Digital Addiction and Mental-Physical Health: A Scenario in Asia

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified digital addiction as a mental illness that affect negatively on the health of the users and it is a life threatening. The era of media convergence has integrated media varieties and enhances the work of printing, audio, video, and interactive digital media organizations. This article discusses the issue of digital addiction in the era of media convergence, also its impact on mental-physical health of the users, and the reflection of scenarios occurs in Asia. The qualitative content analysis are performed in this study by focusing on the theme of global digital addiction, spesific to asian region nevertheless. The result visibly demonstrates the excessive used of digital devices affects brain function and user’s physicality where leads to violent, stress, depression and mental confusion. In Asia, online video games, for example Myu, World of Warcraft, Defense of the Ancients, Diablo 3 and Ghost Recon have caused serious digital addiction as a result of engagement in 22 to 40 hours of nonstop playing, especially to teenagers aged between 15 to 30 years, unfortunately causing death. Therefore, the use of digital devices should be controlled, and government should clarify enforcement, so that the death rate due to digital addiction can be reduced gradually.