'Smartphone addiction': Japanese teen logs 11 hours, 26 minutes a day amid school struggles

Nagoya -- A Japanese 14-year-old junior high school student, known as Shiori, is seeking help from a child psychiatrist due to excessive smartphone use. Shiori began using her first smartphone in fourth grade and had a typically active lifestyle until she started junior high. Issues arose in her relationship with her homeroom teacher and she fell ill before summer break.

Her mother notes that Shiori's behavior became increasingly unusual, at times speaking incoherently or suddenly disappearing. As her school attendance declined, Shiori's screen time surged, reaching an 11-hour and 26-minute daily average - more than double the national average of 5 hours and 24 minutes for junior high students. Shiori uses her phone for various online activities like watching educational videos and engaging in creative endeavors.

Despite the time she spends on her phone, Shiori acknowledges that she often feels bored and unproductive. Her mother struggles to enforce rules around screen time as Shiori remains engrossed in her device. The family's attempts to manage her smartphone use have been ineffective. Shiori herself has tried to break her habit, following a routine like taking a bath at a certain time, but faces setbacks.

Treatment at Meieki Sako Mental Clinic has revealed that Shiori may have traits of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), explaining her difficulties with sleep schedules and concentration. Experts warn that the lack of fully developed frontal lobes in children makes them prone to becoming absorbed in addictive stimuli like smartphones.

The continuous, seemingly endless content provided by social media is particularly addictive, with certain features engineered to keep users engaged despite their desire to stop. Research has also linked excessive internet use in childhood to declines in verbal intelligence and changes in brain structure. Treatment involves addressing the underlying issues and adjusting the child's environment, with families encouraged to seek professional support.