Experts: Blaming just K-pop for suicides is ‘too simplistic’

“It would be too simplistic to blame excessive screen time, K-dramas or online gaming for the suicide of three minor girls,” said Dr Rajesh Sagar, psychiatrist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Framing a narrative that blames excessive screen time, Korean dramas, K-pop or online gaming for the deaths of three minor half-sisters in Ghaziabad is “too simplistic” and risks obscuring deeper systemic failures involving families, schools and communities, psychiatrists and child mental health experts said on Thursday.

Dr Sagar explained that excessive screen use is often a symptom rather than the root cause. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The three girls – aged 11, 14 and 16 – jumped from the ninth floor of a high-rise building on Wednesday, leading to speculation about their reported obsession with Korean culture and digital content.

“It would be too simplistic to blame excessive screen time, K-dramas or online gaming for the suicide of three minor girls,” said Dr Rajesh Sagar, psychiatrist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). “There are multiple factors at play. What stands out is that the children had not attended school for nearly five years, pointing to prolonged isolation and complex family dynamics that severely impact mental health.”

Calling the incident a broader systemic failure, Dr Amit Sen, child and adolescent psychologist and co-founder of Children First, an NGO working on child rights, said such cases reflect gaps across institutions meant to protect children.

Dr Paramjeet Singh, consultant psychiatrist at PSRI Hospital, pointed to a “bidirectional link” between mental health conditions and gaming or digital addiction. “Stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness can lead to excessive gaming, while prolonged gaming can worsen these very conditions,” he said. Treatment, he added, often requires a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy, motivation enhancement therapy, family counselling and, in some cases, medication.

Dr Sagar explained that excessive screen use is often a symptom rather than the root cause. “Children who feel lonely, bored or emotionally distressed, or those with conditions such as ADHD, are more vulnerable to prolonged screen use,” he said.

“Gaming and digital content offer instant gratification. Since the prefrontal cortex – responsible for impulse control and decision-making -- is still developing in children, they are more prone to risk-taking behaviour.” AIIMS, he added, has seen a steady rise in paediatric cases linked to problematic screen use.

Highlighting treatment approaches, Dr Pratibha Gehlawat, psychiatrist and researcher at the government-run Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), warned against abrupt withdrawal from digital devices. “The ‘cold turkey’ method often leads to severe withdrawal symptoms,” she said. “Research shows gradual tapering is safer and more effective, as long-term digital addiction can blur the line between real and virtual worlds due to sustained dopamine stimulation.”