A 35-year-old man returned to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi’s behavioral addictions clinic on a chilly February morning for a follow-up consultation with psychiatrists.
Six months ago, after he lost Rs 35 lakh playing an online stock trading simulation game, his family brought him to the clinic for the first time. Similar to the stock market, players invest money; if share values rise, they profit, and if they decrease, they lose.
The man took out loans to continue playing. He signed a contract that required a lender to receive an advance in exchange for his income. Dr. Yatan Pal Singh Balhara, an associate professor of psychiatry at AIIMS, told ThePrint that his family eventually sold land to pay off a portion of the loan.
Balhara, who oversees the weekly outpatient Behavioural Addictions Clinic (BAC) within the Department of Psychiatry and National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), continued, By the time he reached AIIMS, the financial damage was already done.
According to Balhara, who spoke to ThePrint, the man had been diagnosed with gaming disorder and gambling problem, which are officially recognized as mental health conditions by the World Health Organization (WHO). He hasn’t lost any more money for six months since beginning treatment, but relapse is always a possibility, he stated.
The patient does not represent an anomaly.
The Behavioural Addictions Clinic (BAC) has been treating an increasing number of patients with non-substance addictions since it opened in 2016. These include excessive internet use, gaming, and dependence on smartphones and social media.
Doctors report seeing an increasing number of patients struggling with issues related to cellphones, online gaming, online platforms, and actual or virtual gambling as India’s digital footprint grows.
Heavy exposure to immersive internet content has been brought to light by a number of events, such as the Ghaziabad case involving three young sisters who purportedly jumped to their deaths from the ninth-floor balcony of their apartment after their parents had forbidden them from using cell phones.
Digital addiction was also identified as a rising risk for India’s youth in the Economic Survey 2025-26, which was presented to Parliament last month.
It stated that the rise in internet connections, which grew from 25.15 crore in 2014 to 96.96 crore in 2024, has led to a rise in digital reliance and a negative effect on the mental health of young Indians, especially those aged 15 to 24.
A 2017 study that was published in the Annals of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) claims that consultations at the AIIMS clinic increased steadily.
Depression, Anxiety and digital addiction
The majority of patients at the AIIMS Behavioural Addictions Clinic are in the 13-18 age range. However, patients of all ages also seek assistance. People in their 20s and 30s come to us. Even senior citizens occasionally visit since their relatives believe they are constantly on the phone and are only passively viewing the content, according to Balhara.
According to the 2017 AIIMS study article, the clinic has also dealt with instances related to online phenomena like the Blue Whale Challenge.
Three major groups were identified by Dr. Rajiv Mehta, senior consultant psychiatrist at Sir Gangaram Hospital: middle-aged women who are experiencing loneliness or midlife stress, elderly individuals who are unmarried or living alone, and adolescents who struggle academically.
The vice chairperson of psychiatry at Sir Gangaram Hospital, Dr. Rajesh Goyal, recalls a 17 year old student who received 97 percent in Class 10 but had a significant decline in grades in Class 12. He was on Facebook and Instagram for hours. Concentration and performance were impacted, Goyal stated. Teachers claimed that although he understood the material, he was unable to perform.
Another kid whose excessive online gaming continued into the night and disrupted his sleep and everyday functioning was reported by Dr. Samir Parikh, chairperson of the Fortis National Mental Health Program.
Adayu, a facility that specializes in residential treatment for acute mental crises, is run by Parikh. The adolescent developed irregular sleep wake patterns, persistent fatigue, irritability, reduced physical activity, and a gradual decline in overall health and psychosocial well-being, Parikh stated.
According to Mehta, a lot of conflicting couples also show up because they believe their partners are constantly using their phones.
In one instance, I recall a lawyer bringing his 12 year old daughter in for treatment of screen addiction.
The issue started at home, where the mother, who was also heavily involved in online gaming, would give the child a second phone when she requested time and attention.
We might have seen one case a month before COVID, he continued, adding that the numbers had increased since the outbreak. These days, we witness two or three of these situations daily, particularly involving minors. But according to medical professionals, excessive screen time does not always equate to addiction.
Balhara remarked, Screen time alone does not mean much. Depending on the goal, yes. A coder or a content creator may spend many hours on screens without addiction.
Clinically, addiction is about losing control, the doctor emphasized. Patients find it difficult to know when to begin and quit, and they persist in spite of obvious harm. Other aspects of life are neglected, such as relationships, employment, study, sleep, and meals, according to Balhara.
We refer to it as addiction when someone prioritizes their screen time over their sleep, food, relationships, and obligations and is unable to quit even after realizing the harm.
According to Balhara, screen time is not the only factor used to diagnose screen-related addictions.
Physicians also consider whether the behavior lasts for a long time, usually a year or so, and if it significantly impairs social, academic, professional, or personal functioning.
Structured evaluations and screening instruments based on ICD-11 criteria the international standard for monitoring and comparing medical records, injuries, and causes of death form the basis of this.
According to medical professionals, mental health problems like digital addiction hardly ever occur on their own.
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For example, a teen who plays video games at night may experience sadness as a result of home strife and scholastic failure. However, because they feel safer online, people with social anxiety may resort to these platforms and eventually lose control.
According to Mehta, it is a cycle. Digital addiction can exacerbate depression and anxiety, and depression and anxiety can cause digital addiction.
