Jump to content

Menu

Video game addiction


Annie Elle
 Share

Recommended Posts

Has anyone had to deal with video game addiction with their children? I am becoming more and more convinced that our ds19 is addicted to gaming. He is still living with us and going to college but his grades are subpar and he has become very isolated. He is also making poor decisions in regards to his money and health. He has no hobbies and no real drive to succeed. He did come to me last week and said that he is depressed and wants to go to counseling. I think he is depressed and he is in a vicious cycle of self medicating with screen time and then feeling worse and going back to the screen. He has no self control when it comes to gaming and will play from the time he gets up until he goes to bed.

 

He does not think he is addicted. Dh and I are looking for a local counselor but we would love any other resources or BTDT advice from the hive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, my son. What has helped more than anything is to 1. address the depression and discuss how video games are self medicating on a bimolecular level, 2. take all shame out of it and come along side him as his support team rather than ordering him to do things, and 3. filling his day with something ELSE to do/think about/get rewarded for. 

 

For us that meant he dropped out of school for a semester to reduce stress and anxiety (thus eliminating part of the reason he needed the games to destress) and then helping him find a volunteer position. Just telling him to find one never worked, so I offered to, with his permission, make up a list with the contact info, description, etc. That he agreed to and now he is volunteering at a bird of prey rehabilitation center and loving it. He goes 3 times a week, gets outside in the fresh air, gets sunshine, helps and thinks about something other than himself, gets complimented when he does well, is learning new things, etc. It's been nothing less than life changing. He's also working out after reconnecting with a friend that goes to the gym, which is helping. 

 

Keeping busy with other things has been huge, and just reducing the need to self medicate. 

  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FWIW, sometimes people have an exceedingly hard time self-regulating.  They need external supports and scaffolding.  My BIL had a cut off switch to the internet for his oldest.  He could only be on for a certain number of hours each day because the internet ceased to be accessible at a certain point and did not reactivate until a specific point the next afternoon.  That helped with on-line gaming but did not help with gaming that was not tied to the internet.  Youtube addiction also was curtailed with that cut off switch but not DVD watching.  Those needed internal scaffolding but were harder to implement.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are just starting to finally address this with ds 17. (We should’ve stepped in much sooner but academically things had still been going fine)

I read an ebook for parents (will link in a minute) and are starting to make changes this week.

We’re starting with meds for depression and counseling and trying to cut down on gaming time at first. I believe ultimately we will have to cut off internet at home altogether ( this is my technical programmer kid so no “parent controls programs†are going to work, he’ll get around them)

I’m kind of in shock right now that we have to do this.

I knew it was an issue but didn’t realize how bad nor that there were some other big mental health things going on with him too.

Currently trying to decide on spring semester classes and college decisions for next fall and it’s scary because he plans to go into computer science and all that time at the computer is so close to gaming that I worry it will always be a struggle :(

 

Sorry you’re going thru it too

Good luck!

 

Here’s the link for the workbook for adults, I’m going to have my son look at it. I read the version for parents.

http://www.techaddiction.ca/video_game_addiction_treatment.html

 

I also found this forum for addicts and family:

http://www.olganon.org/forums/i-need-help-parents-gamers

 

And this treatment place (really pricey):

https://netaddictionrecovery.com/

Edited by Hilltopmom
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

oldie but goodie:

Teenage Zombies
Video games have sucked the life out of my kids.

BY STEPHEN MOORE
Friday, January 4, 2008 12:01 a.m.

My new year's resolution is to get my two teenage sons back. They've been abducted--by the cult of Nintendo. I'm convinced that video games are Japan's stealth strategy to turn our kids' brains into silly putty as payback for dropping the big one on Hiroshima. 
The trouble began last summer when my sons started spending virtually every unsupervised hour camped out in front of the computer screen engaged in multiplayer role games like World of Warcraft and Counterstrike. At the start of this craze, I wrote it off as merely a normal phase of adolescence. I was confident that, at 14 and 16, they would soon be more interested in chasing real-life girls than virtual video hoodlums. 
Boy, was I wrong. Their compulsion became steadily more destructive. They grew increasingly withdrawn, walking around like the zombies from "Night of the Living Dead." Unless I pried them (forcibly) from the computer, they would spend five or six hours at a time absorbed in these online fantasy worlds. My wife tried to calm me down by observing that "at least they're not out having sex or doing drugs." But how would that be any worse? 
Both are decent athletes, but their muscles began to atrophy right before our very eyes; their skin tone paled from lack of sunlight. Their idea of playing sports these days is inserting Madden football or the NBA slam-dunk game into our Xbox. 
We recently considered purchasing the new Nintendo Wii, because at least its games--simulated bowling, snow boarding, guitar playing and motorcycling--require physical activity. Nintendo even advertises this product as good exercise for kids, and I have colleagues who swear that they get a great workout from Wii boxing and skiing. Alas, a new study from the British Health Journal suggest that Wii is no substitute for the real and vigorous outdoor exercise that adolescent boys need. 

 

My wife and I aren't entirely inept parents--our 6-year-old seems fairly well-adjusted anyway. Back in October we established for the older boys strict screen-time limits. It was then that we discovered the true extent of their addiction. They ranted and raved and cursed and even threw things--almost as if demons had taken possession of them. These are classic withdrawal symptoms; they craved a fix. When we installed parental controls on the computer, our boys scoffed. It took them about 15 minutes to disable them. We've become so desperate that we may have to get rid of the computers entirely, though that may hamper their school work. 
It turns out that we're not alone in our predicament. A parent down the street confided to us that his 12-year-old son was so obsessed with video games that he wouldn't take even a three-minute break from gaming to go to the bathroom--with unfortunate results. The other day we saw a kid at church, in a semi-trance, going down the aisle to Holy Communion while clicking on a hand-held Game Boy. Talk about worshiping a false god. 
This summer the American Medical Association's annual conference debated a proposal to declare excessive video gaming a "formal disorder" in the category of other addictions like alcohol, drugs and gambling. One study released at the AMA conference found that many kids who spend a disproportionate amount of time playinggames "achieve more control and success of their social relationships in the virtual reality realm than in real relationships." 
I'm not one to blame every human frailty on some faddish psychiatric disorder. But I'm persuaded that computer games are the new crack cocaine. The testimonials from parents of online gamers are horrific: kids not taking showers, not eating or sleeping, falling behind in school. Some parents are forced to send their kids to therapeutic boarding schools, which charge up to $5,000 a month, to combat the gaming addiction. 
The war lords of the gaming industry tout research on the positive attributes of gaming--and admittedly there are some. One study published this year in Psychological Science finds that gaming improves eyesight. A famous 2004 study by researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, found that video games improve manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination: "Doctors who spend at least 3 hours a week playing video games," the researchers reported, "made about 37% fewer mistakes in laproscopic surgery." Fine. I'll give my sons the joysticks back when they become orthopedic surgeons. 

 

In the meantime, what is to be done? I'm not suggesting making the games illegal--we don't need a multibillion-dollar black market in video games. But I am pleading that parents take this social problem seriously and intervene, as my wife and I wish we had done much earlier. 
November sales for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3, and the games that go with them, were up a gaudy 52% over last year. In my neck of the woods, Wii's were such hot sellers that they weren't available in the stores at any price. I'm proud to report that we rejected our youngest son's pleas for a PlayStation for Christmas. He pouts that we're the meanest parents in the world. Someday he'll thank us. A mind really is a terrible thing to waste. 
Mr. Moore is a member of The Wall Street Journal's editorial board.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do agree with you there Minnie.

I surf a lot and post here when I’m not at work or taking care of kids and house....

 

But my addicted gamer will game from waking till sleep, say noon- 4 AM barely breaking to eat or pee and attend robotics meetings or a few other things he has to.

 

I’m not on WTM that much :) I’m still holding a job and caring for the house and family.

No comparison.

I had no problem with gaming when it was a hobby.

 

Now it’s way past that.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do agree with you there Minnie.

I surf a lot and post here when I’m not at work or taking care of kids and house....

 

But my addicted gamer will game from waking till sleep, say noon- 4 AM barely breaking to eat or pee and attend robotics meetings or a few other things he has to.

 

I’m not on WTM that much :) I’m still holding a job and caring for the house and family.

No comparison.

I had no problem with gaming when it was a hobby.

 

Now it’s way past that.

 

Mine did too. Except sometime he slept later. Didn't shower, didn't change clothing, didn't eat sometimes....his entire world was virtual. 

SaveSave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

This generation has been the guinea-pigs for what happens with 24/7/365 technology. Now we are starting to know. Thank God, some are recovering and these are the ones taking the lead in technology that will help people *live* *with* technology.

My ds plans to go into computer science. Coding is his main interest other than gaming. It scares me that he won’t be able to just walk away from computers if that’s what he continues to study.

He wrote a nice essay about how awesome coding is and how he came to love it for his college applications.

I hope he gets to do that and be successful, while keeping gaming away.

 

Right now it seems incredibly overwhelming for us as parents as to how we will help him stop this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't do anything else. We would not have made it without those who came alongside us. It was the worst time of my entire life. I knew in my gut that he had a serious problem long before others acknowledged it...but when they did, God sent us help that got us through. But it has not been without pain and cost that we are where we are. I spent about 5 years crying. (Dang it I'm crying now...)

 

No, if you are in this struggle, you are not alone. And if you try to struggle alone you will not make it. That's the fact.

It isn't addiction for us but so much of what you post rings true.

 

:grouphug:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry you are facing this down.  

 

When I was a younger person, parents had troubles with their kids going off to college and getting into drugs and ending up failing/dropping out. 

 

Now I have friends whose kids have the same issue--not with drugs but with gaming.  

 

 

 

And like in the article linked earlier, at first you are just happy they aren't out doing actual drugs, having illicit sex, etc. 

 

Then you start to kind of wish they were! Or at least, having more "normal" issues. 

 

My 18 year old went to the mall last week and hung out with friends. For the first time ever. It seems silly, but I was SO happy he was doing something so "normal" in real life. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I'll say that seeing the effect that volunteering at the bird of prey place has had on my son, I highly recommend trying to get them into a volunteer job, preferably I think with animals. There is just something healing about animals, especially for those who maybe have anxiety about socializing with other humans, or are socially awkward, or whatever. No worries about if the birds (or horses, or dogs, or whatever) will think you are cool or dorky or too tall. They won't care if your acne is flaring, or your hair won't do what you want. 

 

I honestly think sometimes that these darned birds may have saved my son's life. 

 

It isn't a perfect fix. Still trying to get him to sign up for classes for the fall. But I'm not worried he's going to kill himself or something. And he's smiling on a regular basis. And he is interacting with real people in real life. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

FWIW, sometimes people have an exceedingly hard time self-regulating.  They need external supports and scaffolding.  My BIL had a cut off switch to the internet for his oldest.  He could only be on for a certain number of hours each day because the internet ceased to be accessible at a certain point and did not reactivate until a specific point the next afternoon.  That helped with on-line gaming but did not help with gaming that was not tied to the internet.  Youtube addiction also was curtailed with that cut off switch but not DVD watching.  Those needed internal scaffolding but were harder to implement.  

 

 

This is what we are seeing with internet addictions now. It is almost impossible and impractical to keep anyone conpletely off the computer or other devices. Self-regulation pretty much is the goal for all of us.

Many people follow some version of the "one hour on - one hour off" rule. Many of us have to work online so it looks a little different.

 

Good point about internal structure versus external structure. Hopefully, external structure will lead to internal structure as is does in most other areas.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is what we are seeing with internet addictions now. It is almost impossible and impractical to keep anyone conpletely off the computer or other devices. Self-regulation pretty much is the goal for all of us.

Many people follow some version of the "one hour on - one hour off" rule. Many of us have to work online so it looks a little different.

 

Good point about internal structure versus external structure. Hopefully, external structure will lead to internal structure as is does in most other areas.

I think for many it can, especially over time, if they get used to what it feels like and learn how to implement their own structures.  Also, maturity can help.

 

On a bright note, even though my nephew was extremely addicted to computer games and youtube videos and it was hell on wheels for BIL for many years trying to get him through High School, my nephew maintained a 4.0 in college and just graduated very high in his class.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interestingly they are also finding that for some alcoholics, "mostly not drinking" is a better practice than "you will ever ever ever ever ever have another beer in your life, not ever."  Having a beer while watching a football game with the family is better than either being away from the family at all because everyone else is having a beer while they watch the game...and it is a million times better than drinking the 2 cases of beer during the game as in days of yore.  

 

I think eating disorders must be the hardest ones to overcome.  You can't not eat.  You can't just do the equivalent of , "I'm turning off the internet / never buying booze again / getting a flip phone / putting p*rn screening software on the computer / vacationing somewhere other than Slot Machine Heaven"  etc.  You have to eat.  

 

External behaviors do lead to changed attitudes.  That's why we *say* "thank you" even when we don't mean it.  Why we do acts of kindness.  It makes us kinder.  Changing a behavior CAN change an attitude.

 

Yes, this is now termed Harm Reduction Approach. It obviously depends on the individual case. If someone has years of abuse and the smell of alcohol would trigger a full on relapse, this approach is not the right one but for those who have been drinking a little too much but are not meeting the criteria for an addiction (yet) it could be the turning point and it teaches internal structuring and regulation.

And you are right - eating disorders are extremely hard to treat because of the fact that you have to eat something at some time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a former gaming addict.

Seriously.

It was B.A.D.

 

I was a homeschooling mom with 2 girls (ages around 8 and 10).  Oldest dd was my 'Aspie' (dx not available then--Psychiatrist just knew she was 'different'), next dd was my preemie (lots of lingering lung issues and constantly at Dr or in hospital).  I was stressed.  DH worked late (his way of coping with the stress).  My escape was gaming.

 

Once the girls got to sleep DH and I would usually play a game together online.  Since DH is a 'computer geek' this was our bonding time.  I soon surpassed his ability and began gaming with a guild for challenge.  This was before the days of team-speak.  My game of choice was Age of Empires (Age of Kings was my favorite).  I quickly rose to 'expert' and was a known player in the MS gaming world.  The addiction came on gradually.  I'd finish a game just before bedtime and then and invite would come in for a 'quick' game and I'd accept.  Within a year I was staying up until 2 or 3 most nights DURING THE WEEK... then I started gaming in the day time too...

 

I taught my dds how to make their own lunch--independence you know....

 

A typical day would be like-- at 10 am -- OK girls lets get started on your Math (go through quick lesson), now here is a worksheet. I'm going to play a quick game then we will eat lunch.

At 2pm youngest dd would ask if school was done for the day and by the way oldest dd fixed a nice mac and cheese lunch in case I wanted to know.

Laundry barely got done (oldest learned how to do that too).  Schooling was minimal at best.

 

It was only BAD for a short while-- I loved my family.  Homeschooling was the BEST choice for our girls due to their special needs.  They needed a MOM.  I needed to be their mom again. 

 

I clearly remember one of my last nights gaming (perhaps my last night).  I had a great game followed by a so-so game.  One of my teammates was giving me a bad time about not being as responsive as I usually was... then I replied-- "Well, I am in labor..."   His response "YOU ARE A GIRL!"-- yes, I'm a mom too and in a few hours kid number 3 will be here-- I guess I need to get my hubby--don't expect me at the usual games for a while..." 

 

After dd3 was born I walked away from gaming COLD TURKEY.  It was one of the hardest things I ever did. I still get the 'itch' when I see others gaming online (my oldest is a known gamer but is not addicted like I was)...almost 16 years and one would think I'd be over it by now.  NOPE 

 

Sometimes we talk/joke about those days...  middle dd brought it up when we were out with friends a few weeks ago-- at first everyone thought she was making it all up-- it got VERY quiet when they realized that this was the real deal.

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, many addictions are worse than others. Working in an ER, I would say hands down that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes are much worse addictions than gaming. The former will most likely get an ET tube down the throat at some point while the gamers will not. Food addiction is second to the drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes because of all the comorbidities like chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, etc. These comorbidities can kill, and make life quite unpleasant, while gaming rarely kills. And do not forget the financial addictions like gambling and online stock market. They probably come right in behind obesity.

 

Certainly, gaming addictions and addictions to things like running or weight lifting are benign comparatively.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, many addictions are worse than others. Working in an ER, I would say hands down that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes are much worse addictions than gaming. The former will most likely get an ET tube down the throat at some point while the gamers will not. Food addiction is second to the drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes because of all the comorbidities like chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, etc. These comorbidities can kill, and make life quite unpleasant, while gaming rarely kills. And do not forget the financial addictions like gambling and online stock market. They probably come right in behind obesity.

 

Certainly, gaming addictions and addictions to things like running or weight lifting are benign comparatively.

 

No necessarily.  I have one who tends toward addiction (starts acting like an addict when he has more than a small amount of online time).  When he is getting to much he also becomes depressed, anxious and has increased social anxiety.  His quality of life becomes very poor.  He is also angry and pushes others away.  I worry about suicide if he ever continued down that road.  And I've heard others up thread say their addicted dc were suicidal.  So, no, I don't find it benign at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No necessarily.  I have one who tends toward addiction (starts acting like an addict when he has more than a small amount of online time).  When he is getting to much he also becomes depressed, anxious and has increased social anxiety.  His quality of life becomes very poor.  He is also angry and pushes others away.  I worry about suicide if he ever continued down that road.  And I've heard others up thread say their addicted dc were suicidal.  So, no, I don't find it benign at all.

Me, either.  It is less obvious, though, so in some ways more dangerous because people on the outside may not even realize the person needs help.  The gaming addict can be secretly spiraling into deep depression and anxiety, have suicidal thoughts, they may no longer be eating right, sleeping right, taking care of responsibilities, keeping up with school/work.  But they can LOOK perfectly normal.  People on the outside, even parents and spouses, may not have any idea how serious it has become until it is at a point where they are in real danger.  And there is scientific evidence that long term exposure can change how the brain is wired. 

 

So while I agree that drug and alcohol addiction are horrible, can cause damage that is suffered lifelong and can even be deadly, gaming addiction can be just as bad in its own way.  It is often much harder to spot, though.  Just because Gamers with a serious addiction may never end up in an ER doesn't mean that the long term damage may not end up being really bad if they cannot turn it around.  And suicide is definitely a possibility.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, many addictions are worse than others. Working in an ER, I would say hands down that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes are much worse addictions than gaming. The former will most likely get an ET tube down the throat at some point while the gamers will not. Food addiction is second to the drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes because of all the comorbidities like chronic pain, diabetes, heart disease, etc. These comorbidities can kill, and make life quite unpleasant, while gaming rarely kills. And do not forget the financial addictions like gambling and online stock market. They probably come right in behind obesity.

 

Certainly, gaming addictions and addictions to things like running or weight lifting are benign comparatively.

 

This was helpful how??? I should be grateful my son has an issue that could leave him without a high school diploma, job prospects, or meaningful relationships?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No necessarily. I have one who tends toward addiction (starts acting like an addict when he has more than a small amount of online time). When he is getting to much he also becomes depressed, anxious and has increased social anxiety. His quality of life becomes very poor. He is also angry and pushes others away. I worry about suicide if he ever continued down that road. And I've heard others up thread say their addicted dc were suicidal. So, no, I don't find it benign at all.

I did not say “benign.â€. I said, “benign comparativelyâ€. Rarely does a gamer come into the ER except for an illness, not because he overdosed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was helpful how??? I should be grateful my son has an issue that could leave him without a high school diploma, job prospects, or meaningful relationships?

Again, taken out of context. Reread my post. Or, since you have 20,000 posts here and young children at home, perhaps you should reread my first post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

“I am sure you have read the research about what gaming does to the executive function/prefrontal cortex, which is the last part of the brain to develop, especially in males...it delays the development and it destroys some development that has occurred.†-copied from Pattie Joanna

 

Thank you for saying this. It makes so much sense in regards to my son.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, taken out of context. Reread my post. Or, since you have 20,000 posts here and young children at home, perhaps you should reread my first post.

 

Not sure my average of 7 posts a day, at maybe a minute or so each, often while nursing a baby, is a serious problem but thanks for your concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did not say “benign.â€. I said, “benign comparativelyâ€. Rarely does a gamer come into the ER except for an illness, not because he overdosed.

As I mentioned up thread, gaming addiction may not put someone in an ER but it can still have very dangerous, lasting, even deadly consequences.  Unfortunately, gaming addiction can be very easily hidden until it is too late.  Frankly, I would not use the term benign even comparatively.  I also do not agree with the apparent underlying assumption here that only addictions that put someone in an ER are truly dangerous.

 

ETA:  I also have no idea how many people with a gaming addiction may actually end up in an ER.  Honestly I have no idea how statistics on how often gaming addiction would put someone in an ER would be tracked.  The gaming addiction causes widespread issues that might put someone in an ER for a whole host of things that ER staff would have no immediate way of knowing (or likely the training and experience to determine) was caused by a gaming addiction.  

Edited by OneStepAtATime
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me, either. It is less obvious, though, so in some ways more dangerous because people on the outside may not even realize the person needs help. The gaming addict can be secretly spiraling into deep depression and anxiety, have suicidal thoughts, they may no longer be eating right, sleeping right, taking care of responsibilities, keeping up with school/work. But they can LOOK perfectly normal. People on the outside, even parents and spouses, may not have any idea how serious it has become until it is at a point where they are in real danger. And there is scientific evidence that long term exposure can change how the brain is wired.

 

So while I agree that drug and alcohol addiction are horrible, can cause damage that is suffered lifelong and can even be deadly, gaming addiction can be just as bad in its own way. It is often much harder to spot, though. Just because Gamers with a serious addiction may never end up in an ER doesn't mean that the long term damage may not end up being really bad if they cannot turn it around. And suicide is definitely a possibility.

This.

 

Gaming addiction can be quite bad because with a drug addiction people tend to notice quick. When going cold turkey it can be removed from the environment.

 

With gaming people downplay it, say it isn't an addiction, say people have control, don't understand neurobiology enough to see how it leads to anxiety, depression, and various other mental illness. It flies under the radar and because it eventually is the only think that seems to "help" the depression, parents turn a blind eye because they feel pain for their child's pain. They don't see how the gaming is maintaining it. It is easy to see the harm of drugs because of the outward health implications. It is harder for people to see gaming health implications even when their loved one is sleep deprived and looks sick and irritable.

 

I have seen more than a few families taken down by gaming addiction. Tech cannot be removed from the environment so the temptation is there. It is brutal. It kills joy for life activities like friends, school work, reading, hiking etc. Nothing gives a dopamine output in the same way so it numbs the world.

 

My heart is with anyone who is watching their loved one struggle. It is a tough addiction to counter.

Edited by nixpix5
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

Actually - and this is the extreme and almost unbelievable - there have been deaths from gaming. In the cases I read about, the players refused to go to the bathroom for days and refused food and drink because they could not leave the game. Even worse, in China or Japan, a gamer died at his station (public gaming area) and others did not get up to report something was wrong with him. When someone finally checked on him, it was too late.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This.

 

Gaming addiction can be quite bad because with a drug addiction people tend to notice quick. When going cold turkey it can be removed from the environment.

 

With gaming people downplay it, say it isn't an addiction, say people have control, don't understand neurobiology enough to see how it leads to anxiety, depression, and various other mental illness. It flies under the radar and because it eventually is the only think that seems to "help" the depression, parents turn a blind eye because they feel pain for their child's pain. They don't see how the gaming is maintaining it. It is easy to see the harm of drugs because of the outward health implications. It is harder for people to see gaming health implications even when their loved one is sleep deprived and looks sick and irritable.

 

I have seen more than a few families taken down by gaming addiction. Tech cannot be removed from the environment so the temptation is there. It is brutal. It kills joy for life activities like friends, school work, reading, hiking etc. Nothing gives a dopamine output in the same way so it numbs the world.

 

My heart is with anyone who is watching their loved one struggle. It is a tough addiction to counter.

 

 

This is very true. Substance addictions are often obvious because of physical changes. Internet / Gaming addictions are not but the fallout is very similar and scientists have already figured out that it hits the same dopamine circuitry in the brain as many drugs do.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...