Interview with Kinyas Tekin - Digital Addiction in Adolescents: Understanding, Preventing, and Treating Screen Overuse

In today’s fast-evolving digital world, the boundaries between healthy screen use and digital addiction are becoming increasingly blurred—especially for adolescents. To explore this critical issue, we sat down with Kinyas Tekin, an expert psychologist with extensive clinical and academic experience in behavioral addictions, adolescent psychology, and digital health.

In this comprehensive interview, Mr. Tekin shares valuable insights on:

• The scientific definition of addiction and its key characteristics

• How digital addiction manifests differently in adolescents and adults

• WHO’s official criteria for gaming disorder

• The importance of age-appropriate screen time limits

• Concrete recommendations for parents, educators, and caregivers

• How adolescents can recognize the signs of addiction in themselves

• Evidence-based treatment approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family therapy, and digital detox strategies

Drawing from years of clinical practice and research, Mr. Tekin emphasizes that the goal is not to disconnect young people from the digital world, but rather to help them build balanced, mindful, and healthy relationships with technology.

👉 Read the full interview below to better understand the challenges of digital addiction and the practical steps we can all take to support young people in navigating the digital age responsibly.

Interview with Kinyas Tekin on Digital Addiction and Youth