Growing up in foster care, an online world became Jennifer Thonrithi's outlet during high school and university.
"There was no stability and I felt as if I found my stability through the screen. I was playing random games and talking to random people online."
Time spent on devices soon took over most of her day.
"I was literally waking up at 6pm so missing all my classes and being online until 6am and then going to sleep."
Thonrithi is now helping others struggling with screen time as a youth worker at Touch Grass. The centre's name is a play on a phrase used by gaming and online communities when someone has spent too much time on the internet and needs to connect with the real world again.
More than a fifth of young Kiwis ensnared
Those aged between 13 and 24 with a screen, gambling and gaming addiction can now access services at Touch Grass.
Clinical lead Frances Russell said 22% of young Kiwis meet the criteria for problematic screen use.
So how do you tell if phone use has moved passed being an issue into an addiction?
Russell said signs included it taking over multiple parts of your life, self-isolating and disrupting sleep.
"Things that we call protective factors such as school and friendships start to wither away when addiction is really present."
Treatment was scaled from online resources to in-person therapy but Russell said a focus on preventative measures was equally important.
'They were glued to their devices when they got home'
For the last year, Riverina Primary School in Pakuranga has been trialling device-free learning in its junior levels. Principal Bryce Mills said screentime was becoming a growing issue.
"What we were hearing from my parents was that a large number of our students were glued to the devices when they got home."
The results have been promising, improving language skills, limiting distractions and letting kids be kids.
For some older students, the harm caused by screen addiction coincided with other addictions such as online gambling through enticements including loot boxes, spin for rewards and betting on sports games.
The new service is funded by the Problem Gambling Foundation, meaning any young person facing both issues could access free care.
Touch Grass hopes to eventually make treatment free for all patients and expand around the motu.
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