How Europe's Teens Use the Internet to Escape Stress—and Lose Control

A new European study has examined how adolescents use the internet to cope with stress and anxiety. The research, involving nearly 2,000 young people across nine countries, found that many struggle to control their online habits. Published in Comprehensive Psychiatry, the findings highlight the risks of excessive internet use on mental and physical health.

The BootStRaP project also tested self-help strategies to manage problematic internet consumption. These included digital detox plans, goal-setting exercises, and self-monitoring apps, with results tracked over a 12-week trial.

Between December 2024 and May 2025, researchers collected data from 1,961 participants aged 12 to 16. The group included 250 from Portugal, 170 from the Netherlands, 427 from Lithuania, 47 from Hungary, 85 from the UK, 137 from France, 444 from Spain, 97 from Germany, and 302 from Switzerland. Each participant used an app to log daily internet activity, including gaming, social media, and general browsing. Weekly questionnaires also tracked their well-being, mental health, and physical activity levels.

The study revealed that many adolescents turn to the internet as a way to handle stress or anxiety. When online habits spiral, they often neglect basic self-care, leading to broader health issues. Some lose control over their usage, spending excessive time on digital platforms instead of sleeping, eating well, or exercising.

To address this, the BootStRaP project developed a set of self-directed tools based on cognitive-behavioural techniques. Participants in the intervention group tried strategies like setting usage limits, planning digital detox periods, and tracking their own progress. A randomised controlled trial compared these users against a waitlist group. Over 12 weeks, researchers measured changes in self-reported internet time and addiction severity.

Beyond individual support, the project aimed to assess the wider impact of problematic internet use. Goals included identifying high-risk adolescents, evaluating mental health effects, and calculating the economic costs of excessive internet consumption across Europe.

The study's results, now available in Comprehensive Psychiatry, confirm that unchecked internet use can harm young people's well-being. Self-management tools, such as those tested in the BootStRaP trial, offer a potential way to reduce risks. Researchers hope the findings will inform future policies and support systems for adolescents struggling with digital habits.