Addicted to Gaming

It is becoming a growing problem, children who become obsessed with video games and play for hours.

Although there is no official diagnosis, addiction-like behaviors with video games have increased among children, according to Video-game-addiction.org.

"We need to recognize how well or not well they're conducting normal lives, do they have real life friends? What are their grades like? What are the schools saying? And do they actually communicate with others once in a while without headphones?" stated Parry Aftab of Wiredsafety.org.

Experts say gaming becomes an addiction when it starts to interfere with a person’s relationships or pursuit of their goals such as good grades or sports.

If you suspect your child is addicted, experts suggest you try joining them to know what they are doing and judge when it is time to turn off the game.

The popular game system Xbox has a tool that allows parents to set a timer, which will shut off the game when the time is up, it also controls the game’s content.

According to Clinical Psychologist Dr. Michael Fraser, when a child loses control like destroys property in the house or threatens to harm themselves, then it is time to talk to a doctor.

"In a lot of times it’s about escaping something that’s stressful or depressing or anxiety provoking," states Fraser.

For more information on video game addiction click here

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