The Sant Joan de Déu de Lleida hospital brought together yesterday 250 professionals in person and remotely for a conference focused on preventing screen abuse among minors and adolescents. The event was held under the title "Accompanying in the digital world when screens also require care" and focused on providing tools to educators and other professionals to detect risks and avoid addictions.
One of the data points presented during the event was provided by psychologist Àlex Palau, a specialist in mental health and addictive behaviors at the CSMIJ of Sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida, who estimated around 40 cases per year of minors treated for screen abuse. Palau specified that these are situations linked to both social networks and video games and warned that intensive use can have a direct impact on daily life.
"Spending so many hours, with cases of up to 14 a day, can affect your daily life and this misuse can lead to suffering" - Àlex Palau, psychologist at CSMIJ of Sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida
Sleep, Concentration, and Performance Problems
During his speech, Palau warned of consequences such as lack of concentration, sleep problems, and low performance. He also pointed to an emotional impact linked to hyperconnectivity.
"Some suffer from the fear of being disconnected, which is why they are always checking social media" - Àlex Palau, psychologist at CSMIJ of Sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida
In his presentation, titled "When the network becomes a spiderweb", he explained some of the mechanisms that trap young people in the digital environment. He also stressed that several of these processes can be activated at very early ages, especially in the realm of video games.
Support and boundaries from an early age
Palau defended the need to limit access at certain ages, although he placed accompaniment as the main axis of prevention. In his opinion, it is not enough to restrict, but it is also necessary to explain to minors how the digital environment works and what interests exist behind some platforms and content.
"Access should be limited for some ages, but the important thing is to accompany them so they make good use and explain to them that there is also an industry behind it, with interests" - Àlex Palau, psychologist at CSMIJ of Sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida
The specialist also warned about the use of artificial intelligence to consult pathologies or ailments without professional supervision. In his opinion, this resource can delay the detection of a problem and expose young people to unverified answers or solutions.
Addictions comparable to those of substance abuse
The inaugural conference was led by Dr. Dominica Díez Marcet, a clinical psychologist in charge of the Behavioral Addictions Unit at the Althaia Foundation in Manresa and an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of UVic UCC. In her presentation, she equated screen addictions with those caused by substance abuse, both in terms of symptoms and some of their consequences.
The conference also addressed the need to bet on prevention and have a regulation, with special attention to content generated by artificial intelligence. The program also included social educator Pepa Bautista, who discussed emerging risks and educational challenges in adolescents, and social educator Oriol Giralt, from Sant Joan de Déu Terres de Lleida, who focused his presentation on the impact of TikTok on vulnerable youth.
The shared objective of the speakers was to reinforce early detection and offer useful criteria to professionals working with minors in a context of increasingly early and intense digital exposure.