Breaking Smartphone Shackles

South Korea is the world's largest user of smartphones and no surprise in having the  most internet addicts. The cell network is so good that even elementary school children carry smartphones and use them which poses many problems for parents and teachers.

The government seeing the need has established internet dream camps for the addicted, to help them overcome their addiction. This is not only a gaming addiction but addiction to the whole digital world. 

The Peace Weekly gives us some understanding of the problems in an article. This is not the first article, and Korea is not alone with internet user problems.  She is trying to do something to solve the problem with rehabilitation camps and programs for the young.

91% of the population has a smartphone: the highest in the world. With these numbers, they have seen the fallout from the use and it is mostly with the young. 10% of  the total number of students in high school are in danger of becoming addicted.

There are many different harmful results from this addiction: information overload, captivation in messaging,  estrangement from their living reality, extreme use of SNS sites,  continuing downloading of Apps, overuse of games,  and addiction to using  adult content sites with pornography.

Health problems: lack of sleep, social inability to relate with others, turtleneck and dry eye problems. Children under 6 are given the smartphone to quiet them which is not good for mental health.

Recently in a discussion group, religious leaders considered the problems of smartphone addiction. The bishops' committee on  the media  has recommended that all the programs for the young  explain the dangers  of internet addiction.

With the increase of problems in society, programs need to be established: certain fix times with no use of digital equipment, education on the different facets of mass media, and camps for the addicted.

One article concludes with the signs of addiction. Without the smartphone, you see restlessness and agitation. When using the smartphone they want to put it down but continue using it. They can't plan on how to use the smartphone. They are always fingering the  smartphone  and hearing this from family and friends. There are many sites on addiction but (www.iapc.or.kr) is also in English.