Surabaya. In a quiet corner of Jember, East Java, the lives of two siblings, EW, 19, and SA, 17, have been devastated by online gaming addiction. Once vibrant and engaged in everyday activities, their lives took a troubling turn, leading to severe depression suspected to be linked to their compulsive gaming habits.

EW had been addicted to online games for approximately four years, while her younger brother SA immersed himself in gaming for about one year. Their mother, SN, shared her concerns with Suara Jatim Post, a member of the B-Universe Network, on May 5, recounting how her children transformed from normal adolescents into individuals trapped in a virtual world.

"Initially, they were just like any other children—attending school and religious studies,” SN recalled. “But after finishing elementary school, things started to change. They began spending hours on their phones in their room. Their gaming sessions would stretch late into the night. They’d come out only for meals and baths, then retreat back to their room.”

The situation escalated when SN realized that her children no longer recognized her or their father. “They would look at me and say, ‘Who are you? I don’t have a mother,’ and they said the same about their father,” she said, her voice filled with distress.

Desperate for help, SN sought assistance at a local community health center, which then referred them to Dr. Soebandi Regional Hospital in Jember. There, medical professionals attributed the siblings' condition to excessive phone use. Both children are now undergoing psychiatric treatment to address their depression.

The problem of gadget addiction extends beyond Jember. In East Java, an increasing number of children are seeking behavioral therapy for similar issues. Menur Psychiatric Hospital (RSJ) in Surabaya reports that approximately 3,000 children have participated in various forms of therapy, including occupational, physical, and speech therapy, from January to July 2024.

Ifana Sajogo, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at RSJ Menur Surabaya, noted that about 1,200 of these patients have received psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions. “Our data shows that about 3,000 children are consistently undergoing different therapies. Of these, approximately 1,200 have had sessions with psychologists or psychotherapists,” Dr. Sajogo said on Thursday.

Ifana further elaborated on the causes of these behavioral disorders, noting that they often stem from developmental delays, such as speech and cognitive delays. Additionally, issues related to gadget use include early exposure to inappropriate content and online games, contributing to the broader trend of behavioral challenges faced by today’s youth.