857 times last year, children and adolescents turned to the psychosocial emergency service Rat auf Draht with questions and problems concerning addiction—a slight increase of around 0.7 percent compared to the year before. On average, two young people per day contacted them with such concerns, the organization reported on Thursday. A rising demand was noted for nicotine and media addiction, whereas alcohol declined.
Regarding smoking/nicotine, experts report that from 2019 to 2023 inquiries increased continuously by a total of 86 percent. From 2023 to 2024 they rose again by 24 percent. “This is largely due to tobacco-free nicotine pouches, whose consumption in Austria is only permitted from age 18, yet many adolescents still use them,” said Birgit Satke, head of the counseling team.
“We want to make young people aware that nicotine pouches are not as harmless as they may seem, without lecturing or condemning,” Satke emphasized. “In cases where adolescents have overdosed on them, we offer swift help, try to calm them down, and explain further steps.”
Excessive use of digital media
The most pronounced increase in counseling needs was related to excessive use of digital media, which saw a 71 percent rise. Here, adolescents often wonder whether the time they spend on social networks and online games already constitutes an addiction.
“Especially during adolescence, abusive use is somewhat normal, since it is often used by young people as a coping strategy for school stress or other burdens,” explained Satke. “It is only considered an addiction when the addictive substance or behavior becomes the center of one’s life and dominates everyday activities.”
Alcohol, on the other hand, appears to be less of an issue among adolescents, as shown by a 7.6 percent decrease in inquiries compared to 2023. “We have noticed for some time that the era of binge drinking seems to be over, and young people increasingly abstain from alcohol or handle it more consciously than before,” Satke said. The largest number of inquiries overall (354) in 2024 fell under the category of drugs and medications, which also saw a slight decline compared to 2023 (minus four percent).
