India’s digital de-addiction clinics are reporting a steady rise in patients struggling with screen-based and behavioral addictions, mirroring the country’s rapidly expanding digital footprint. At the Behavioral Addictions Clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, clinicians are seeing increasing numbers of individuals with gaming disorder, gambling disorder, and problematic internet and smartphone use. Both gaming and gambling disorders are formally recognized mental health conditions by the World Health Organization.
Most patients at the AIIMS clinic are adolescents aged 13 to 18, though adults and older individuals also seek care. Clinicians emphasize that relapse remains a risk even after successful treatment, highlighting the chronic nature of these conditions. While clinic footfall has risen since operations began in 2016, experts caution that this may…
