Nursing student in Ahmedabad breaks hand to avoid exams due to reel addiction, leading to four months of counseling and reduced screen time

Summary

A nursing student in Ahmedabad broke her own hand to avoid taking exams, driven by an addiction to watching reels on her phone. The student spent an average of 12 hours a day consuming short video content, leading to severe neglect of her studies. She self-harmed and then called the Tele MANAS mental health helpline to seek help. After four months of counseling, her screen time was reduced to three hours, and she successfully took her term exams. Experts noted that digital addiction is a growing concern, contributing to mental health issues in over 70-80% of cases involving mood swings, anxiety, or sleep disorders.