Moroccan Teenagers Share Their Struggles with Digital Addiction

SadaNews - Electronic games have begun to dominate an increasing part of the lives of Moroccan teenagers who spend long hours in front of screens, with an attachment that has crossed the boundaries of entertainment to approach addiction. This has raised concern among families who face daily difficulties in dealing with this growing phenomenon.

Behind the glowing screens, a silent suffering is hidden, experienced by Moroccan families, as electronic games in some households have become a source of tension and recurring disputes between parents and children, amidst a growing sense of helplessness in the face of teenagers' attraction to the virtual world.

In an attempt to understand the dimensions of the phenomenon, "Al-Arabiya.net" spoke to a mother who shared her daily struggles with her son Hamza, confirming that he initially spent a limited time playing after returning from school, before his attachment to games expanded year after year.

The mother added that playing hours have extended late into the night, coinciding with her son’s declining interest in studies and distancing from family activities, noting that her attempts to limit phone usage often ended in confrontations and tension at home.

Gradual Transformation

As for Hamza (16 years old), he told "Al-Arabiya.net" that his relationship with games started normally like most of his peers, but gradually turned into an essential part of his daily life.

He explained that he spent long hours in front of his phone screen without feeling the passage of time, which reflected negatively on his academic performance and social relationships. He added: "I sometimes feel like I live inside the game more than in reality," pointing out that he felt anxious and disturbed whenever he had to stop playing, before realizing later that it had crossed the boundaries of entertainment and started to affect his daily life and relationships with family and friends.

According to recent data, Moroccan teenagers are among the most vulnerable groups to digital addiction behaviors, especially related to electronic games and the internet, with increasing daily screen time usage rates.

Notable Growth

The growth of the video game market in Morocco also reflects the extent of this transformation, as spending on electronic games reached about 2.27 billion dirhams, equivalent to approximately 227 million dollars during the year 2024, indicating a broadening user base, especially among youth and teenagers.

In this context, Dr. Yassine Ishou, a specialist in neuroscience and neurological surgery, explained that pathological behavior in mental health is associated with any activity that becomes excessively repetitive, occupying a central position in a person's life to the extent that it becomes the primary source of comfort or happiness.

Behavioral Addiction

He added to "Al-Arabiya.net" that addiction is not limited to drugs or chemical substances, but can also include daily behaviors such as electronic games and social media when they turn into a primary means of escaping from psychological pressures and stress.

He pointed out that the brain interacts with games through what is known as the "reward system", where continuous repetition leads to a person's need to spend more time to achieve the same feeling of pleasure, a phenomenon scientifically known as "tolerance", which makes it increasingly difficult to stop playing over time.

He emphasized that addressing digital addiction does not rely solely on prohibition or monitoring but requires enhancing family communication, providing recreational and social alternatives, and helping teenagers achieve a healthy balance between the digital world and real life.