Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono said suicide attempts have reached about 2 percent among Indonesians over 15 who suffer from depression.
He added that some young people are also experiencing psychosis, while four in every 1,000 families have a member with a mental health disorder.
Harbuwono said early and prolonged exposure to digital technology is contributing to worsening mental health among the young.
Of Indonesia’s 79.8 million children, about 28.65 million aged seven to 17 already use mobile phones and access the internet, he noted.
He stressed that behavioural changes and mental disorders linked to gadget and internet use must be addressed through a comprehensive public-health approach.
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He said access to care can also be widened with technological support. The government has launched Healing119.id, a free service offering consultations via WhatsApp or phone.
But Harbuwono warned that digital services alone cannot resolve mental-health issues or build resilience in children and teenagers.
Families, he said, play a critical role in shaping mental wellbeing from the earliest stages of life.
“We are working to ensure parents are happy, healthy and better prepared to face these challenges,” he said.
He added that the government is also strengthening community-level support.
Through Integrated Health Posts (Posyandu), more than 1.48 million health workers across 84,019 villages now provide basic health education, early detection and mental-health assistance for children, teenagers, pregnant women and the elderly.
Earlier in November, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno warned that Indonesians — including children — now spend more than 7.5 hours a day on screens, a trend he said is worsening mental-health concerns.
“Screen time is too high. Even children under two are experiencing significant exposure,” he said.
Pratikno urged broad interventions to protect children from gadget addiction.
He said creating more spaces for young people to meet face-to-face could help reduce mental-health problems.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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