One in five teenagers in Aragon makes compulsive use of the Internet

The compulsive use of the internet and the increased time spent on social media and video games are solidifying a worrying trend among teenagers in Aragon. One in five young people exhibits problematic internet use, an addictive habit that remains stable but at high levels, according to data released this Thursday, February 19.

The figures, presented by the Director General of Public Health , Nuria Gayán, come from the new Estudes 2025 survey in Aragon , the biennial study that analyzes drug use and other addictions among students aged 14 to 18. The report also confirms the increase in in-person gambling and the rise in intensive use of social media.

SOCIAL NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

Problematic internet use has remained at 19.5% for two years . This figure, although stable, is worrying, as it means that one in five young people in the community reports compulsive internet use . To curb this, Gayán pointed out that, in addition to institutional efforts to control problematic internet use through specific programs, “the role of families is crucial , with simple measures such as family agreements on how many hours we will dedicate to the internet.”

Regarding social media use , the study reveals that it is practically universal. During the school week, 62.2% of students spend between two and five hours online daily, and 8.8% spend more than five hours . On weekends, almost three out of ten students use social media for more than five hours a day.

16.4 % show signs of potentially problematic social media use , a percentage higher than the national average. Girls register higher levels of both intensive and risky use. As for potentially compulsive internet use, it remains stable at 19.5%.

GAMBLING WITH MONEY

Over the past two years, the number of young people playing video games has increased, rising from 81.6% to 83.8%. This wouldn’t be a problem, Gayán stated, if it weren’t for the fact that “some video games contain rewards or elements that encourage gambling with money.”

Regarding gambling , online gambling remains stable at 10.9%, while in-person gambling has increased from 21.6% to 25.1%. The estimated prevalence of potential problem gambling stands at 4.5%, slightly higher than two years ago, when it was at 4%.

By gender, a higher prevalence of potential problem gambling is observed in males , at 7.7%, compared to 1.3% in females. Furthermore, when analyzed by age, a sustained increase in the prevalence of potential problem gambling is noted as adolescents grow older, rising from 0.8% at age 14 to 9.3% at age 18 .