BENGALURU: Even as addiction to social media sites and streaming platforms is being flagged across the world, the habit of excessive online chatting with strangers is also causing serious problems among users, according to National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). 

“The international scientific community has already recognised various forms of digital addiction to social media, movies, gaming and online pornography,” said Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor of clinical psychology at SHUT (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) clinic at NIMHANS. “While prolonged use of websites to chat with strangers has not yet been termed as an addiction, we have received three cases related to the issue in our clinic, which can be deemed as dysfunctional.

The patients were men in their 30s who spent four to five hours a day chatting online. On their days off from work, the chatting would last up to 10 hours or more, with breaks only to eat,” he added. Doctors found factors that were common in all three cases. “There is a sense of novelty when chatting with new people, and the advantage of anonymity,” Sharma said, adding that the patients were introverts who found it difficult to make connections in the real world and had nothing to do post work. “It started as a way to pass time and they lost control. At times, the chats turned sexual. It is not just one but several people they could chat with,” he explained.

Pre-occupation with the activity, reduced sleep, dryness in eyes due to reduced blinking and change in food habits are signs that digital use has turned unhealthy. The patients found themselves chatting with strangers online even during work hours. It became difficult to abstain after a point, which is when they approached the clinic for help.