When social media turns into addiction: At the TikTok Clinic

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You actually want to take a short break. You open Tiktok with the firm belief that you can get back to work in ten minutes. But in an almost chilling way, TikTok knows exactly what users want to see. So you’re thinking: just one more video. And suddenly an hour passed, two hours, even more.

According to research conducted by James in 2022, Tiktok is one of the most popular applications among 12 to 19-year-olds. But while Tiktok is harmless fun for some, others cannot escape its spell: According to a 2023 study by HSBC, around seven percent of young people aged 11 to 15 in Switzerland use social networks problematically – meaning they have difficulty going offline neglecting sleep, schoolwork, and family life. Like shopping or gambling addiction, social media addiction is among behavioral addictions that are not related to substances. So far there are only a few places in Switzerland where such addictions are treated.

That’s why the Private Meiringen Clinic, which is responsible for primary psychiatric care in the Bernese Oberland, decided to open a new location in Thun: Patients between the ages of 18 and 25 receive help from the psychiatric center for young adults. since the beginning of the year. “We consciously focus on this age group,” says chief physician and center director Stephan Kupferschmid (48). Although we have received requests from 16-year-olds, the service mandate currently targets 18- to 25-year-olds.

Find common ground with those affected

All single rooms currently available are full. A total of 30 therapy places are planned to be opened by the end of April. Each room has its own bathroom, a large bed and a desk. The dining room is filled with light, with plants hanging from the ceiling. You immediately notice the large television in the back corner of the room. Isn’t there a strict media ban here?

Kupferschmid laughs and shakes his head. He doesn’t think much about bans on media consumption. The goal is to find a way forward together with those affected. That’s why the clinic relies on dialectical behavioral therapy. This means that individual therapy takes place twice a week, and group therapy three to four times a week. However, sports, painting and awareness are also part of the program. Young adults must learn how to independently organize their daily lives and find alternatives to media consumption.

Just four weeks after opening, the clinic was fully booked and the wait time was several weeks. Because: Kupferschmid says that the number of boys seeking help has increased dramatically in the last decade. We are talking about 25 percent here, not 5-6 percent.” Young people especially benefit from an age-specific station. We need special offers for them, he explains: “The needs of a 20-year-old, for example, a 50-year-old who has already had several illnesses different from one person.”

“Tiktok is a remarkable vacuum cleaner”

Although the offer includes a wide range of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic treatments, the clinic also pays particular attention to the use of social media. “Social media has a big impact when we treat young people for depression or anxiety disorders,” Kupferschmid explains. If you ask young adults what stresses them out the most, the answer is usually social media.

“Tiktok is a vacuum cleaner that attracts attention,” he says. “You do something even if it’s not good for you because the short-term hit outweighs the long-term consequences.” After all, this is a typical feature of addiction.

Lulzana Musliu (35), head of politics and media at Pro Juventute, also sees TikTok as addictive. The Swiss foundation supports children, young people and their families by, for example, learning media skills or giving advice on cyberbullying she. According to Musliu, the point is not to ban TikTok, but rather to teach good behavior: “Tiktok is a part of daily life. It would be unrealistic to claim that social media will disappear again.” Still, it is useful to remind big players of their responsibilities.

This is exactly what the EU Commission is trying to do by filing a lawsuit against TikTok. It is currently being examined whether the internet giant has taken adequate measures against the spread of illegal content and whether it has breached EU rules in areas such as youth protection and advertising transparency. In Switzerland, the Federal Council will prepare a consultation proposal on the regulation of communication platforms by the end of April: this will, among other things, strengthen the rights of the Swiss population and demand greater transparency from the platforms. An age control system for young people is also planned.

Stephan Kupferschmid welcomes politicians’ action. In his opinion, the platform is currently not doing enough to protect young people when it comes to algorithms that quickly lead to extreme and potentially dangerous content. He also approves of increasing prevention: “In this way, media literacy can be strengthened in general.”

Source : Blick