All of these excesses lead to lasting mental and physical health challenges, and Flinders University researchers across multiple research disciplines – including psychology, health sciences, nursing, anthropology, public health and social work – are identifying core issues that can help resolve addiction difficulties.
Easy digital access has amplified the reach and severity of gambling harm, and attached to the digital addiction dilemma is the rising issue of excessive gaming, which is estimated to affect more than 300,000 Australians’ health and mental wellbeing, social relationships, as well as school and work engagement and productivity.
How early do challenges with such addiction show? It’s younger than you may think – and it’s an escalating issue that is being addressed by Associate Professor Daniel King, whose research has informed the World Health Organisation to officially recognise gaming disorder as a disease in 2019.
“Digital media has many benefits in our lives, but there are a significant number of people who are at risk or in trouble with technology addictions,” says Associate Professor King. “The rapid pace at which digital technologies evolve means that there are new issues arising all the time, and many technologies affect the mental health of teenagers.”
Flinders is leading research that targets young problem gamers, to improve their long-term health outcomes, and design effective interventions for individuals and families affected by gaming-related difficulties.
Also at risk are teenagers absorbed with images promoted by social media influencers. Flinders is home of the Embrace Impact Lab, a new health and wellbeing research initiative to help young Australians and their parents tackle body image issues, supporting a national campaign led by 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt.
Associate Professor Ivanka Prichard is leading research that aims to promote positive body image messages to more than one million Australian children through educational activities and events in schools, sports clubs and the wider community.
“It’s a more pressing issue than people imagine,” says Associate Professor Prichard. “Research shows that body image is closely linked to a person’s health and wellbeing. Our work will help educate people how to use social media feeds more wisely, to accept positive images and deny access to negative influences. It’s too easy at the moment for people to be negatively affected, and that needs to be changed.”
Flinders’ expertise in addictions research is underlined by housing Australia’s National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction since 1992, which continues to drive crucial research into:
- The influence of parents as alcohol influencers for children.
- Forging effective messages to reduce parental supply of alcohol to adolescents.
- Solutions to discourage teenagers taking up vaping, and developing accurate messages about health dangers attached to vaping.
- Support programs for long-term smokers to quit.
The Flinders team is driving one of Australia’s largest public health campaigns, to raise awareness about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This research has revealed worrying trends, including the inflated harms of risky drinking among women, with more than 300,000 Australian women now regularly binge drinking, consuming 11 or more standard drinks in one sitting at least once a month.
Flinders also stands at the forefront of solutions for recovery from mental health, alcohol and other drugs use issues, gambling and related challenges. In the Northern Territory (NT), the Recovery Together - a free peer education and recovery program for individuals who experience these issues – and the Circle of Support program - for their families and friends - offered by the NT Lived Experience Network (NTLEN) have been particularly successful.
“Participants reported powerful learning strategies to support their personal recovery, including ways to support their own wellbeing and to practice self-care,” explains Dr Noemi Tari-Keresztes, Flinders Senior Research Fellow of Lived Experience. Dr Tari-Keresztes is also the Lived Experience Cluster Lead of the Health Equity Impact Program.
Solutions to escalating addiction issues require pursuing bold new directions in research – and Flinders researchers are providing the fundamental foundations on which innovative and effective solutions are being developed.
