The number of young Spaniards between the ages of 14 and 18 who are affected by non-substance addictions increases. These types of addictions include addiction to compulsive Internet use. In Spain, According to Health, there are 18% of young people between these ages who suffer from Internet addiction. The Ministry of Health has revealed this information in the new National Addiction Strategy.
For the first time, data on addictions related to the use of new technologies is collected in this report. This is an important piece of information because the use of the computer or the smartphone plays an important role in the lives of most young people.
From Health they show their concern about an increase in pathological use of the Internet, social networks or digital media. In addition, an increase in the role of technologies that cause addictive behaviors has also been observed. For example, gambling and online gambling. Factors that concern researchers.
It seems like online gambling is one of the main problems that have been detected. Because the 9,8% of those under 18 years of age have you ever gambled on the Internet. Meanwhile he 44,8% of adults who are addicted to gambling have gambled before they were 18 years old.
Therefore, the National Strategy on Addictions has set the prevention of addictions as soon as possible as one of its absolute priorities. Since the sooner people start with these behaviors, the more complicated it is to bring about their end. Among the planned measures are to regulate the advertising of gambling games in spaces dedicated to minors.
They also seek to offer programs with which to instruct young people in the use of the Internet and new technologies usually. Since healthy use can prevent many problems in the future. Most of the actions of this new plan will be directed at adolescents, who are the group in which the problems grow the most. In addition to Internet addiction problems, they also seek to focus on alcohol consumption before age 18 and gender differences in the field of addictions.