Hi My daughter is going through anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts, she is addicted to social media game and chat with online unknown friends, she is in 12th class, kindly help

Ans: I can give you some pointers to check about the addiction to screen time.
1. How much time she is on mobile in the entire day.
2. Why is she liking the attention of senior male friends? ( How much time are we able to spend time with her - Are we always talking about working on herself?) The pressure on you can be tremendous but 3.I will suggest you to be with your child and be along with her and make her feel comfortable with you by being non judgemental for some time till she pairs up with you.
It's going to help her confide in you rather than friends. These type of children who need attention being their major function should not be given too much alone time. Replace the gadget with some thing which is equally reinforcing for her .
It can start gradually rather than doing too much and then not being able to meet your targets.
Can start with only 2 hours a day when you can spend quality time with her.

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
At 24, if she is still looking for validation from the external world to create her identity, she's again setting herself up for failure. If she still thinks that money, name and fame is what is going to earn her recognition from the society, she really needs a course that will change her mindset.
As parents, kindly call out such behavior that is messing with her mind. Talk therapy or advice from home isn't going to help anymore...she hasn't had much exposure of what the outside world is like...
Every stream of education brings with it many opportunities that can be explored!
My suggestion would be for her to be part of activities, communities and the like where she will be able to interact with different people from various backgrounds...Even volunteering opportunities can give good exposure...
Now, she may not be willing to do this as she finds comfort in what she is doing by shutting herself from the outside world...again 'CALL OUT' this behavior and that you as parents don't support her self-pity tirade. Also, as parents you can become part of any community or volunteering opportunity that 'shows' her that her parents are not just preaching to her but actually living it...
Just to reiterate, do not feel sorry for her; she will thrive on that sympathy...if you want to see a change in her, then it's time to shake things up so she knows that her parents mean business...remember, she is an adult...so, treat her as one!

Ans: Hello!!
The addiction to mobile after COVID is a menace every parent is facing. The good part is she is aware about her exams and studies at least one week before her exams.

The rude behaviour, lack of focus on studies is all stemming from the mobile games. They are highly addictive and the thrill they give is beyond imagination. Slowly but surely you have to take away the mobile from her, that's the only way to help her look for other sources to keep her busy .Friends, new skills and studies will get her attention only when the mobile is away.

Allocate time for food, sleep, studies, play time and also mobile time( can't just take away the mobile, has to be weaned away from it gradually), in a day. Set a timer for the mobile usage, she has to return the mobile as soon as the timer bell rings.

Pls remember you are the adult here, she is just a child. Guide her, lead her towards better and interesting things to do. You all as a family have to stop sitting with the mobile, start reading books ,play board games , learn a new skill, sing songs, cook together, bake together, you make everything at home an interesting activity, joyful activity, why will a child sit on the mobile?
It is a going to be lot of hard work for you and if the end result of this is seeing your daughter away from the mobile, laughing and talking to her friends, playing around, studying well.....then this is worth all the effort.

Ans: You’re caught in a loop, but what matters is how you handle it now. Dwelling on guilt won’t change anything - your action will. Right now, your board exams need your full focus. Forget about NEET for now. Even if you feel unprepared, showing up and giving your best effort is non-negotiable. No excuses. Procrastination isn’t about motivation - it’s about discipline. Set a strict, no-negotiation study schedule. 50-minute study sessions, 10-minute breaks. Keep your phone away while studying. You say you can’t delete YouTube, fine. But are you willing to use it only for study-related content, with no loopholes? Your parents’ expectations are there, but for a moment, shift the focus—what does success look like for you? No overthinking. No self-pity. Just action. What’s one thing you can do right now to move forward?

Wishing you success,
Aamish Dhingra
ICF-PCC Certified Life Coach
Co-Founder, Cocoweave Coaching International, Delhi