15.10.2025 12:44
A 23-year-old young man in Hatay, who has not left his house for nearly 3 years and only plays on his phone and computer, has become addicted to the virtual world. Expressing that he has lost his will to live, the young man said, "If I could, I wouldn't even go to the bathroom or eat." Meanwhile, his mother stated that her son has not taken a shower or left the house for 3 years and has asked for help from the authorities.
```html
50-year-old mother Semra Özbay and her 23-year-old son Barış Özbay, who lost their home in the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş and continue their lives in the Defne district, are holding on to life together after the earthquake they experienced.
"I LOST MY WILL TO LIVE AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE" The family, who lost both their home and loved ones in the earthquake, has been struggling with a difficult process for three years. Barış Özbay, who lost his will to live after the earthquake and started playing constantly with his computer and mobile phone, has become dependent on the virtual world. The young man, who meets his basic needs to survive, neither takes a shower nor fulfills his personal needs like cutting his nails. Barış, who has not taken a single step outside the house for nearly three years, causes his mother Semra Özbay to suffer every day for her child. Semra Özbay is waiting for support for her grieving son, who cannot even turn his neck from playing with his phone and computer, to hold on to life again.
"IF I COULD, I WOULDN'T EVEN GO TO THE TOILET" Barış Özbay, who says he hasn't left the house all day and only wants to do the necessary things to live, states that he does not want to receive treatment to get through this process, saying, "Generally, I wake up, go to the toilet, eat because I have to, otherwise I wouldn't do those things. Then I sit and play with my phone. I watch the walls and wait for the evening, then I sleep. I locked myself in the house 2 months before the earthquake. Before that, my boredom with life was starting to grow slowly. I was studying logistics at university. I don't want to do anything, so I don't want to take a shower either. If I could, I wouldn't even go to the toilet and I wouldn't eat. I do those things because I have to. I used to take showers before the earthquake, but now I don't want to take a shower. I have no dreams. I don't want anything to happen. They are trying, but I don't want to get better or receive help. I don't want to go out and do anything. I will sit at home. My nails were even longer, but they forced me to cut them. In short, life is not perfect. People say life is beautiful with its ups and downs, but for me, it is the opposite. The ups and downs of life are not beautiful, and I don't want it," he said.
"I HAVEN'T TAKEN A SHOWER FOR 3 YEARS" Semra Özbay, who says her child hasn't taken a shower and hasn't left the house for 3 years, expresses her pain for Barış, who is addicted to computers and phones, saying, "My son Barış Özbay is 23 years old, our house was destroyed in the earthquake. He lost his grandmother in the earthquake, and his friends scattered. My son was a hardworking young man, he was first in school. He got along very well with everyone, and everyone was proud of him. He also has eczema, and he hasn't taken a shower for 3 years. As a mother, I can't let go no matter what. He was very good about taking showers before the earthquake; he used to get angry at me when I didn't make him take a shower. He changed after the earthquake. He stopped taking showers, he stopped everything, he locked himself in the house, and he only plays with his phone and computer. He rarely talks to his friends, but he doesn't talk to me. My son was fine before the earthquake, but he changed a lot after the earthquake.
"I AM ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE AUTHORITIES" He has locked himself in the house and says he wants to die. I tell him to take a shower, he says, 'I will die.' Sometimes he says, 'Either you die, or I die. There is no other way out.' He doesn't talk to me like he used to and doesn't call me mom. I am struggling this way. I look at his old photos to return to my son's old memories; I comfort myself this way. My husband died for me, and I have no other child. I have been looking after my son this way for 3 years. Despite his tortures, I can't let go of him. Sometimes we fight, but I still try to understand him. I am asking for help from the authorities. I want to take my son to the hospital and have him treated," she expressed.
```