Video Game Addiction-Symptoms and Treatment of Video Game Addiction
What is video game addiction? Are video games addictive? Are you a video game addict? Video game addiction is often referred to as video game overuse, a compulsive or excessive use of computer games and/or video games. Video game addicts are believed to exhibit the same psychological addictive behaviors as gambling addiction, often described as an impulse control disorder.
The 2007 study by the American Medical Association reviewing video game addiction concluded that “more research and studies are needed to provide conclusive evidence that video game addiction is a disorder.” Increased pressure is being placed upon the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to include “Internet/video game addiction” in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the standard diagnostic text used by psychiatrists worldwide.
Research by Stanford University School of Medicine in 2008 shows video games do have addictive characteristics, and a Harris Interactive Poll released in April 2007 showed that 8.5% of youth gamers in the United States could be “classified as pathologically or clinically addicted to playing video games.”
Are your children addicted to video games? Are you addicted to playing video games? Is your boyfriend or husband addicted to video games, or perhaps your girlfriend or wife? Are you an adult with an internet addiction that consumes most if not all of your time, perhaps creating problems in your personal relationships, marriage or job?
Research into computer game addiction or video game addiction statistics shows that men and boys are more likely to become addicted to video games (if they aren’t already), versus the percentage of girls and women becoming addicted to video games, but the numbers of female video game addicts are rising. If you don’t know or don’t understand video game ratings, how games are rated and the effect the ratings should have on your video game playing habits or purchases, it’s time to become fully aware.
Signs of Addiction
Here are some symptoms or signs of video game addiction as well as computer game addiction to help determine if your children are addicted to video games, or if you and/or your boyfriend, husband, girlfriend or wife are video game addicts.
For Children:
- Most of their “free time”, non-school hours are spent on the computer or playing video games.
- Fatigue; tendency to fall asleep in school.
- Not keeping up with homework assignments/not turning in homework on time.
- Worsening grades.
- Lying about computer or video game use so computer or video game privileges aren’t taken away.
- Choosing the computer or playing video games rather than spending time with friends or family.
- Dropping out of activities such as social groups, clubs or sports.
- Irritable, cranky or agitated (withdrawal symptoms) when not playing a video game or on the computer.
For Adults:
- Obsession or preoccupation about computer games or playing video games on a video game console excessively
- Neglecting personal relationships with friends and family to spend more time playing video games
- Difficulty keeping up with personal or professional responsibilities due to increased hours playing video games. Have you ever “called in sick” to stay home to play your favorite game?
- Lying to others about computer or video game use. Do you sneak time to play games, perhaps late at night while others are asleep? Has someone close to you, perhaps your significant other, ever criticized you for spending too much time playing video games rather than spending time with them?
- While not spending time on the internet or playing video games, do you feel angry, agitated, irritable or depressed? Do you experience withdrawal symptoms when not playing video games?
- Do you spend most of your time thinking or wishing you could be playing your favorite game or surfing the web?
- Do you become so involved in playing video games that you sometimes neglect to eat, sleep, or bathe?
- Do you ever experience physical symptoms such as backaches, dry eyes or headaches after playing video games? Have you been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome or experience symptoms of carpal tunnel?
Let’s get real, shall we? If you are truly convinced that your teenagers or young children are addicted to video games or computer games, it’s your job as the parent to get your kids off the computer and off the video game console, providing them ample opportunity for active play and natural exercise in and outside of the home.
Make no mistake, video game addiction is a real addiction and if you are a parent that is concerned about your home-grown video game addict, it’s up to you to parent your children and closely monitor and limit their gaming activities. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG’s) are designed to be addictive.
Video game makers and marketers are counting on people to become addicted to the games! Cha-Ching! It’s a lot of money in their pockets, and a lot of money out of your pockets. Let your children whine, cry and complain all they want about placing restrictions and limits on their game use, but be the parent.
One of the effects of children addicted to video games is the increase in childhood obesity amongst young children and teens due to excessive amounts of time spent leading a more sedentary lifestyle (and poor eating habits), amongst other physical, emotional and mental problems associated with too much time being spent playing video games.
Be the parent of your children, not their friend. If the video game problem in your home is so bad that you feel your child is a “video game addict”, or if your children spend too much time watching television, shut it down and get your children involved in other activities that encourage and promote active play and that provides more than finger and thumb exercises from video game controls.
Adult Video Game Addicts
Are you an adult addicted to video games? How does your significant other feel about the amount of time you spend playing video games, rather than spending needed time with him or her? Do you spend most of your free time as an internet addict, surfing the web or participating in various message boards, forums or chat rooms so much so that your relationship or marriage is in serious jeopardy?
Have you considered (or do you even care) that your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband or wife may consider your video game addiction or internet addiction as a relationship deal breaker and may be considering ending the relationship? Remember, “video game addicts are believed to exhibit the same psychological addictive behaviors as gambling addiction, often described as an impulse control disorder.” Gambling addiction is on the list of relationship deal breakers, and you’d be wise to consider the effects your addiction has on your relationship or marriage before it’s too late.
Treatment for Video Game Addiction
Video game addiction treatment centers are popping up in countries like China, South Korea, the Netherlands and the United States in an effort to provide help for video game addiction. Detox for video game addiction is designed to help video game addicts learn how to effectively eliminate their compulsive, addictive behaviors much like those addicted to gambling and/or alcohol abuse.
Video game addiction books
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I can swear by this article. My teenage nephew is totally addicted to video games. He saves up his monthly allowance and gets loads of them and whiles away all this free time in front of the TV. And since both his parents are working, there is no one to monitor him constantly. I fear if he can ever get off this addiction.
I guess the internet age is taking toll. Its about time we encouraged outdoor games and activities like in good ol’ days!
What concerns me more than the quantity of time being spent with video games is the quality – or total lack thereof – of many of the games being played the most.
I have no qualms with Rock Band and the like, but more often, the games that’re being played – and quite often by inappropriately very young children – are the gratuitously-violent and ultra-realistic first person shooters. There are people I work with who actually laugh & boast with pride about how proficient their Kindergarten-aged children are at games like Grand Theft Auto, Gears of War, and Call of Duty.
These games are desensitizing children to horrific and needless violence and gore. These aren’t the squiggly space aliens that we paid quarters to shoot 20 years ago – today’s video game opponents are wounded, show emotion, bleed, and die in convincingly realistic ways. Maybe these are useful for training actual soldiers, but as entertainment for 5 year old children? That’s just reprehensible!
Maneet, it’s very sad that parents are not doing what is necessary to monitor and limit the enormous amounts of time kids are playing video games. Video games (and television) have become the babysitter. Parents use the excuse of working full time jobs to not pay close attention to what their children are doing, whether it is spending too much time playing video games (including violent video games) or any other activities.
Some parents are clueless about the games their kids are playing, they don’t read the rating on the video games and they certainly aren’t preventing their kids from playing violent video games. Then they wonder why little Johnny is “suddenly beating up his little brother or sister”. Ugh.
Rob, violent video games are a real concern, or at least should be something parents concern themselves about. Unfortunately, some parents just don’t pay any attention. I know a parent who has a little video game addict at their house, and this kid goes into a royal conniption fit melt-down tantrum when the parents say it’s time to go to bed and has to turn off the game.
Good grief, be the parent and deal with it.
Yeah, there’s just no excuse for not being aware of the video games that your children are playing – it isn’t like they earned the money for this stuff on their own. If you’re the financier, you’re in control. Period. Step up or stop buying stuff.
My little guy is way too young for me to have to worry about this yet – fortunately, he doesn’t even like to watch TV (and I’m working hard to keep it that way!) – but part of what should make this easier to deal with when the time comes is that he does not – and will not – have his own TV. There’s one TV in the house and it’s in the living room where it can be easily monitored. And there are no TVs or DVDs in our cars, no protable DVD players to be found anywhere in the house… I just don’t believe in all of this techno-crap for children. He’ll have his entire adult life to be immersed in the digital – he’ll only have a little while to be a kid and I’d like for that time to be mostly analog.
Rob, isn’t it amazing how many parents think having those tv’s and dvd players running in their cars is the greatest thing since sliced bread? Anything to keep their children quiet I suppose. And the enormous problem of having tv’s, dvd players, computers and video game consoles in their kids bedrooms? That’s ridiculous!
Technology should never replace good parenting and setting boundaries with children. It tends to become more of “the tail wagging the dog” when it comes to who is in control at home. In many homes, parents have completely given up on their responsibility to be the parent, opting instead to be friends with their children.
My girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend loved videogames, hence I get a lot of crap if I even look at one. I’m not a big gamer, but it’s a little annoying.
Hi Tom, moderation is the key component for anyone playing video games. Not all video games are necessarily bad or violent etc, but since video games are created and designed to become addictive, relationships and marriages can and do suffer.
I’ve developed a decidedly anti-technology slant over the past several years – which usually takes people by complete surprise since I’ve worked my entire adult life in the I.T. field in either the banking or medical industries.
It’s not that I want to technologically handicap children, but I’d prefer to downplay the techno gadgets & gizmos, email & IMs, and Internet & video games in favor of putting that same fervor toward helping kids learn to think creatively and solve problems. I’d like to see that we give kids a firm foundation in the real world before plunging them into the digital one. I believe it’s that, not technological literacy, will ensure that they’ll be able to tackle anything that comes their way.
A little off-topic, I know, but I urge you to download & read Tech Tonic: Towards a New Literacy of Technology from the Alliance for Childhood. It’s a little lengthy, but crammed with thought-provoking stuff about the financial & political connections between education officials & technology vendors.
I like your blog. Very interesting topics.
As for videos being addicting, oh yes. I did not need a study to find that out. My own personal experience with online games and the pre-computer games (like pinball and Pacman) that showed up in game rooms or truckstops. Plus two girls that we have raised that are both addicted to computers and to games even more.
Many years ago when my husband and I first got on the net, we played RPG (role playing games). In those days, it was text only but the draw was there nevertheless. We printed out all the directions, all the weapons, all the stats on individuals and groups or clans. Had that stuff posted all over the room on the walls. We knew the site upside down and forward. Amazingly, we did not get into it as heavily as others but it was on our minds 24/7. In fact, I found myself dreaming in green text on black. Unbelievable.
Well, we moved out of state and it took us about two months to get back online. We desperately pled with the big shot on that particular game to “save” our hard won characters so that when we got back, we would not have to work so hard again.
By the time we actually got back to the game, it had no hold over us anymore. We played for a couple of months but it was so boring that we could not figure out why we wanted to be in it so desperately before.
So the reality is that, yes without a doubt, computer games are addictive. I simply don’t need that study to tell me that. And if the kids are in any way wrapped up in games, then they are addicted. Period.
I have a niece who is 15 and wrapped up in Alvin and the Chipmunks. Now you would think that’s not that big a deal until you see that she thinks of nothing else but that and a guy at school. You would think that the guy get first place but, no, Alvin or rather Simon does. She prefers a particular chipmunk. This is addictive behavior regardless of whether it’s a game or something else. So it’s not JUST games, it can be almost anything…chatrooms, videos, characters. Anything.
Thanks for posting this! Very informative and it reminded me of my own behavior from the past. Glad I got out of it.
hi Lin,
Great post about video game addiction. I guess I’m lucky that growing up I had better uses for my quarters and never enjoyed playing PacMan because I didn’t like the constant stress when playing because I was worrying I was about to be eaten. Still, video game addiction is a big and real problem, and I see it in my teenage nephews. They could benefit from reading your post, except I think they’re too busy playing their online games…
~ Steve (aka the Trade Show Guru)
PS. Your posts are like a 4 course meal. They take a while to get through, and one can’t help but feel full when they’re done…
I started playing computer games at the age of 5, and eventually got up to play 16hrs a day during highschool. I was a serious video games addict. Perhaps it was the challenge, the comradery or the feeling of being in control. Whatever it was, it was addicting.
Many would say that I’ve wasted a large part of my life, and I certainly believe it myself. Though I also believe that my video game training enabled me to achieve a focus and problem-solving ability better than ever before. The focus required for the most demanding video games is nothing short of a meditative state itself.
Now that i’m older, I hardly ever play video games, but sometimes when I need to get serious, I can still call up that same ultra focus just as back then.
Hi Steve, video game addiction is a serious problem and it’s amazing to me the number of parents who say “my children are addicted to video games”. Really? And who allowed that to happen?
P.S. Posts/articles about this length do very well with visitors and readers.
Herb, many people would probably agree with you that playing video games is a complete waste of time. I do believe there are some benefits to playing the games, but it’s important to carefully consider the amount of time (obsession) being spent as well the type of games being played or chosen. Violent video games are a very real problem in society, and parents must start paying attention and take notice of what their kids are playing. And, how these kids are able to get their hands on these games in order to start playing them.
hi Lin,
I think Google loves content, and there’s plenty of it in this post and on your blog. I’ll be interested to see how this post and your post on “How to Quit Smoking” do. Maybe I should write a post on “Are you addicted to where you show up on Google?” I’m not sure what the treatment is though…
~ Steve (aka the Trade Show Guru)
LOL Steve, guilty as charged. Yep, I am addicted to where my posts show up in G. Isn’t everyone? No? Really? Wow!
I’m addicted to stats. I love looking at the numbers of views. Is there a name for this problem? Addiction? Issue? *grin*
Lin, besides of video game addiciton, there are many other addiciton, such as the internet surfing addiciton, where the users will start to feel uncomfortable, frustrated or lose their temper, if they didn’t online in the last 24 hours!
As a high school counsellor and Average Joe, I totally agree with your thoughts about the video game addicts.
I witnessed the symptoms you have listed above in adults, fortunately, neither me nor my friends allow children to play video games. But I’ve noticed that just watching Cartoons on TV works the very same way – like obsession… we’ve switched to reading books, no modern aggressive cartoons allowed, only good old ones
Addiction to video games, television, computer games, or simply spending too much time on the internet are real addictions for children and adults. Moderation and setting limits is necessary to avoid becoming addicted to video games or anything else a person spends too much time on.
Hi Lin – years ago I used to be so addicted to forums. I was ill at the time and rarely left the house, so I guess it was my chance to talk to people.
But i would stay up really late to do so, as many forum members were from the States so there was a time difference.
Once I started getting out of the house again and seeing real people, I killed my addiction.
Hi Cath, many people could relate to your previous addiction and I’m glad you were able to break your addiction to forums.
I laughed when a friend of my daughter’s said the other day that he thinks I am addicted to the computer/internet. Umm, buddy, I have an online business website/blog to write for, respond to comments and/or questions amongst other things. That does not equate to having an internet addiction. Yeeesh.
[...] spending less time getting needed exercise, but more time parked in front of the TV, computer, or playing video-games. Sedentary kids are more likely to gain weight because they’re not burning calories through [...]
Hello, My name is Jenna and I am in a relationship where my significant other has a gaming addiction. I have been trying to search the web looking for possible treatment or counseling centers for online/video gaming addictions. I live in the MN area. Does anyone know of a counseling or treatment center in MN or where I could look for one?
Hi Jenna,
Finding treatment centers for video game addiction is kinda like searching for a needle in a haystack, huh? I did some searching and came up this one:
National Institute on Media and the Family
Street Address:
606 24th Avenue South, Suite 606
Minneapolis, MN 55454
1-888-672-KIDS (672-5437)
Perhaps they will be able to help or at least direct you to further local options. Good luck!
Thank you Lin… I really appreciate it. It seems as if the Center’s are just beginning to come out or something like that, since it’s quite hard to find one especially searching online. Thank you for your effort and I will definitely look into that one.
Thanks again, I really appreciate it, and hopefully it’ll help him out.
Wow, there’s actually treatment centers for this???
an interesting thing to note is that there are several companies out there that actually higher psychologists and DESIGN their games to be addictive, by taking advantage of latent OCD tendencies in the brain…
i won’t name any names
Hi Ben,
Yes, there really are “video game addiction treatment centers”. From what I’ve read about these centers, they typically follow the guidelines of the 12-step program for alcoholics and drug addicts.
Hi! Thanks for the article it helped convince my little brother that he was addicted. My brother and I are still young (under 15) and we sometimes think that we are addicted to videogames. We play a lot of online mutiplayer games and Nintendo console based games. I do understand I need other hobbies and I’ve taken up photography and story writing, but my brother still plays videogames 24/7. If there is an up side to playing videogames its that I can really concentrate (once I got off the games). I think that I played videogames a lot because my family does not have cable (hence there is rarely anything good on the five channels we do have) and whenever I tell any of my school mates that I do not know what that show is because I don’t have cable they say
“Oh you poor girl!”
Playing videogames is almost as necessary as cable nowadays to be in the loop at school.
Anyway, as a child I feel that kids should have the choice to play a videogame or two but not all day, and that they should not be pushed to play sports instead. Maybe they’re a little artist on the inside instead of the next NFL player.
I just wanted to say a big THANKS again for the article. I’m going to print it out and stick it on the videogames in the house and the computers.
Hi Simone! Thanks for stopping by and letting me know this article about video game addiction has been helpful to you and your brother. There are sooo many other fun activities that kids can do to occupy themselves and enjoy being young, that promote living active lives rather than being a couch potato than easily lead to obesity. Thanks Simone!
“Information in these books on video game addiction also discuss the increasing number of violent video games and the harmful effects these games may have on children and teens that parents may or may not be aware of.” this statement invalidates this entire page of videogame addictions and solutions. it has been proven countless times by psychologists and police studies alike that there is NO RELATION what-so-ever with video games and the increased statistics in violent crimes.
Hi Al, I realize that there is ongoing controversy over whether violent video games have any relation to violent crimes committed, or not.
I disagree that the statement you quoted voids the entire article in its entirety. The numerous books on video game addiction and solutions do not just cover the subject of violent video games, but these books do offer advice, ideas and suggestions on what to do if you or someone you know is thought to be addicted to video games.
I disagree that there’s no coorelation between video games and the increase in violent crimes. Video games and movies have grown shockingly more gratuitous, featuring brutal violence and needless gore. Just look at some of the “classic” movies to see how much the representation of violence has been reshaped. You wouldn’t have even seen a trickle of blood when John Wayne or Kirk Douglas got shot. Now you see the bullet enter, burst organs, and blow out a fist-sized hole on the character’s back.
People have become desensitized to horrific and graphic violence the likes of which only a police officer or ER doctor would’ve previously ever been exposed to. It’s bad enough that this affects adults, but when children no longer are shocked by strongly-violent acts, what’s to deter them from engaging in those?
When our society has pre-teen children firing handguns (some good friends of ours took their 5 year old boy to the firing range to shoot a handgun recently), you can’t possibly fail to see a link back to video games.
Good Lord, where’s Mayberry when we need it most?
Hi Rob, the debate goes on it seems. I really believe that regardless of how many clinical or scientific studies that may be done, there will always be those who refute the findings no matter what.
All it takes is someone who reads one single word they don’t like or agree with in study results to have the opinion that violent video games have nothing to do with violent behavior. I really doubt there will ever be widespread acceptance of this.
I am a mother of a 23 year old daughter who doesn’t go out with friends but has been beta testing video games, she is in her room all the time, doesn’t work, sorta looks for work and it is hurting my relationship and stressing us out. I do not pay for her internet that is paid by one of her friends (who is from the states and the time zone is different so she is up all night). I am scared for her. Question what do I do to get her out, besides yelling, cause we both will just shut down. I am considering telling her if she doesn’t get a job in 2 months I will cut off her hydro? I have been enableing her to a point but have no controll over the person that is paying for it. If this was a set paycheck than she is working but it is not. I am starting to not want to come home from work because of the stress in the household! There is work out there, she has an excellent resume, just to picky. My husband says to give her a time limit to get a job, then kick her out, I am not that kind of person and do not want to do that, since we are in a large city and she doesn’t have any friends her. Please suggest something, I am at my wits end and my daughter needs to spread her wings!
Hi Patricia, there is a lot of information on this site in regards to “enabling” grown adult children. What you are describing as far as your daughter’s video game obsession is just the beginning, and I invite you to take the time to carefully read the articles about helping vs enabling grown adult children and I assure you that you’ll find a lot that sounds familiar in your situation.
Many parents like yourself are struggling with the issue of “helping or enabling” their grown children, and the comments and questions about specific situations continue, so I suggest reading those articles and checking out the comment sections as well. You are not alone with this struggle. I look forward to hearing from you in the comment sections of those articles, and other parents including myself will likely respond to your comment/question, since there are some who have checked the “subscribe to comments” box and respond to new questions/comments left there.
Thank you, very much…..look forward to reading this!
*Reply to the first post*
“Call of Duty” does not belong in the list with “Gears of War” or “Grand Theft Auto”.
Sure it can still desensitize you, but not as bad.
And Rock Band and the like still have the potential with women wearing revealing clothes.
And amen to MMORPG’s being addictive.
Beta testing games?
Do you know what game it is?
Most likely it would be an MMORPG. The most addicting of them.
I am trying to get my brother to tone down on the hours he spends playing a MMORPG.
I admit I play it sometimes too. But I am not addicted. He just retaliates saying, “You play this too so don’t be a hypocrite!”.
We share a room (he is 12 I am 16) and he takes my laptop and plays his game! One night he asks if he can use my laptop and bugs me about it. I got so annoyed that I yelled so loud, No! (Woke everyone up) but I got to him.
On average I spend maybe 8 hours a week playing a game. So totals to one hour a day or so.
Not a liberty to say Joshua which games she plays but she is an adult, and enjoys very much playing and I have played with her too, although she is much better! It isn’t MMORPG.
im doing a reasearch for video game addiction, i feel though as a video game addict my self that its not that bad… i mean because of videogames i finally know what i want to do in my life, i realy want to be a computor animator, and my grades arnt failing its a B average, so i hope that this site wont make you hate video games and take it from your child, if he or she is addictied, trust me its like you cant stop thinking about it. i would recoment limmiting video games: like another person said before me that there nefew spends all there money on videos games. i think the parents should make him save half and the rest he can spend on video games, also i feel limmiting videogames to 2 hours on weekday and 5 hours max on weekend. and if they have good grades then they should be rewarded extra hours…
I have a 21 year old son who plays war craft video game 24/7 , he does not want to work or go to school , he does not have a girlfriend , he make every excuse not to do either, I know I am enabling him by letting him life in the house for free, I want to put him out of the house but I think he needs help, I put him in counselling but I don’t know what I need to do for this particular problem. This is so stressful and at my wit end, any suggestions?
Hi Azora,
What you are describing in regards to your son is a subject I’ve discussed at length on this site. While it may be true that your son is addicted to video games and plays video games 24/7, the enabling has something to do with it. He’s not working, doesn’t feel any need to work or have a life outside of playing video games. Living in your house for free as well.
There are of course video game addiction books mentioned at the end of this article to help parents and the addicted persons to learn more about how to stop being addicted to video games or online gaming. In some states, video game addiction treatment centers are continuing to pop up as well, so you may want to look further into those. Problem is…, if he isn’t willing to even consider the possibility that he may be addicted to playing games and isn’t willing to fully participate in any treatment programs that may be available in your area, you should really consider the effects that enabling your grown son has on him and on you.
I strongly recommend that you carefully consider and read the articles on this site about helping vs enabling grown adult children, and I truly believe you’ll find where the crux of this problem lies and how to put a stop to it.
Need creates motivation, and as long as his wants, needs and whims are taken care of for him, why would he ever want to stop what’s working so well….for him? Think about that, and read those articles. You can put him in a variety of counseling sessions, but it really boils down to him wanting change, and you as the parent putting your foot down and making it so your son has no choice but to grow up and begin behaving like an independent, responsible adult.
Help – I thought my 15 yr old son was suffering from depression but have now realized that the main culprit is video game addiction. Im reading everything I can on the topic. He is failing school, has no social contact, is irritable all the time and doesnt sleep. He knows we are angry and will take the computer away – then he runs away. He says he’s not coming home tonight, it will be -25 outside and that scares me to death. How do I hold my ground and keep him safe at the same time?
Hi Ginger,
Your son is likely testing you to see how much control he has over you. Stick to your guns. Even though he’s said he’s not coming home tonight doesn’t automatically mean he’ll be out in the frigid cold somewhere. He’s either trying to get a reaction out of you; trying to get you to back down and allow him the use of the computer and/or games; throwing a teenager tantrum trying to get his own way, or all of the above. For him to say that he’s not coming home tonight means (to me) that he’s possibly venting his feelings and raging at you for disciplining him about his video game addiction by taking away his computer privileges, or he knows at least one person who will allow him to stay overnight. Perhaps a classmate you may or may not be aware of. I wouldn’t panic about it right now. That just might be what he’s hoping for; you getting scared for his safety etc and backing off on the restrictions. Hang tough, be strong and don’t waver in your resolve to help deal with his gaming addiction.
The fact that computer games are becoming more and more realistic is what worries me. Younger children may not have the skills to tell the difference between events that occur on the screen and those in real life. I am also disheartened by the fact that computer game recommendations – 15+ and up in most cases, are not being enforced correctly and these games are easily getting into the hands of young children.
Hi Benjamin,
Your concerns about video games and how realistic many of the games are is alarming to me too. As a parent, I would never put my trust in any of the video game ratings that some parents might believe in, simply because what one person/parent might feel is appropriate for children of whatever age another parent/person may not feel the game is appropriate at all for their children.
Parents need to know and make a parental decision about what games (if any) their child is allowed to play, whether these games are online games or are played on a video game console.
It’s interesting to consider that the movie “Robocop” initially received the MPAA’s X-rating solely based upon the film’s excessive violence. An X-rating prohibited viewers under 17 from viewing a movie.
To satisfy the requirements of the ratings board, director Paul Verhoeven edited out blood & gore from the most violent scenes so it could be released with an R-rating. An R-rating means that children under 17 are not allowed to attend unless accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
Yet the violence level of “Robocop” would be considered rather tame compared to many of today’s video games that little children routinely play.
Very good points Rob. Hence the reason why I put no trust in any of the rating systems for video games or even movies. Parents are lax about knowing what books their kids are reading, including books for very young children, not knowing the full content and appropriateness of each and every book their child reads. Just because a video game, movie or book claims to be appropriate for children and teens of “x” age doesn’t in and of itself mean that such things are good, beneficial, healthy things for kids and teens.
I am extremely outraged to find out, after long months of puzzling and agonizing experience, that the root causes of the troubles of my 14 year old son: change of behaviour, failure of an axceptionally bright kid at school and his withdrwal from life, are all due to his addiction of video games.
We have been doing every effort to protect our children from the destructive effects of those games.
It was only because my son was enrolled in a higly acclaimed sholarship program that we allowed him frequent access to the computer and the internet, only to let him fell in the trap.
I feel so agonized that I am seriously thinking of initiating a class suit against those video game companies, just like the class suit against the tobacco companies.
Ben
Ben,
Your reaction to your son’s video game addiction is understandable. Unfortunately, the signs to watch for aren’t easily seen until there is already an addiction, then parents find themselves having to take steps to figure out what’s going on and put a stop to it.
You’re definitely not alone in your anger about video games, and the effects of spending too much time playing video games or computer games etc are on the increase. I really hope you’re able to resolve the addiction for your son, and get him involved in other things instead of gaming.
Lin,
The irony is that a new industry of “video game addiction treatment” is now emerging.
I contacted a certain program in Aspen,Colorado.Guess how much it costs?
$ 30,000 for 50 to 60 days!!
What bothers me is not only my own kind’s being victim of this very harmful industry, but also the fact that most of the world’s population of children are prone to this problem.
The first time I ever heard or read about the seriousness of video game addiction was about a few months ago. I came across a small article about boot camps for video game addicted children in South Korea. High schools kids who play in public cafes for as long as 36 hours nonstop. I never thought that that affliction was developing so fast and that it was that close to my own home.
My son – 14 -is the youngest of four highly gifted children.His other three siblings obtained scholarships from one of the most acclaimed independent schools in New England. The older two now attend two of the most rewound colleges.
Last year, my youngest kid succeeded in being admitted into the same extremely competitive preparatory scholarship program.
Now he has dropped out from both the preparatory program and public school.
I am thinking of how the American kids are now falling behind almost all other industrial nations kids in math and science.
I am thinking of the too many billion dollars spent yearly by average families on these harmful games, imposed on them by around-the-clock bombardment of commercials.
Now, the real problem being identified, I am taking care of my kid. But I am determined to do whatever I can – through every available legal and/or public information means – to make those companies pay for their evil doing and try to prevent more devastation of the lives of innocent children and their families.
Thank you so much for your valuable efforts.
Grieving Ben in NYC
Hi Ben,
I had no idea how much it costs to attend a video game addiction treatment center. That is outrageous!
I also hadn’t heard about video game addiction “boot camps”, but you can bet that there are people in the world who are all too willing to take advantage of people’s afflictions or addictions in order to earn a lot of money.
That’s not to say that these treatment centers or boot camps aren’t wanting to really help people with the addiction, but to charge that kind of money seems like highway robbery to me.
If video game addiction were to ever rear its ugly head in my home, I’d take that a sledgehammer to that contraption and all the games. Fortunately, we don’t have that problem here. I’m pretty tough on the subject of video or computer gaming, and I don’t put up with such nonsense as spending every waking hour sitting and playing those stupid games.
I really hope your son gets over his addiction to games and finds that there is a lot of life to live out there in the world, rather than being stuck in front of a game console for most of the day and night. Good luck to you Ben and to your son!
I can’t think of a more compelling argument against videogames than this quote from a game developer, in defense of an especially graphic new title, “[...] the challenge was how to present the horrors of war in a game that is entertaining [...]”
http://www.appscout.com/2009/04/iraq_veterans_angered_over_xbo.php
And what’s especially sad is just how close to the mark this satirical look at videogames is:
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/hot_new_video_game_consists
Hi Rob,
Thank you for those informative links. The debate over video games rages on, as we’re seeing with the comments section.
you want to know somthing… its the parents fault, for addiction god! quit being stupid and by the way if your kids failing school dont blame videogames thats just iggnorent! i love video games! i just spent 200 $ on them at a convension, however i have a 3.0 average, and 100 $ left in the bank, dont think im a rich kid who gets whatever i want, i dont have alot of money and earn it at my 6.50 an hour job, however i do agree video games can be bad but why are parents complaining why not try this
1: 1-3 hours on school nights after homework
2: 3-5 on weekends after homework and try enrolling them in a sport so they get exersise
3: make sure the game is rated well. such as E for children E10 for ten year olds, T for Teens M for mature/adults. make sure your 5 yr old isnt playing GTA .
its a pretty wierd thing to put all blame on video games when you guys are parents, also maybe your kid has a lot of stress or doesnt like to socialize, and when going on a fantacey world it makes it easier for them to to unwind and relax. if i have a bad day i love to play N64 just for a bit so i calm down and think, its actually quite peacefull to me…
I totally agree that the responsibility to guard against videogame addiction is on the parents’ shoulders. Game ratings are a complete joke – parents just buy any ol’ game their kids want, with no regard for the rating.
At some point though, you do have to attribute some of blame for videogame ills lies with the game developers. Nobody is forcing them to create gratuitously-graphic and excessively-violent crap – they’re going for the easy buck. Games like Rock Band prove that there’s a market for non-violent games. It just takes developers who’re brave & creative enough to tap into that market.
Hello Lin and Rob. I stumbled across your site in a search for articles on the subject and got caught up in the comments. I’ like to say that most of what you’re saying on this subject is right on. Each of the stories that parents are sharing are spot on with trends we are seeing at where I work as an addictions counselor. I’ve worked with a number of online gaming addicts, perticularly World of Warcraft and another called Counterstrike (1st-person shooter). Personality trends include above-average intelligence, social anxiety or a lack of social skills and competitive nature.
Like anything else, balance is required to avoid developing an addiction. If it’s already there, serious changes need to happen, to include pursuing treatment or therapy.
Hi Ed,
Video game addiction is a real addiction but far too many people (especially those who are addicted) don’t want to admit that there is a problem. It was surprising to me, as a parent, to discover how many parents actually search for information about “children addicted to video games”. I mean…come on already. Where is the parenting in today’s society? Where is the monitoring and watching what our kids are watching or doing online or offline? What appears to many to be harmless fun of their kids playing video games of one kind or another ends up taking over these kids lives and it isn’t until there’s an obvious personality change that parents start saying…hmmm maybe there’s a problem here. Sigh…..
It’s been a bit, thanks for your response. What you describe can be referred to as DENIAL, no longer just a river in Egypt. Parents turn a blind eye, minimize the issues for a number of reasons: don’t want to believe their kids would have such a problem, fear of the repercussions, they’ll just go somewhere else to play, to name a few. Basically, parents of kids with chemical addictions make the same statements. It’s part of the disease as it impacts the family system. Parents need to examine the part they play in the drama, just as the young person needs accountability and limits set.
To give another angle and name to this addiction, at present it’s classified under Impulse Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified in the DSM-IV-TR.
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