The ‘addiction trap’ that penetrates the daily lives of modern people: a new epidemic in the digital age > News

Recently, as the age group of drug offenders has rapidly decreased, the government and related organizations are seeking new treatment strategies targeting the digital native generation. With the 2030 generation accounting for more than 60% of all drug offenders, non-face-to-face platforms such as Metaverse are being actively introduced to overcome the limitations of traditional face-to-face counseling. This method guarantees anonymity, reduces psychological resistance, and is evaluated as an effective alternative to block the risk of ‘recidivism’ that can occur during face-to-face counseling. However, in order to completely eliminate the stigma effect hidden behind anonymity and establish an organic connection between the judicial system and rehabilitation centers, more advanced non-face-to-face program design and improved social awareness must be combined.

The risk of addiction is not limited to substances called drugs, and can lead to fatal consequences even in everyday activities. Investors who are addicted to the extreme volatility of the stock market suffer from ‘FOMO syndrome’, which is the fear of becoming a ‘beggar by lightning’, and show compulsive behavior where they focus only on recovering their income while leaving their day jobs behind. In addition, the crime of illegal filming goes beyond simple sexual desire and operates as a mechanism of distorted desire for power and behavioral addiction to control others, increasing the rate of recidivism. This type of behavioral addiction paralyzes the brain's reward circuit, reaching a point where one cannot control oneself, and is so contagious that it can drag even high-ranking government officials and professionals into the shadow of crime.

The physical and social destructive power that addiction causes is so devastating that it can completely take away an individual's life. Ketamine misuse, which is spreading among young people, causes the ‘stone bladder’ symptom that destroys the bladder wall, leaving behind irreversible physical aftereffects such as causing urinary incontinence and extreme pain in people in their 20s. International crime cases, such as accidents caused by drugged driving or poisoning of soldiers using drugs, also clearly show how drug addiction paralyzes an individual's reason and degenerates into a tool that threatens the lives of others. Suspicions of famous celebrities receiving psychotropic drugs on their behalf also prove how complacent our society is toward prescription drugs and suggest that there is an urgent need to restore medical ethics.

Fortunately, technology can also be a powerful weapon in preventing and treating addiction. The emergence of ‘Starruckus’, a digital treatment device for the treatment of ADHD in children, has overcome the side effects of existing drug treatments and opened up the possibility of data-based precision treatment tailored to the individual patient’s condition. This game-based digital treatment is significant in that it fundamentally blocks the risk of drug abuse while establishing a system that allows medical staff and guardians to monitor the treatment process in real time. The addiction prevention campaign using virtual reality (VR) implemented by some local governments, such as Cheonan City, is also considered an effective example of spreading a prevention culture that raises awareness by allowing citizens to directly experience the risk.