Mobile phone link to risk in teen suicide
SPENDING too much time on mobile phones has been linked to an increased risk of suicide in teenagers, a study claimed.
Of more than half a million 13-18-year-olds surveyed in the US about their behaviour, 48 per cent who spent at least five hours a day in front of a screen displayed suicide-related behaviour.
Suicide-related behaviour was described as feeling hopeless, thinking about suicide, planning for suicide or attempting suicide.
This compared with 28 per cent of those polled who spent less than an hour a day on phone and tablet devices.
Depression was also more common in teens who spent a lot of time on screen devices.
Lead author Jean Twenge, of San Diego State University, said: “Teens are telling us they’re struggling. We need to take that seriously.”