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Nowadays, numerous scientific reports point to the increasing phenomenon of addiction in Europe and the USA, thus highlighting the need to cope with this situation. This article begins with a description of addiction from the main diagnostic manuals (DSM-5, ICD-10) and from the perspective of several acknowledged experts. Next, it analyses the occurence of this phenomenon in Italy, particularly focusing on adolescents. Data is clinically relevant, both for substance related disorders and behavioural addiction. For example, in Italy there are 35 million people who daily access social platforms for about 6 hours a day, which has an impact on their beahaviour and social relations. The aim of the article is to provide an overview of the current situation in the area of addiction, which might serve as an introduction to the research on the phenomenon of smartphone addiction. Further detailed research is needed to identify specific ways to prevent and treat these problems.