Greece’s Health Ministry and UNICEF warn of digital addiction harming children

The Greek Ministry of Health, in partnership with UNICEF, presented findings from the National Action for Child and Family Health. The survey shows that three‑quarters of young people engage in doom‑scrolling, with 89.2% using social media daily and 81.3% saying platform algorithms encourage endless scrolling. Over half report that the habit damages mood, sleep and concentration, and officials warn it could impair future critical‑thinking skills and democratic participation.

Deputy Health Minister Irini Agapidaki said, “the results of the research are truly alarming for our country and our children and we must act immediately. In the future we will have a problem, not only for mental health but also for democracy.” UNICEF’s diplomatic representative Ghassan Khalil emphasized children’s right to voice and support without stigma. The response includes a nationwide Triple‑P parenting programme (231 primary‑care professionals trained, 6,513 parents reached), a pilot community centre for self‑harm among 17‑24‑year‑olds (607 professionals trained, 429 youths helped), and menstrual‑hygiene education in over 2,500 schools reaching 237,000 students.