2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
Does your teenager get irritable, anxious and angry the minute you talk to him about managing his video game time? He only talks to you and his friends about video games and all his thoughts seem to be on them?
Every time the time comes to tell him that his video game time is over, the situation turns into a nightmare, becomes confrontational and his reactions seem disproportionate to you?
The first question to ask in order to establish whether an addiction problem is present or in the making is this: Does the young person largely neglect or exclude from the activities of his/her family because of video games? everyday life such as sleeping, eating, bathing, building or maintaining friendships or interpersonal relationships? Do video games interfere with the performance of daily living activities? If the answer is yes to these questions, it is likely that we are in the presence of an addiction or about to be.
Why overuse video games?
To take excessive refuge in video games is a way of escaping difficulties, just likealcohol, drugs, gambling, work or sex. For others, it may be a way to escape challenges we don't want to face.
The first step towards change will therefore be to determine what are the causes, the difficulties or the lacks that the person is trying to flee or even to overcome within video games.
Here is a list of signs frequently observed in children who have or are in the process of developing a video game addiction:
- Child repeatedly lies about time spent in front of games
- Parents notice that their teenager now has only one field of interest and topic of discussion: his video games. He is no longer interested in the things he used to love.
- He will begin to neglect other aspects of his life (love life, sports and social activities, etc.)
- The child becomes socially isolated and begins to prefer virtual interactions to real relationships.
- For example: If the parent offers the teenager to invite friends to come over, the latter will prefer to refuse the offer and interact with them virtually.
Is there anything to worry about? Can things settle down on their own and get back to normal?
In some cases, this intense interest in video games will eventually fade. On the other hand, in many cases, the situation will intensify and may lead to behavioral problems, the development of anti-social traitsetc It is therefore advisable, when your instinct tells you that the situation is problematic, to consult a professional for appropriate support.
