Video Game Addiction

By Faith Collins

Video gaming captured the attention of children, teens, and even adults since the simple games of the 1970s to the more advanced games of today. However, there is a problem arising. People are simply spending too much time on video games. The problem has become so bad, that there is now a disorder called video game addiction.

This disorder according to “Video Games Addiction” is characterized by the following:

• Neglect of other hobbies or friendships

• A decline in personal hygiene or grooming

• Inability to set limits on how much time is spent gaming

• Signs of irritability, anxiety, or anger when forced to stop gaming, even for brief periods

• The need to spend more time playing games or to play more intensely to get the same level of enjoyment

• Symptoms of physical or psychological withdrawal, such as loss of appetite, sleeplessness, agitation, or emotional outbursts if the game is taken away

• Using video games as a way to escape stressful situations at work or school or conflicts at home

The article “Video Game Addiction: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention,” written by WebMed warns that there are many health risks when it comes to spending excessive time on video games. For one, the sedentary lifestyle leads to a lack of exercise.  Other effects include lack of social engagement, avoidance of tasks, and an increase of violent behavior.

The treatments for video game addictions are in the early stages of research. One form of therapy is called cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT. CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind people's difficulties, and so change the way they feel. This is effective because it changes the way your brain thinks, so you don’t need to.

Video game addiction affects some DWHS students.Freshman Collin Yuill said he plays close to 36 hours on the weekends. Other students play close to 5-10 hours a week, and twice that amount on weekends.

Although there are students that are gaming addicts, the gaming epidemic has not quite reached full front at Doniphan West. Many other students who were interviewed claimed they did not play an excessive amount. But with the coming years, and with gaming becoming more popular, I can see gaming addiction may become a problem.