Health Ministry Sounds Alarm Over Online Gaming Addiction, Flags Mental Health Risks | Exclusive

Key points

• Health Ministry Sounds Alarm Over Online Gaming Addiction, Flags Mental Health Risks | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: May 18, 2026, 16:32 IST A government note accessed by CNN-News18 highlights how compulsive gaming can disrupt sleep, mental health, social behaviour and daily functioning, especially among teenagers.
• Rapid Read Across urban India, parents, teachers and counsellors have increasingly been reporting cases of teenagers staying awake through the night to play multiplayer games.
• (Representational image: Canva) The Union Health Ministry has circulated a detailed note to all ministries warning about the growing health risks linked to excessive online gaming, flagging everything from depression and sleep disorders to social isolation and even suicidal thoughts and ideation among vulnerable users.
• In a sign that the government is increasingly viewing online gaming as a public health concern rather than just a digital pastime, the ministry’s communication draws attention to the psychological, behavioural and physical consequences...