Psychiatrists are reporting a new wave of mental illness caused by excessive internet use and digital platform addiction.
Termed “internet addiction,” this emerging mental health issue has led to at least 318 cases being admitted at the Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital in Kampala.
Among the 10,740 inpatients being treated for various conditions at the hospital, internet addiction ranks as one of the top mental health cases, alongside conditions such as schizophrenia (4,254 cases), bipolar disorder (2,268 cases), and alcohol use disorder (1,648 cases).
The majority of patients affected by internet addiction are young people of all genders.
Richard Okidi Owor, a Senior Counselor at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, notes that men account for the largest number of mental illness cases, totaling approximately 6,784 patients.
According to Owor, the rise in internet addiction cases began after the COVID-19 pandemic and has steadily increased since then.
Owor emphasized that while individuals may try to escape alcohol and drug addiction, they may still experience mental breakdowns due to excessive internet use and concentration on digital platforms.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda ranks among the top six countries globally in terms of rates of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, other psychoses, dementia, and autism.
