Association between Problematic Internet Use and Mental Health among Chinese Population under Public Health Eve

This study firstly analyzed the relationship between problematic Internet use(PIU) and mental health,revealing negative correlations between PIU and low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies. Secondly, exploredtherelationshipbetween online gaming and PIU, highlighting early studies found no direct link between gaming duration and addiction, recent research suggests excessive gamingcan lead to PIU, with heightened online engagement and risks observed during the pandemic. Next, analyzed the relationship between online gaming and mental health, highlighting its dual role: fulfilling social needs, alleviating stress, and enhancing psychological well-being, while excessive use may trigger mental health issues. Finally, described online gaming as a moderator between PIU and mental health,demonstrating that prolonged gaming exacerbates internet gaming disorder,It further highlights gender disparities, with males more prone to depressive risks due to higher smartphone addiction tendencies and excessive gaming.