Comment of the film "Addicts"

By Iva Šantić

This was a good choice of topic for my generation. That is my first comment on the film made by students from elementary school Večeslava Holjevca from Zagreb. Why is that? Because we are the generation to which smartphones, computers, and the Internet are more accessible than ever before and we use them in our everyday life. Time spent on the Internet is passing fast and very often we are not even aware how much time have we spent searching and scrolling. For that reason, films that encourage us to question our excessive usage of the Internet and time spent playing computer games are very welcome.

I have read that the WHO ( World health organization) listed video game addiction in the list of illnesses. In the last couple of years few hospitals open the wards for treating Internet and video games addictions, and in the last year, a day clinic was opened in psychiatric hospital St. Ivan in Zagreb.

Group therapy in the day clinic of the St. Ivan hospital is the main treatment method in this comedy and it was shown in a very humorous way. In the article about day clinic, I have read which symptoms are warning us that someone is addicted to the Internet or video games.

Symptoms

•    they are spending more and more time on the computer

•    they are not able to control how much time are they spending on the computer and internet

•    they are neglecting their family, friends and other duties

•    they react very violently if someone tells they are spending too much time on the Internet

•    they are missing out from the activities they used to enjoy

•    they will stay up for a long time to play games instead of sleeping

•    they are nervous and anxious when they are not online