Is My Child Addicted To Video Games

Why You’re Not Succeeding In Helping Your Children With Their Game Addiction

How many times have you wondered why a child isnt hearing what youre saying? Theres an answer, and here it is: Because when youre irritated, your child hears only I dont love you, and that is so devastating, that he or she hears none of the rest of the content of what you say.

So THAT is what I’ll be teaching you:

How to LOVE your children unconditionally,

which then gives them a REASON to LISTEN to you.

If you love them unconditionally, they can HEAR you what youre really sayingbecause theyre not distracted by their fear, not blinded and deafened by the I dont love you message. Then it becomes possible for you to teach them anythinglike how to be loving and responsible themselves.

And if they have that powerful trifectathey feel loved, and they are loving and responsiblethey are guaranteed to be happy, which is the ultimate goal for any parent, or, frankly, any person.

Relationship Signs Of Video Game Addiction

So How Did I Fix My Sons Obsession With Video Games

You might laugh at how simple this was. I took away all electronics cold turkey but then made a deal with him. The deal was this. If he could beat me at chess, then he could play video games. I knew that it would take him a long time to get good enough to beat me at chess. If the day finally came that he did beat me at chess, he could play but he would need to remain the champion in order to keep playing. When I beat him back, the video games disappear.

On nights, weekends, and any other time of the day, I see my son taking a much greater interest in lots of other things. He doesnt beat me at chess but he has lots of fun trying. He wanted to go to Barnes and Noble to get The Chess Players Bible so that he could study it and beat me. He is actually reading because he wants to! He is putting in the effort to accomplish a goal and it is making him smarter in the process. I havent heard a word about video games for months and it has truly changed our lives.

If youre not into chess then do something else. It can be anything. Issue a challenge and make him earn it.

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Desperately Looking For Help For Your Child’s Game Addiction

Its like youve been paddling around in the middle of the ocean, desperately looking for help, and nowalmost unbelievablyits here. This is the ship youve been looking for.

How could I possibly make such an extravagant promise? Because I KNOW how to teach parents how to help their children deal with the life-altering distractions of video gameswhich are EVERYWHERE. What I teach has been used by uncounted THOUSANDS of parents, and it works CONSISTENTLY.

Im not trying to sell you something here that were GOING to do. You dont have to wait. The training begins right now. In the next few seconds, Ill be teaching you things about your children and yourselves that youve never known.

I repeat: Im not here to tell you ABOUT what Im offering you. Im beginning now to GIVE you what you need. Its my gift to you, whether you continue with me or not.

What a relief to know that right now youre exactly where youve wanted to be. You can learn what you need to learn. Finally, you can feel encouraged. You can feel hope. You can help your child.

And Im going to help you do that.

Child Video Game Addiction

Looking for clear information about teen and child video game addiction? You just found it. In this articleâ¦

• What percentage of teens and children are addicted to video games?

• Why are video games so addictive to children and teenagers?

• What are the most addictive types of video games for children and teenagers?

• How many hours per day should parents allow children to play computer games?

• How many hours of video games per week indicates that a child is addicted?

• How does child video game addiction affect school grades?

• How should parents handle homework and video games?

• What psychological and social problems are associated with teen and child video game addiction?

• What are the risk factors for child and teenager video game addiction?

• If a child or a teen is addicted to video games, is this just a symptom of a larger âunderlying issueâ?

• What are the warning signs for children addicted to video games?

• How important is it that parents are âon the same pageâ when helping a child who is addicted to video games?

• Is it possible for parents to âenableâ a child or teenager who is addicted to computer games?

• How can parents get help for teenagers and children who are addicted to video games?

• âLevelling-upâ reinforcement .

• The necessity of cooperation with other players to achieve goals.

• A sense of obligation to teammates.

• The appeal of escaping to a continually evolving fantasy world.

• Cover for a child when he misses school due to gaming

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Decide What You Can Live With

Take a couple of days to study your own behavior.

Do you start slamming cabinet doors when your kid has been using a screen for more than a half hour? Do you begin to pace the halls after forty-five minutes? Look for signs of edginess, like mindless snacking.

In our house, screen time means total silence, which I loveI get things done! But after an hour, it starts feeling creepy, similar to what I feel on a gorgeous Sunday when I hear the sound of a golf tournament coming from our living room. I start imagining fat cells expanding. People on the couch begin to resemble potatoes.

If I demand an immediate cease and desist, things go downhill quickly. The kids pounce on each other. Its as if all that stillness incubates an explosion of physicality. They have poor attitudes, back talking about dinner, negotiating everything, even what to have for snack.

This was good information. I extended screen time by a half hour and I gave fair warning. Ninety minutes. Thats what we can live with.

Soon, this developed into house policy: they get screens on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for ninety minutes. Nothing during the week, because its too hard for them to go into that still, focused game mode and still keep up with the work/school routine.

Three more tips for developing your house policy:

• Both parents should be involved. If Mom is the only one who ever says Times up, shes going to be very unpopular very fast.

Its About Unmet Psychological Needs

Many parents are concerned with their childs seemingly obsessive video game play. Fortnite, the most recent gaming phenomenon, has taken the world by storm and has parents asking whether the shooter game is OK for kids.

The short answer is yes, Fortnite is generally fine. Furthermore, parents can breathe easier knowing that research suggests gaming does not cause disorders like addiction.

However, theres more to the story. A comprehensive answer to the question of whether video games are harmful must take into account other factors. Fortnite is just the latest example of a pastime some kids spend more time on than is good for them. But parents need to understand why kids play, as well as when to worry and when to relax.

Addiction, Really?

The word addiction gets tossed around quite a bit these days. Its not uncommon to hear people say that they are addicted to chocolate or shoe shopping, but if it isnt causing serious harm and impairment to daily function, it isnt an addiction. Its an overindulgence.

This isnt just semantics. An addiction involves a lack of control despite adverse consequences. Parents may worry that their kids are addicted, but if the child can pull themselves away from a game to join the family for a conversation over dinner and shows interest in other activities, like sports or socializing with friends, then they are not addicted.

The answer has to do with the way games address basic psychological needs.

What Kids Are Looking For

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Is My Child Addicted To Video Games Every 9th Teen Has Addiction Problems

Every parent wants his child to be safe and happy, but the dangers surrounding us in our daily lives don’t go away and sometimes come from the most unexpected sources video games. The problem with noticing the symptoms of gaming addiction is that this addiction may not seem like a real issue to a lot of people, because addictions are generally associated with consumption of substances, like drugs or alcohol. Regardless of how we refer to this phenomenon when a person replaces real life experiences with a virtual reality and experiences serious withdrawal when not playing a game, we’re talking about addictive behavior. Gaming addiction is quite a recent problem in the world where the availability of entertainment is no longer a problem and is always just a few clicks away.

The addiction to video games has been mentioned in the section of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders edition as a condition requiring further clinical research. The fact that this problem has already been included in this manual says a lot about the severity of this issue.

What Families Should Know About Video Game Addiction

• Video game addiction can negatively impact the family dynamic. Gaming can cause problems in the parent-child, sibling, and marital relationship. Tweet This
• Families would do well to understand the major symptoms around pathological video game use and intervene where appropriate when a significant problem arises.Tweet This
• There are nine main criteria that families should consider when deciding whether a child or spouse has a true problem with video games.Tweet This

Bridger* grew up playing video games. He loved the way that they made him feel. Bridger also grew up with an abusive father in a highly dysfunctional family, and video games were his oasis, the place he would turn whenever things got intense at home or he needed to cope with his feelings. Video games started as a harmless diversion, but Bridger found himself feeling compelled to play for longer periods of time. As he began thinking more about the games and became fixated on the next time he could play, he also grew disinterested in other activities he previously enjoyed. His parents didnt like all the time he was spending on video games, and they had heated arguments over his gaming. Eventually, he started sneaking video game time and even stole money from his mothers purse to buy a game.

The Family Dynamic

Treatment

*name changed for privacy

References

4. American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. .

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Understanding Video Game Addiction

Over 2 billion people play video games worldwide, and the market for video games was estimated to be a $90 billion industry in America in 2020. The average gamer plays for about 6 hours every week. For most players of all ages, playing video games is a fun pastime: a way to relax, connect with friends, and enjoy a challenge. Unfortunately, for some players, a video game hobby can escalate into an addictive disorder which takes over their lives.

In recent years, the smartphone has surpassed the computer and the console as the most common gaming device. Video games are now available on apps and social media. Furthermore, massively multiplayer online role-playing games continue to be immensely popular. Every day, games like League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Fortnite, Final Fantasy, and The Elder Scrolls Online draw millions of players into their virtual worlds. About 160 million Americans play MMORPGs and other internet-based games every day.

Like all good things, videos games are best in moderation. Adults and children alike can develop unhealthy, obsessive relationships with video games that they love.

Featured Center Offering Video Game Addiction Treatment

What Are The Signs Of Video Game Addiction

During a conversation on Beyond Risk and Back, Fire Mountains Aaron Huey discusses screen addiction with expert guests Tracy Markle and Dr. Brett Kennedy of the Digital Media Treatment and Education Center of Boulder, Colorado. If you are unsure whether your child is addicted to video games, you might want to try setting limits and seeing how they react. Your childs reaction can be very telling if they are addicted or just interested in video games. If your child has a meltdown when a reasonable limitation is set for video games, they might have an addiction.

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How Can You Tell If Your Child Is Addicted

A teen developing an interest in gaming is not cause for alarm, as studies suggest that gaming disorder affects only a small proportion of people who engage in digital- or video-gaming activities. But parents should be vigilant for signs that gaming is becoming a compulsion.

Gaming can be a very positive experience but like most things when it comes to the online world its a matter of proportion, explains Internet Matters ambassador and psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos. The problem arises when children and teenagers start to neglect other areas of their lives in order to play online games, or when the only way they can relax is by playing games – as over time a child may start to turn to video games as a way of coping with difficult life issues.

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.

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Transforming Not Managing Your Children

Were really going to get into this. This is not a casual effort. Were not looking to make your children more manageable. Thats not even close to being enough.

Our mission is to help you to become a powerful and effective parent, and to help your child feel loved, and to be loving, responsible, and genuinely happy. Its a transformation.

If you ARE truly committed to learning how to parent, IM fully committed to teach you, and I will bring resources to the table you never thought about. The rewards are spectacularas we have seen in uncounted thousands of families.

When Should You Be Really Worried

Most children and adults play video or mobile games for recreation, so when should you be worried as a parent? If your child shows any of the following signs, it is definitely time to tackle the problem.

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• Your childs social interactions have reduced considerably. They refuse to go out of the house or meet their friends.
• Your childs grades are failing and they refuse to do their school work or dont even seem bothered about it anymore.
• Stopping video games causes a huge meltdown, anger outburst or makes them aggressive or excessively irritable.
• Your child lies to you about the time they spend playing or steals money to play video games.

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Healthy Gamer Family Support Program

The Healthy Gamer Family Support Program is a 12-week virtual coaching solution created by Dr. Alok Kanojia, known as Dr. K, the world expert on video game psychology. It covers the most frustrating, difficult, and common dynamics around excessive gaming including:

• Managing your childâs expectations
• Setting and enforcing fair, effective boundaries
• Dealing with resistance from your child
• Approaching your child based on their stage in adolescence
• Adapting your approach for autism, ADHD, mood disorders, or substance use

For 12 consecutive weeks, participants get access to a workshop and Q& A with Dr. K and weekly support groups led by Healthy Gamer Coaches. The dual support structure helps parents get started and follow-through in helping their children combat excessive gaming.

Is Your Child At Risk For Video Game Addiction

child is addicted to video gamesThe Video Game Addiction Test for ParentsHow to Help Children Addicted to Videos Games – A Guide for Parentsvideo game addiction is not yet a formal diagnosischildren, teens and young adults may be most at riskchildren and teens have less experience setting healthy limits for themselves

If you are concerned about your child’s video game habits, I sincerely hope that you find this test helpful for assessing the extent of the problem and for taking steps to help him or her.

The Video Game Addiction Test for Parents

1. Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.2. Add the values in parenthesis for each of your choices .3. Review your results at the end of the questionnaire.

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