Video Game Addiction In Children And Adolescents
Almost all American children and teenagers play video games. Among teenagers, 97% of boys and 83% of girls play at least one video game on at least one device. There is evidence that children who start to play video games at younger ages are more likely to develop video game addictions than children who start to play them when theyre older. Nevertheless, addiction to video games is a risk for children of all ages. Video game addiction is likely to negatively impact a childs success in school. A child who plays video games obsessively will probably fail to study, finish homework, or participate in sports or school clubs. They may also be tired at school and fall asleep in class.
Studies have shown that playing video games excessively can negatively affect a childs emotional development as well as their academic success. Children who have a video game addiction may be more inclined to exhibit aggressive and anti-social behavior, and they might fail to develop mature social skills. Childrens minds are especially vulnerable to forming habits and routines. Parents should make sure that their children have a balanced relationship with any video game that they play.
Effects Of Video Game Addiction
Gaming addiction is a compulsive mental health disorder that can cause severe damage to ones life. Its common for a video game addict to spend over 10 hours a day gaming, usually well into the night, and many suffer from sleep deprivation 22.Massively multiplayer online role-playing games: comparing characteristics of addict vs non-addict online recruited gamers in a French adult population×. Immersed in their experience, gamers are known to have poor diets consisting mainly of energy drinks full of caffeine and sugar. Many are dehydrated and malnourished.
In more severe cases, gaming addicts report agoraphobia a type of anxiety disorder in which they fear leaving the house and others identify with hikikomori a term popularized in Japan as reclusive adolescents or adults who withdraw from social life 33.A preliminary cross-cultural study of Hikikomori and Internet Gaming Disorder: The moderating effects of game-playing time and living with parents×.
Gaming addicts tend to be moody and irritable, depressed, physically aggressive, and refuse to go to school or work due to gaming. To be addicted to games is to experience functional impairment in multiple areas of your life, and the long-term effects can be devastating. Gaming addicts fail out of college. They get divorced. And they struggle with unemployment.
Constantly Thinking About Gaming
This will not be as obvious to a friend or family member as it would to the gamer themselves. They will find that their every thought leads them to think about gaming, and it even invades their dreams.
It is the only thing they will be able to think about day after day no matter what major events happen in their life. This is one sign that might have a gamer reevaluating their sense of self as they learn to put down the game and get themselves back on track.
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Applications In The Media Violence Domain
The aforementioned longitudinal study on pathological video gaming found 36 turnaround caseschildren who stopped being pathological gamers . These turnaround cases were found to have higher goal-setting scores at wave 1 than children who remained pathological video gamers. This result is consistent with other findings concerning turning-point effects in the risk and resilience literature and suggests that goal-setting ability may represent a valuable resource that can allow individuals to overcome video game/Internet addiction. A longitudinal study by Krahé et al. examined developmental trajectories of media violence use and aggression among adolescents. Latent growth mixture modeling revealed a group of what they called, desisters, or adolescents who reduced media violence use over a 2-year period and showed steeper decreases in aggressive behavior than did stable high users. Both of these studies suggest the existence of turning-point effects in the media effects domain, although very little research has been designed to focus on turning points.
Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, … Patrick Carnes, in, 2014
Why Am I Quitting Video Games For An Entire Year
Lately, I havent gotten as much joy from playing games. Theyve gone from something I do to have fun, to just something I do because Ive always done it. Playing games is an easy way to escape. I can forget whatever is bothering me and get lost competing with other people.
Im going through a transition in my life. I want to consume less and create more. Video games are a major driver of consumption for me.
What if I invested that time playing video games into creating? What could I put out into the world?
Writing more is my first major goal. If I replaced my game time with writing time Id instantly become a prolific writer. That isnt to say Ill be a good writer. Certainly not as good a writer as I am a gamer. But Ive put thousands of hours into games. Ive hardly put a hundred hours into writing.
I also want to get outside more. Go hiking, camping, and skateboarding. I want to go on adventures with my wife.
I want to quit video games for an entire year just to see if I can do it. I know I can, but I want to prove it to myself.
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What Are The Criticisms Of Gaming Disorder
Experts are critical of creating a gaming disorder diagnosis for several reasons. One is the fear of pathologizing normal human behavior, which treatment providers could potentially exploit for profit some argue that the proposed symptoms of Internet gaming disorder may reflect passion for a hobby rather than a clinical condition.
Some argue that there is not enough compelling evidence for a gaming addiction and its discerning criteria. An addiction may reflect underlying psychological conditions that problem gamers are likely to have, suggesting that gaming disorder is not a discrete condition.
Emotional Symptoms Of Video Game Addiction
Some of the emotional signs or symptoms of video game addiction include:
- Feelings of restlessness and/or irritability when unable to play
- Preoccupation with thoughts of previous online activity or anticipation of the next online session
- Lying to friends or family members regarding the amount of time spent playing
- Isolation from others in order to spend more time gaming
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Warning Signs Of Video Game Addiction
According to The American Psychiatric Association , there are nine signs to watch out for to consider in order to recognize gaming addiction disorder. These can be helpful to understand better the seriousness of the situation of video game addiction.
- Getting preoccupied with playing video games, the gamer cant stop thinking about the previous or recent gaming activity. Also, he or she is getting restless and cant wait to play the video game. He/she plays video games for the most part of the day and is unable to finish more important tasks
- Withdrawal symptoms when a gamer has been taken away or is unable to play video games. Irritability, restlessness, anxiety, depression, boredom, and craving may be experienced.
- Tolerance when it comes to the urge to allocate an increasing time getting engaged in video games.
- Ineffective control to stop playing video games
- Loss of interest in healthy hobbies enjoyed before. The only thing he or is interested in is playing video games.
- The too much-playing video game is continuous despite mental, physical, physiological health disorders.
- Has deceived other people like friends, therapists, family members regarding their video game addiction.
- Resorts to video games as an escape to reality
- Relationship problems due to video game addiction
Why You Should Quit Video Games
Answer these questions:
- Do you still have fun playing video games?
- When do you have the most fun? Is it the first hour? 2nd hour?
- Do you get angry at yourself, the game or others?
- What would you do instead if you quit for an entire year?
Heres why I quit: It stopped being fun.
I played because I always had. I didnt get any joy out of it anymore.
I made many great friends playing games. Hell, the relationship with my wife started when we played video games together. We wouldnt be together without games.
But thats all in the past for me now. I dont need them anymore. Theyve served a purpose in my life and now its time to put them aside.
Heres another question:
What would you do with your time instead of playing games?
Answering that is the key to successfully stop playing. If you just decide to quit but dont replace it with more hobbies, then youre going to get sucked right back in.
Youll get that feeling of being bored all the time. Of not knowing what else to do, so you just jump into the game to stop being bored.
With those 5 questions in mind, lets explore how to quit video games for good.
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The Effects Of Video Game Addiction
Left untreated, video game addiction is very unlikely to go away on its own. Like all other addictions, intervention and treatment is the key to ending any cycle of abusive behavior. And make no mistake video game addiction not only abuses the gamer, but also those around them.
The effects of video game addiction have been documented around the world:
- Video game addicts are less likely to succeed in life.
- Video game addicts may suffer from lifelong low self-confidence.
- Video game addicts may never have a fulfilling career or relationships.
- Video game addicts are at risk of depression, and potentially suicide.
- Video game addicts are at risk of developing headaches.
- Video game addicts are at risk of insomnia.
- Video game addicts may become obese, which can lead to other problems, such as diabetes and hypertension.
Learn more about the negative effects of video game addiction here. Society doesnt need more video game addicts. It needs more productive people.
How Video Game Addiction Affect The Brain
Studies have shown that most people struggling with this addiction play multiplayer games on the internet. This type of gaming behavior is an even stronger trigger for addiction because the internet replaces real-life social interactions, reducing the need for the player to seek these interactions outside of the internet.
Furthermore, online multiplayer games especially role-playing games, are major triggers for game and internet addictions because of the fantasy worlds that are available to explore. It provides an option for escapism, and it is easy to fall into gaming addiction this way.
On another note, one must understand that the basis for the addiction is not necessarily tied to the number of hours that a person spends playing games alone. It is possible to spend a lot of hours of gaming simply because one enjoys it. However, when it gets to the point where it is hard to function properly without gaming or spend more time gaming that should be spent doing other important things, it has become an addiction.
In that way, gaming addiction has a similar effect on the brain as some other types of addiction. The act of gaming releases dopamine in the brain, and the more one games, the more dopamine is released at extremely high levels. When a video game addict tries to stop, the sudden drop in dopamine levels triggers the urge for a relapse.
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What To Do When Someone You Love Has A Problem With Video Games
Here are the main things to keep in mind if youre worried about your partners gaming behavior.
Heres A List Of Gaming Addiction Resources You May Find Helpful:
- Escaping video game addiction: Cam Adair at TEDxBoulder: Listening to someone elses story on how they escaped their video game addiction can give you the inspiration and courage to do the same.
- Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous: A support group with a lot of great resources, including a team meeting schedule to help you get on the right track.
- Vice: How Video Game Addiction Can Destroy Your Life: A look into the darker side of video game addiction to give you some additional perspective on the extent of its damaging effects.
- Psychology Today: Why Johnny Cant Stop Playing Video Games: A psychologists perspective on video game addiction and how to break it.
- Greenfield Video Game Addiction Test: Take this quiz to gain more insight into the nature of your own addiction.
Read Also: What Does It Mean To Be In Recovery From Addiction
What Should You Do If Your Partner Is Addicted To Video Games
Some people have trouble regulating their use of video games. Here’s what to do if you think your partner might be one of them.
- New neuroscience suggests that video games can activate changes in your brain similar to addictive substances like drugs or alcohol. Problem gaming can be a form of self-medication.
- The American Psychiatric Association lists Internet Gaming Disorder in its most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual as a potential disorder requiring further research.
- If you’re concerned that your partner’s gaming habits are interfering with your relationship, sit down and talk about it, but understand that you can’t control your partner’s behavior.
- There are emerging programs for treating video game addiction that you and your partner can explore.
Your partner seems to be spending more and more time playing their favorite online video game. Theyre up late at night playing, long after you fall asleep. They no longer have much interest in sex. You ask them to cut down, but you dont get much response. What do you do?
Note: You Dont Necessarily Need Our Program To Do This
On a no-tech/low-tech level, you can lock up your xbox or gaming computer in the garage or attic.
And you could always create rules for yourself and turn the computer off.
Of course, you can always go out and get it if you really want to
But putting even a small obstacle in your own way is often enough to make you stop, think, and decide better.
In any case, we can all agree that having a tool that blocks you from your own distractions can be priceless for quitting or cutting back
And our digital solution cuts off the problem at its root!
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Has Gaming Become A Negative Force In Your Life
Sure, gaming isnt all bad.
It can be a fun and creative way to pass the time and work your brain
If its taking over the balance of your life, however, then its time to consider some serious changes.
Reach out to your friends and family, and inform them of the lifestyle change youre trying to implement so that you can receive support.
Note: if you have a serious gaming problem, to the point where you are a danger to yourself, please seek professional help.
We all need help sometimes thats the nature of being human in the real world.
Want to read more on this topic?
Check out the bonus material, How Violence in Video Games is Affecting Your Mental Health,here.
You Have Got To Have An Alternative
You have got to make a list. Maybe the list is, I’m going to read. I’m going to watch a documentary. I’m going to go for a run. I’m going to go to the gym. I’m going to go for a walk. I’m going to take a bath. I’m going to get on the rebound, or I’m going to watch a YouTube video. I’m going to do something more empowering with my time to replace it. Guess what’s going to happen? These are positive, sustainable things that are going to make you a better person in the process.
For me, from 17 years old to 30 years old today, I have spent this time wisely. I am who I am today because of the last 13 years of my life, and what I’ve done every day the rituals and the books I’ve read. That’s what has made me who I am. I’m excited about what I’m doing today, and where that’s going to lead to in another 5-20 years from now. That’s the game changer. That’s how you overcome it. That’s what has worked for me.
It has got to come down to that decision, and you’ve got to start to realize the pain that is causing it in your life, and create the alternative. Associate pleasure to that process and sure enough you will develop a new addiction. That new addiction will set you free, and lead you down the path of a lot more enjoyment, fulfillment, and less distraction. It’s going to force you to go through uncomfortable emotions that you don’t want to face and confront. However, by facing it, you are going to become a better person in the process.
ABOUT STEFAN JAMES
ABOUT STEFAN JAMES
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