Although video game and internet addiction is not yet an addiction defined by the American Psychiatric Association, it was added to the 2018 version of the International Classification of Diseases, the medical reference book of the World Health Organization, under the name "computer game addiction".
SYMPTOMS:
Excessive preoccupation with video/internet games.
Feeling bad or showing withdrawal symptoms when not playing games.
>Wanting to play games for increasingly longer periods of time to feel better.
Not being able to play games less even though he tries to restrict himself.
Not wanting to do other things that he/she used to enjoy doing.
Encountering problems due to excessive gaming at school, at work or at home.
Hiding the time spent playing games. Lying to loved ones or others to help yourself.
Playing games to improve your mood when you feel bad.
Missing important relationship, job, education or career opportunities due to participation in video/internet games.
Why do video games cause addiction?
The success of video/internet games is measured not only by the number of players but also by the time spent in the game. Therefore, these games are specifically designed for players to spend more time. For example, when video/internet games become too difficult, players give up and quit the game. When they are too easy, they do not satisfy the players' drive to succeed. It feels like success in the game can only be achieved if the person puts in a little more effort. With these features, gaming addiction is similar to gambling addiction. It is not known in advance which games are addictive, however, endless games on online platforms where many people participate in the game at the same time carry the risk of becoming more addictive. In this type of games, the person escapes from reality and enjoys the characteristics of the game character he creates. Young people who have difficulty in social environments may feel more accepted in such groups, so they spend more time on the online platform.
What can be done to prevent gaming addiction? Is it possible?
There are a few precautions that parents can take to prevent game addiction in their children. These can be listed as follows:
Setting a time limit by agreement in advance and not allowing this limit to be exceeded.
Keeping phones and other devices they can play with outside the bedroom, thus preventing them from getting up secretly at night and playing.
Directing children to artistic and cultural hobbies, exercise and physical activity.
Especially the last item is very important in terms of eliminating the deprivation syndromes that will be felt in children when they do not play games. While physical activity provides the child with the missing dopamine, it also reduces the health risks arising from sitting for long periods of time.
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