Is children's addiction to cyberspace real?

Children's addiction to cyberspace is one of the topics that have been raised due to the importance and impact of cyberspace in today's world.. Children aged 8 to 18 spend nearly 45 hours a week in front of various screens and parents are worried that this will distance the child from normal and normal life.. Anxiety, depression and antisocial tendencies... For this reason, the use of cyberspace by children must be controlled.... **Is children's addiction to cyberspace real?** Excessive use of the Internet in children is one of the growing concerns in the digital age.. But scientists believe that excessive use of the Internet can have negative consequences for children's health.. But there is no doubt that excessive use of cyberspace and the Internet can have adverse effects on children's mental health, social development, and overall well-being.. Excessive use of the Internet can have negative effects on children's sleep patterns, physical activity levels, and academic performance, and even expose children to abuse. cyber and inappropriate content.. **4 important harms of cyberspace for children** Excessive use of the Internet, as mentioned, causes many problems for children and adults... These problems can include mental and physical problems.. In order for parents, caregivers, and educators to prevent children from becoming addicted to cyberspace, they must be aware of its harmful and destructive effects on children and promote responsible and balanced use of the Internet and cyberspace in children. We will examine excessive use of the Internet in children... ### **Impact of cyberspace on mental health** Excessive use of the Internet can cause various problems in children's mental health. Addiction to cyberspace in children can cause stress and anxiety, depression, social isolation, and low self-confidence in children. Depression or hyperactivity disorder in children can also cause social isolation in children and lead them to online games. Interactions may be at risk. Cyber ​​harassment and negative social comparisons also affect a child's mental health.. For this reason, the use of virtual space in children should be controlled... ### **social isolation** Social isolation, which is one of the psychological problems caused by the excessive use of the Internet in children... prevents the development of the child's social skills.... Social skills are formed at an early age with face-to-face interactions; which can face many problems if there is an imbalance between online and offline social activities.... If children spend a lot of time in cyber space; They lose the opportunity to socialize and create and maintain human relationships... ### **Creating disturbances in children's sleep patterns** Excessive use of electronic devices and the Internet before bedtime can disrupt standard sleep patterns and negatively affect the quality of sleep.. Melatonin is a regulatory hormone in the body.. which is effective on the sleep pattern and the light emitted from the screen of electronic devices interferes with the production of this hormone. on the mental health, it causes physical problems in the child's body for long and long hours.. it causes damage to the body.. the human body is very sensitive during childhood and any inappropriate physical activity can have harmful effects on the body.. a sedentary lifestyle increases health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular problems and musculoskeletal disorders.. children's addiction to cyberspace, as it was said, can have harmful effects on health and mental and psychological problems in adulthood That's why parents are looking for the best solutions to control their child's addiction to cyberspace... There are different strategies that can help the child; But if the child's addiction to virtual space cannot be controlled; Visiting and receiving counseling for children and teenagers can be useful... Setting clear and standard rules and boundaries for using the Internet.. Parents can help children develop by creating a healthy balance between online and offline activities. - Be a role model for your child: One of the important characteristics of children is that they follow their parents... Parents can use this ability in children and reduce the use of the Internet and virtual space... which is usually ignored... These trainings include protecting personal information, using privacy settings and identifying and avoiding online dangers such as cyber harassment and fraud... **Summary** Using the Internet and virtual space can increase a child's intelligence; But if it is not controlled, it will have a lot of negative effects on the mental and physical health of the child... The child's addiction to cyberspace is a very important issue in today's world, and if it is addressed, it will not cause a problem. that parents and their children can control their child's addiction to cyberspace... **Frequently Asked Questions** **1\_ What are the most important ways to control children's addiction to cyberspace?** Setting appropriate limits, encouraging offline activities, fostering open communication, and providing guidance on online safety are critical in reducing the negative consequences of excessive Internet use in children. **2\_ What are the negative effects of excessive use of the Internet on the body?** A child's physical condition when using electronic devices can harm his body. In addition, inactivity can increase health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular problems, and skeletal disorders...