoughts and self-harm has soared in recent years.

PHE suggested that parents should be particularly worried about their child’s mental health if they spend more than four hours a day in front of a screen.

“Children who spend more time on computers, watching TV and playing video games tend to experience higher levels of emotional distress, anxiety and depression.

“This relationship is particularly negative among those who engage in high levels of screen use – more than four hours a day.

“The evidence suggests a ‘dose-response’ relationship, where each additional hour of viewing increases children’s likelihood of experiencing socio-economic problems, and the risk of lower self-esteem,” the report said.

It added: “Increased screen time and exposure to media is associated with reduced feelings of social acceptance, and increased feelings of loneliness, contact problems and aggression.

“Certain internet activity (social network sites, multi-player online games) have been associated with lower levels of wellbeing.”

The report suggests that children’s mental health has been getting worse in recent years.

“The data shows overall most children and young people are satisfied with their lives, but that there may be a decline,” it said.