Health & Wellbeing
While the support in online communities is really valuable for children, misuse of the internet can exacerbate poor health conditions.
This category includes unhealthy behaviours like excessive time online or gaming, fasting or dieting and lack of sleep.
Also detecting vulnerabilities to depression and anxiety shown by consuming self harm and suicide content and eating disorder content.
Also includes:
Excessive gaming or gaming addiction
Excessive time online
Procrastination and doom scrolling
lack of sleep
Content that discusses self harm, suicide and eating disorders
Warning flags for suicide like searching for suicide methods
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Science direct in their report on internet addiction acknowledge that although it is not recognized by the WHO or the APA, is a serious and problematic pathology.
Internet addiction in young adults: A meta-analysis and systematic review - ScienceDirect
The NHS treats around 3,000 game addicts a year in 15 centres across the UK.
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General pattern detection is the main early detection method for negative health and well being. Factors that you can discuss with your child such as time on certain apps and when they are scrolling.
The detection method to flag warning words, sites and apps also helps to detect searches for suicide methods and consuming content that might encourage self harm, suicide and eating disorder.
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If you're feeling like you want to end your life, it's important to tell someone.
Help and support is available right now if you need it. You do not have to struggle with difficult feelings alone.
These free helplines are there to help when you're feeling down or desperate.
Unless it says otherwise, they're open 24 hours a day, every day.
You can also call these helplines for advice if you're worried about someone else.
Information:
NHS 111
Call 111 – 24 hours every dayChildline – for children and young people under 19
Call 0800 1111 – the number will not show up on your phone billSamaritans – for everyone
Call 116 123
Email jo@samaritans.orgPapyrus – prevention of young suicide HOPELINE247
Call 0800 068 41 41
Text 07860 039967
Email pat@papyrus-uk.orgText "SHOUT" to 85258
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