#Digitaladdiction

Revolutionary laboratory experiments with common marmosets—small South American primates sharing significant genetic similarities with humans—have revealed shocking insights into the fundamental psychological mechanisms driving compulsive smartphone usage that could transform how Thai families, educators, and policymakers approach digital wellness throughout the kingdom. These groundbreaking studies demonstrate that screen attraction stems not primarily from meaningful content or social connections as previously assumed, but from simple, repeatable sensory changes that trigger basic reinforcement pathways in primate brains, suggesting that the compulsive checking behaviors plaguing millions of Thai smartphone users result from evolutionary responses to engineered digital stimuli rather than personal weakness or lack of self-control.

A new wave of research using common marmosets offers provocative clues about why smartphones captivate people and how Thai communities can address digital wellness. The studies show that simple, repeatable visual stimuli can trigger reinforcement pathways in primate brains, suggesting that repetitive screen checking may stem from basic brain chemistry rather than personal weakness. Researchers emphasize that meaningful content is not the sole driver of attraction; basic audiovisual feedback can sustain interaction over time.

A recent psychological study has revealed that individuals who experience high levels of boredom are more susceptible to developing social media addiction, raising fresh concerns about the digital habits of Thais amid the nation’s ever-growing use of online platforms. As social media continues to permeate daily life in Thailand—where platforms like Facebook, Line, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok are nearly ubiquitous—the findings provide critical insight for educators, health professionals, and policy makers seeking to promote healthy technology engagement.

A new study links persistent boredom with a higher risk of excessive social media use. Thai users increasingly rely on platforms like Facebook, Line, Instagram, X, and TikTok to stay connected, informed, and entertained. Educators, health professionals, and policymakers can use these insights to promote healthier technology habits nationwide.

Researchers analyzed patterns among frequent social media users and found a clear association: the more often people report feeling bored, the more likely they are to engage in excessive online activity. For many, scrolling becomes a substitute for offline activities that lack stimulation or meaning. In Thailand, the issue may be especially relevant given the high daily time spent on social platforms compared with regional peers, according to local data.

A growing global concern is emerging around severe mental health episodes linked to prolonged interactions with AI chatbots. In Thailand, mental health professionals are examining how these risks could affect vulnerable populations and the broader digital landscape in Asia.

Thailand has embraced digital technology, with widespread internet and smartphone use. Many Thais engage with AI chatbots for language learning, business support, and entertainment. The rapid shift toward digital tools, accelerated by the COVID-19 era, brings new psychological considerations. The term “ChatGPT psychosis” underscores how AI interactions may interact with individual vulnerabilities, potentially amplifying distress or delusional thinking.

A recent wave of psychiatric hospitalizations in the United States and elsewhere has drawn attention to a disturbing new phenomenon: individuals experiencing a severe break with reality—a condition some psychiatrists and families are calling “ChatGPT psychosis”—after extended, intense interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots. As stories surface of people spiraling into delusional thinking, family breakdown, job loss, and even involuntary psychiatric committal linked to their use of conversational bots like ChatGPT, Thai mental health professionals and policymakers are taking note of the risks these digital tools might pose for vulnerable populations in Thailand and across Asia.

A landmark study shows that teenagers who exhibit addictive patterns of using social media, mobile phones, or video games are up to three times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or behaviors than their peers. The research, published in JAMA, tracks youths over several years to examine compulsive screen use and suicidality rather than simply total time online. This shift in focus strengthens the call for nuanced mental health strategies in a digital age.

A wave of new research warns that children who report “addictive” behaviour patterns with their online activities—including social media, mobile phones, and video games—face significantly greater risks for mental health problems than peers who engage less compulsively. A landmark 2025 study, previously highlighted in the Financial Times, demonstrates that the danger is not simply about the total hours spent online, but rather how compulsive or addictive a young person’s engagement has become, dramatically altering the conversation around digital wellbeing and youth mental health.

New international findings reveal that children who exhibit compulsive online behaviours—such as relentless scrolling on social media, constant phone use, and heavy video gaming—face markedly greater mental health risks than peers with less intense engagement. A landmark 2025 study, highlighted by major outlets, shows the danger lies not in total hours online but in the pattern of use: highly addictive, hard-to-stop behaviours dramatically shift youths’ wellbeing and resilience.

This is a critical issue for Thai parents, teachers, and policymakers. Thailand’s rapid digital shift means many students are online from an early age. National data indicate Thai youths use smartphones longer each day than global peers, a trend accelerated by online schooling and social networks during the pandemic. With rising reports of anxiety, depression, and troubling cases of self-harm among young people, international findings offer an urgent call to action for local communities.

A new international study finds that problematic pornography use tends to stay stable over time and is strongly connected to mental distress. For health experts and policymakers, the findings emphasize that support should target those already struggling rather than expecting a rapid surge in cases. The research also highlights the mental health implications of online adult content in an era of widespread internet access, which is highly relevant to Thailand’s increasingly digital society.

A new study has revealed that problematic pornography use tends to remain stable over time and is strongly associated with mental distress, reshaping the way health experts and policymakers perceive the issue and its impact, including in Thailand’s increasingly digital society. The findings bring attention to the ongoing debate about the effects of online pornography, especially its potentially serious implications on mental health, societal well-being, and youth development.

The report, as summarised in PsyPost, highlights that while rates of problematic pornography use do not appear to be rapidly increasing in the population, individuals who already struggle with compulsive pornography consumption tend to maintain these patterns. Crucially, the research draws a clear link between problematic use and higher rates of mental distress, such as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and emotional instability.

A sweeping new analysis is sounding the alarm over children’s growing dependence on digital devices as their primary way to handle difficult emotions—a habit with far-reaching consequences for mental health and development. Dubbed the age of the “digital pacifier,” researchers warn that screens aren’t just a symptom of modern life but a central piece of a self-defeating cycle among kids around the world, including in Thailand, where daily screen time continues to trend upward. The findings, released in the journal Psychological Bulletin and summarized in recent reports such as StudyFinds.org, urge families and educators to rethink the role of screens in children’s emotional lives, especially as global averages climb above healthy limits and more Thai children access devices at unprecedented rates.

A sweeping new analysis warns that children increasingly rely on screens to manage difficult emotions, creating a cycle that threatens mental health and development. The study, published in Psychological Bulletin, suggests that screens are not just a symptom of modern life but a central factor in how kids cope with distress. In Thailand, where daily screen use continues to rise, the findings carry urgent implications for parents, teachers, and policymakers.

A fresh wave of research and practical advice is emerging for those hoping to swap the comfort of phone scrolling for the energizing benefits of physical movement—a trend with urgent relevance for Thais of all ages as smartphone use, sedentary work and study, and stressful news cycles become daily realities. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill and movement specialist Katy Bowman, co-authors of “I Know I Should Exercise But… 44 Reasons We Don’t Move and How to Get Over Them,” habitual screen use—especially when we’re stressed or tired—can subtly trap us in cycles of fleeting dopamine rewards, leaving us craving ever more screen time and less inclined to break out for a walk, a stretch, or a dance session. But their message, backed by findings in neuroscience and behavioral therapy, is hopeful: with practice and a few novel strategies, it is possible to retrain your brain to yearn for movement instead of another scroll through Facebook or TikTok (full report: KCBX/NPR).

A new wave of research and practical guidance helps people replace endless phone scrolling with the energizing benefits of physical movement. This has urgent relevance for Thais of all ages, as smartphone use, sedentary work and study, and constant news cycles shape daily life. Clinician Dr. Diana Hill and movement expert Katy Bowman argue that stressful periods can trap us in quick dopamine hits from screens. But with practice and new strategies, you can retrain your brain to crave movement instead of another scroll.