Q) My teenager plays video games non-stop. I realize that this is normal for many kids of that age, but at what point should I be concerned that this is more than just a hobby?
A) Playing video games is a normal part of growing up and is in fact an important “getaway” for many functioning adults, particularly those who are under the age of 40. It is an especially important recreational activity for teens with statistics indicating that 97% of teenage boys and 83% of teenage girls play games on some sort of device.
But like many other leisure activities, there is a point at which playing video games can cross over from being a part of one’s life to being its primary focus. This seems to be happening more and more and in recognition of this, on May 25th, 2019 the World Health Organization added “gaming disorder” in its official list of behavioural addictions.
Deciding whether someone in your life has a “problem” with gaming isn’t as simple as measuring their screen time and comparing it to a national average. What seems to matter the most is the affected individual’s relationship to gaming and how its presence or absence affects them. There should be some level of concern when an individual exhibits an inability to reduce their gaming even though it is adversely affecting other areas of their life such as their education/ work, sleep, and relationships with peers and family. The list of behaviours that could indicate there is an issue looks exactly the same as those listed for many other more recognizable addictions such as gambling or drugs:
· Thinking about gaming all or a lot of the time
· Feeling bad when you can’t play
· Needing to spend more and more time playing to feel good
· Not being able to quit or even play less
· Not wanting to do other things that you used to like
· Having problems at work, school, or home because of your gaming
· Playing despite these problems
· Lying to people close to you about how much time you spend playing · Using gaming to ease bad moods and feelings
Researchers are still exploring what causes this disorder, but, once again like other addictions, the key may lie in the release of excess dopamine that playing video games seems to trigger. Dopamine is a brain chemical that plays a key role in our ability to feel pleasure or be motivated. Scans comparing the levels and areas of activity within the brain are remarkably similar between those suffering from behavioural abnormalities such as this and those with substance use disorders.
Video game addiction affects only a small percentage of the overall population who would describe themselves as gamers. Research puts the percentage as somewhere between 1 & 10% of all those who regularly game. Not surprisingly, males are more commonly diagnosed with this than females. Other risk factors include:
· Being younger in age
· Playing online versus offline games
· Certain genres of games (role-playing and first-person shooter games) are more commonly implicated in problematic gaming as are games that use monetization techniques (these are games where you can earn or purchase gaming credits that allow you access to benefits other players may not have)
· Those already suffering from other conditions such as ADHD, depression or anxiety.
Treatment is in the form of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a term for a variety of techniques such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and group therapy among others. This therapy aim to help the affected individual’s identify and change troubling thoughts and behaviours.
As a parent, we tend to be worriers when it comes to our kids. The vast majority of them love gaming and it is a relatively harm-free way for them to blow off steam and interact with friends. As such, it’s entirely normal for them to game far more than we might think is “normal”. However, if you see behaviours such as the ones we spoke of here associated with their gaming, then it is probably worth looking into this further because it is an acknowledged fact that some of our kids will not be able to control this without professional help.
For more information about this or any other health related questions, contact the pharmacists at Gordon Pharmasave, Your Health and Wellness Destination.
