Youth at Risk: Exploring Internet Addiction and Its Impact on South Asia's Emerging Generation

Background - The Indian subcontinent, a South Asian region with diverse cultural practices, linguistics varieties, religious beliefs, and geographical features, is home to India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. An internet usage has increased globally, particularly in emerging nations like India. Internet addiction, a serious problem, is linked to mental health issues like ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. Factors contributing to internet addiction include unstructured time, unrestricted access, cutting-edge equipment use, parental restrictions, virtual emotional expressions, and maintaining confidentiality. Methodology - An analytical investigation was conducted on the Indian subcontinent, involving 150 publications and a sample size of 58633. Data included demographics, internet usage, sample type, age, gender, and IA prevalence, analysed using relevant analytical tools. Result and Discussion - A study comparing 150 articles from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka found that these countries have had the highest mean prevalence of internet addiction. The study suggests combining psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions, a "reality approach" to control behaviour, and a system to provide consistent assistance and alert users to internet usage restrictions. Educational institutions should focus on detecting and intervening before the problem escalates.