Is your kid addicted to video games?
How can you differentiate between a child who enjoys playing games and one who is addicted? What can you do if you think your kid is addicted to video games?
According to a recent study, nearly 1 in 10 gamers aged 8-18 are addicted to video games. “The pathological gamers in the study played video games 24 hours per week, about twice as much as non-pathological gamers. They also were more likely to have video game systems in their bedrooms, reported having more trouble paying attention in school, received poorer grades in school, had more health problems, were more likely to feel “addicted,” and even stole to support their habit.” You can read the full article here.
Is your child addicted?
There are several warning signs that suggest your child may have an addiction to video games. Ask yourself these questions:
- Does your child play games at least 3.5 hours a day, every day?
- Has your child withdrawn from family/friends or show little interest in participating in other activities besides gaming?
- Has you child’s grades dropped or has he/she lost interest in school?
- Does your child get cranky if you ask him/her to cut back on their video game playing?
If this sounds like your child, it may indicate your child is a pathological gamer and help may be needed.
What to do if you think your child is addicted
If you’re worried about your child’s gaming, here are a few resources that can help:
Center for Internet Addiction Recovery
About time. Why doesn’t a good old fashioned football or a musical instrument seem to cut it anymore? It’s good enough for me
Its good for YOU. Maybe we dont like that stuff
You know there is actually a lot of positive effects from video games, like it relieves stress, it can improve reflexes and hand eye co-ordination, also in some ways it can also be somewhat like a book in terms of developing a plot, characters and a problem, and solving the problem, and it’s fun for everyone and you can play with friends and family.
Yes, but that doesn’t mean that they should replace all other activities and pass-times. Videogames are great stress relievers and entertainment, but playing them too much is just unhealthy. People will start to think of the videogame world as being more important than the real one.
I totally agree with you Tom I don’t play video games myself, but I run a day care and some of the kids come in and you can tell their stressed I let them play a few games and you can see the stress lifting, so let them play but limit it.
It is tom it is…
tom you are a goddamn idiot. Even the biggest noob can differentiate between gaming and RL.
rofl nice comment using noob and RL… :D
X) Noob in rl? I play lots of games but the second the stress me i stop. But i never use lol noob brb or anything like that in rl.
dude, i totally agree
Quoting:
Matt Silsbe says:
August 21, 2009 at 12:48 am
You know there is actually a lot of positive effects from video games, like it relieves stress, it can improve reflexes and hand eye co-ordination, also in some ways it can also be somewhat like a book in terms of developing a plot, characters and a problem, and solving the problem, and it’s fun for everyone and you can play with friends and family.
End Quoting.
video games can also cause huge amounts of stress it can cause physical pain from inattention to repetative mouse movements. It can become more important then sucess in the real world, and it can make you completely isolated from loved ones even volatile.
the problem stems from the low cost of games, many can be found free with an already existing internet connection.
most addicts dont have money to spend on actual healthy activities and thus gaming becomes a way to pass time in a non boring and very focuses way. It quickly becomes a life style though, and because of its social acceptability as well as the possibility for so many benifits, addicts are rarely helped, and thus “waste” much of thier lives progressing skills that will not help them in the real world.
I can’t get rid of games in my life. I manage to delete all the truely competitive ones, but unfortunately there are millions(estimate could be higher or lower) of free games. all of them are new an challenging initialy. if i spend just 1-5 minutes entertained by each one i find… then i will never have time for anything else.
short of cutting off my internet i feel powerless. it seems to be the only fix to my bordom, and I always end up over indulging.
please send help tips of any kind.
Gaming nowadays is anything but cheap sir, with systems costing upwords of $500 and each game atleast 60-80 it is a very expensive habbit. and at everyone else who claims that people can or want to just stop and go outside not everyone enjoys that. i personally have tried many sports even water tubing and i dont find the “thrill” of participating. gaming is Proven to increase hand-eye co-ordination and is extremely fun. it seems now people are willing to call anything that other people do in excess to them an addiction.
Mat,
the reason i call it an addiction is because i skip important life activities to play games.
because even if i make it difficult to play by deleting the games i currently enjoy, i will play games that are free online that are barely entertaining. these games do not cost 500 dollars, they cost an internet connection.
I have played SC, WarCraft 1,2 and 3
I have played Dota and Dota spin offs
I have played Diablo
Age of empires
Doom and every FPS until recent
I have played RuneScape and other free MMORPG’s
I love the competition, with the low one time cost.
but the level of competition is so high, that you can not be a top tier player with out total devotion.
and that total devotion becomes an unhealthy addiction. and the better you are, the more frustraiting one loss becomes… this is because it is a slap in the face to spend so much time and not get the results you want… complete and total superiority.
I am glad you are not addicted to gaming, and that you can play 3 hours a day with no ill outcomes.
but some people spend 12+ hours each day, and the benifit to “hand eye coordination” is insignificant compared to the social and life skills lost by lack or opportunity.
ahem like i said to Micheal have a healthy realationship with my girl friend whe have been dating for four months and she dosnt play video games at all and we have never been in a fight. so at least in my case the whole ” can make you completely isolated from loved ones even volatile.” is wrong and an assumption made from reading and mis-interprating studies like these
Because video games help with grammar and spelling if it’s anything other than XBox (which sucks). Football helps you get hurt. Most people don’t like getting hurt. Musical instruments take lots of time to practice and can end up with the person getting extremely stressed or getting a lack of confidence.
I am sick and tired of people saying that video games, even video game addictions, are bad.
The media never puts out a report on the average joe,that never sells, they always go to the extreme ends of the debate.
Twenty years ago the media was on a kick saying Dungeons and Dragons was bad…for those that don’t know what D&D is it is WOW without a computer… because some extremists could not separate from game from reality.
Anything when taken to extreme is not a good thing, the problem with society and these articles is that because video games are so new and the “TESTS” are limited the results will always be biased.
We are all put together differently, most jocks will play a video game for just a little while and get bored, and most gamers get bored playing catch… this does not mean that video games and/or playing catch are bad, it just means we are different…The bad part is when someone only does one and not both
dude i just think this needs a little more emphasis
“We are all put together differently, most jocks will play a video game for just a little while and get bored, and most gamers get bored playing catch… this does not mean that video games and/or playing catch are bad, it just means we are different.”
u know tht first some parents r to cheap to get their children a musical instrument and some kids dont have enofgh friens or they live far away from their friends to play sports like football also its a proven fact tht gaming is healthy it increases hand eye coordination and gives ur brain exersise.
But u do make a very good point tht people take gaming way to seriously.
then the kids should stop being so lazy and get a job so they can buy an instument instead of playing rockband all day and thinking they’ve accomplished something because they beat a song on hard
you only accomplish something if you can beat through the fire and the flames on expert ;p
well then even thou only with 62% i have made something of myself :) learn the finger tapping man
you will prevail :p
Yea? what about those kids without sport and musical talent? Video games are an easy way to have fun if you don’t have any “special” skills in any arts or physical activities. I’m not saying an addiction is good, but theres a healthy dosage.
only someone with no video game experience would say it takes no special skill to play them. how about you go out and buy yourself one and try playing online with other gamers then tell me it takes no skill.
if you play WoW it takes no skill, just good gear ;p
mat i just want you to no that everything you have said on this forum / comment box is EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING!
no kidding
Babz, i just want to say that you are totaly wrong about what you just said, i am a 13 year old boy i play sports and i play videogames. If kids my age or older dont have any musical or sports related talent then maybe they should get off of there lazy asses and actully try to learn something thats new and active in there live. I play 5 different sports and i also play videogames, maybe if kids took the time off of there videogames they would have enough time to be like me or some other person that has a healthy lifestyle. When i start school i play videogames maybe 10 times!!! in the WHOLE school year, you know why??… because school comes first and then sports and if you have any extra time then you can relive stress by playing a few videogames(but only play for a few hours a week)
you sir are retarted. exibit A: “If kids my age or older dont have any musical or sports related talent then maybe they should get off of there lazy asses and actully try to learn something thats new and active in there live.”
i am like you in the fact we r both kinda jocks but srsly? r u that handicaped to not realize that some people dont have sports skillz??? and music is actually very difficult because it involves LOTS of memorization on how to read the notes and how to play them.
exibit B: “When i start school i play videogames maybe 10 times!!! in the WHOLE school year,”
and yet you also say
“relive stress by playing a few videogames(but only play for a few hours a week)”
so you play videogames 10 times a year… yet you also say you only play a few hours a week. that means that when you do play unless you magicly dont have one of your 5 sports going on you totally game it up and actually have to put a cap on how much you can play meaning that in one year you play 10 times and in one week you play at least 2 times….
actully SIR im goin to point out that i said school first and the sports and then if you have time afetr than u can play videogames a few hours a week and if i may i NEVER said that I play videogames a few hours a week i said if you have time KIDS CAN play a few times a week ( I NEVER SAID ME)!!!!!! so correct me if im wrong but i think YOU SIR ARE ther retarted one because u cant read a simple paragraph!!!!!
so im sorry “dutchin” but i made a valid point and im gonna stick to it because videogames are a big waste of time when you could be spending time with your family/friends (unless of course the video games are virtual and if your in the airforce you need to learn how to fly a plane or helicopter the you absolutly NEED to play videogames on how to VIRTUALY fly
HAHAHA yo make a good point but its 2:50 am were i am :P lmao i was just bored so i came on but if i get caught by my dad ill get an ass kicking
hey sorry to bother you but i was just wondering if you had msn because you seem like a kool person to talk to about this stuff??, plus you seem nice
@nathan i do have an msn but im not gonna post it on a comment board so send me a youtube mssg and i will send you my msn iamalwaysright0 is my youtube
Why don’t people draw these days? I’m an okay artist, I could improve but, then again, with art u are ur own worst critic:D
totally agree
being a musician myself i must say that you cant play most musical instruments for half as long as you can play a video game and “good old fashioned” implys that you are older then the group of people we are talking about thus ” It’s good enough for me” completly invalid because as mat said you didnt grow up being instantly immeresed in this technology so stfu and gtfo
im sorry man but i dont have a youtube account… sorry man!!
why are you on this forum??
I don’t agree with this study at all. I am a 32 year old mother who is a big Playstation (any platform)fan. I look after my son who is only 1. When he naps i sneak in an hour or two playing my Final Fantasy XII game. Anyone who plays Role Playing Games (RPG)knows that these games take a long time to beat, and well, i have to admit you can get tied up in the story line, taking time to level up characters, or gathering loot and weapons. 3.5 hours a day is NOTHING. These games take MONTHS sometimes to beat. This technology was not around years and years ago. So now it’s a bad thing because gamers are finding more and more fascinating technology to play around with? I think YOU need to grow up. How many hours to you people sit there at a computer sorting emails, chatting, stupid facebooking, and even wasting time making this absolutely ridiculous survey. Worry about kids using GUNS and DRUGS. Video games…..seriously……..
Definitly agree with you there.
Back in the day I was playing WoW for 5-10 hours a day, went to school all the time and still had a social life. 3.5 hours is nothing now-a-days with technology. People will watch their “tv” shows like “So you think you can dance” and stuff like that which are an hour long and such, so now I should assume that they are addicted to television because they will watch 4-5 hours of tv.
As for “bad grades/no interest in school”…. Chances are… It has nothing to do with videogames at all unless they are playing to the point where their not sleeping and they are too tired during the day to focus. Other than that, the only other thing I can think of is chances are, they probably “aren’t” interested to begin with. If I were to have classes I actually enjoyed, I’d show interest in it, but if you hated English class in grade 9, chances are you’d probably hate it in the following years.
I found school fairly boring because the lack of actual “teaching”. Most teachers now a days don’t even know what their teaching. They read out of the book, use a book to mark, and whatnot. Maybe if teachers put some enthusiasm in their teachings then people would be more interested. Hell, I’d rather smoke pot and go to class to make it interesting then listen to a monotone teacher not know what he’s talking about. I’ve learned more in the 4-5 years out of school that I’ve learned in my highschool years. I wouldn’t be suprised if people just start dropping out, working and then taking their GED or Maturity Students when they hit 19+.
Either change the educational system, make family outings more eventful, or treat your kids with dignity.
Although there are a few exceptions because some kids take videogames to seriously (kid lighting a kid on fire because he’s a “real life fire mage”)
Either way, that’s my rant for this afternoon on Friday, August 14, 2009. Time to play more videogames.
P.S > If my rant was too incoherient then chances are I didn’t pay enough attention in english class because I slept through it because it was boring :)
I agree with some of your comments but I think the statement that people do poorly in school because they are bored or uninterested is a lazy rationalization.
It is not a teacher’s responsibility to entertain you – it is to educate you. A good teacher wants to reach you, wants to find some way to connect, engage and cultivate you in ways you might not on your own (sometimes in entertaining ways) but ultimately your education is your responsibility. The attitude that one does poorly in school because of video games is wrong and simplistic – but so is the idea that a person does poorly acedemically because he or she is bored and the teachers didn’t somehow thrill them into learning over the course of their years in school.
It isn’t a teachers job to entertain, i agree, however it is a teachers job to be engaging for their students.
I have to agree as the mother of four teenagers, let me say that my oldest who is going to be 18 doesn’t like to miss a moment of Big Brother, or the Bachelor ect… does that make her addicted to TV like was mentioned…. ps I homeschool all of my children and they are all interested in School because we plan our school around what they are interested in, Today we are cooking, bet you didn’t get to do that when you went to school.. nobody ever let the kid pick what he or she wanted to learn. AS for Games my three sons and my husband are avid WOW and Runescape fans and if we are telling the truth we all even myself have spent more then 3.5 hours a day on games… or TV for that matter.. and yes I am also the facebook fan as is my daughter and if I was not the manager of a store and busy I am sure I would be the one playing games and on here all day.. so lets not say we are addicted but that we have found a new passion in this new TECHONOLOGY that lets us talk to family and friends and lets us be connected more then ever if we choose to be.. we just took our family board game to the computer and we all talk and play here instead of at the kitchen table.. which now is our school room .. so lets just embrace the future and be glad we have this great tool.. THE COMPUTER….
@Joy:
If only you were my mother growing up =/
I ditto hat statement :)
I’m pretty sure most kids had the option to take cooking in school. I took baking myself.
Maybe in some areas students might have that option, but the government has decided it’s not necessary and so it’s not taught in most places.
That’s The Goverment preparing our youth for McDonalds…lol
Finally. A mother with some sense. :)
I think that replies like this are just amazing. To say you play World of Warcraft up to TEN hours a day and still have time to go out and attend class is quite impressive. Going to class from 8am-3pm and then playing for up to 10 hours would mean you finish anywhere up to 1am. That’s not counting time to have dinner or to even do homework and it leaves you with six hours of sleep. Naturally, this means there is no involvement in extracurricular activites or time for you to delve into topics that you find interesting since you have teachers that don’t seem to stimulate you enough. I don’t doubt that it’s possible for some people to balance 3.5+ hrs/day of gaming and life but by your constant misuse of ‘their’, I find your post a bit contradictory. Blaming a teacher for your lack of effort in finding information about topics you want to learn about is just a lazy excuse. You said it yourself that “with technology” so much can be done and self teaching is no different.
The author merely states that it’s “possible” for someone playing excessively to be developing a gaming addiction. If you look at all the cases of gaming addiction (especially those in Asia), you might not so easily toss the possibility aside. Just look at the boy in Barrie who ran away from home when his parents told him he couldn’t play Xbox anymore and then he ended up dying. The author isn’t attacking anyone or accusing adults of being bad parents yet so many people feel the need to justify, to a board of strangers, that they are not neglecting their children. It sounds more like personal guilt than anything else otherwise why would you feel the need to justify your actions online?
I am so glad that I read your comment. I feel the same way as you. I am 34 years old with a 15 year old boy. There is no way someone can tell me that isn’t addicted to video games. I have known many people addicted to things and even though there is no physical reaction to stopping video games, there is, without a doubt, a mental reaction. I remember once when we had the power go out (he was 8). He walked back and forth in front of the sliding door because he couldn’t figure out what to do that didn’t require plugging in a video game. At that time, he didn’t have his own system; but now, he would much rather sit in his room and play then go out and spend time with friends. His reason is because there is nothing to do. When I was is age, and I’m sure probably some of you were the same way, I would just hang out. Walk around, sit in my friends basement talking, go to the mall and hang out at the park. I wouldn’t say that his dislike to school has much to do with the video games though. What kid honestly likes school? I hated it. I do know that he would probably prefer to be playing games then go to school. Most kids that I know would rather be doing anything else then school. I will leave on this though. I feel that one can become addicted to video games, and as a result one looses the ability to entertain themselves. That is all I have to say. No one need to agree with me and I don’t expect anyone to. I just needed to say my peace.
Thanx.
excuse me but back in your day you didnt have access to video games like the youth of today has so can you really say you would be different. you cannot know what growing up in a technology based society is like because you didnt. as we push more towards the future human interaction is and will decrease and interactions with machines will increase. think im wrong? 20 years ago reading something like this you wouldnt post it across the internet or other form of secondhand communication you would tell someone yourself. but know that the technology is available to you…
power outage = prob bad weather at the time
HE WAS EIGHT! thats what little kids do when they ish bored
also mat u r amazing for that comment
“When I was is age, and I’m sure probably some of you were the same way, I would just hang out. Walk around, sit in my friends basement talking, go to the mall and hang out at the park.”
Well i unno, I have insomnia so im different from most people, but me, i NEED technology to be entertained, people, they screw you over, you can never trust anybody, and well I’m a drug addict/recovering addict and let me tell you hanging out in peoples basements, usually, atleast around here, people do drugs, walk around, were doin drugs, hangin out at the park, were doin drugs…like honestly, thats all this world has to offer people with no amazing social skills is the ability to get f**ked up, like I’m a skinny kid, I’m 18, never really fit in, but was never a social outcast, but let me tell you, i sucked at music, so i could join band, and im to weak to play sports, not skilled enough, so that crossed that out, and im sorry but im not a chess person so that rules out the last option for extra-curicular activities at my school…and lets just say, after that drugs seemed like the only way to go, and it worked for so long, years i had the time of my life, then my friend died. I went to see a councillor and he actually recommended video games…so i unno where would you rather your child turn in my position towards drugs or video games, cuz i know one thing, that guy selling your kid laced weed or meth pills is gonna be responsible for your kids death not a video game, at least when a kid plays games hes safe from the threats of a real world, and im not saying yes lets build up a wall of imagination to hide behind, but i think everybody needs an escape from reality sometimes, i know for a fact im addicted to video games, but hell my point being, theres worst things to be addicted too, and another thing, everybody is addicted to something, wether they admit it or not, so dont hate on ppl for being addicted to certain things, everybodies likes and dislikes won’t be the same as your own, so not to try and say haha in ur face im disagreeing, but video games dont take away the sense of fun, for some its all they have
In videogames I trust
p.s. I have 400+ personal friends and i still manage to play atleast 6-7 hours of games a day and balance that out, but nto everybody will be like me or you, so this article can suck my ****
10 hours could be weekends, just to clarify. 5-10 means exactly that. It could be 5 hours or so most weekdays.
Yup, i agree.Very good point.
I hear ya’ sister! I’ve been working on my online World of Warcraft character for over a year now and sometimes I’m playing for 3 hours at a time. I don’t see anything wrong with my playing for an hour or two before I go to bed. As far as my kids are concerned they get to play for an hour a day after school and a bit more in the summer. It works for us :)
You are ignorant and foolish, and clearly a problem gamer addict, as was I. Get help before something bad happens, like it did to me.
And whom might you be speaking of?
@Brandon Crisp again:
Something “bad” might have happened to you because you probably didn’t prioritize. That’s like me saying; “You probably had social life/lack-there-of, stayed in your room for 3 days at a time only to come out to make pizza pockets, and go to the bathroom.”
Regardless of what your situation is or was, we’re not all ignorant and foolish “problem gamer addicts”. Take your self-pity elsewhere because we’re not “judging” anyone, we’re just discussing the article and how it’s “supposed” to relate to real life.
You are one sick person. This kid died and you come on here posting like that. If you wanted to make a point you should have come on and stated YOUR name and wrote about the incident that caused HIS situation, not come and here and speak as if YOU are him.
hey it was his fault he was probaby handicap plus do u wanna know how brandon died he fell off a fuking tree OMG thousands of kids die and get their faces burned arms chopped off in pakistan afghanistan anywhere in asia and ur focusing on some idiotic kid who brings death onto him self over a GAME ITS JUST A GAME
he didnt bring death on himself he fell out of a tree. why does no one else get the fact HE WAS DOING EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED he was going outside and doing something else to entertain himself and he probably left to cool off. i know i have done that many times when im mad at my parents i take a walk.
seriously, it’s more than “just a game” it could lead to addiction trust me, i’ve researched it
agreed username:BrandonCrisp you are one sick pup :S
haha i think we have very similar oppinions Dutchin im glad atleast one other person out there has a brain and a sense of humor
yeah Brandon crisp is dead nice try though
i imagine someone told you you were a gammer addict when you probably played a few hours a day like many many other people by someone you care about and they made you feel bad about what you do and like. peoples oppinions on you shouldnt matter, in that case mine shouldnt either but my point is if you quit because you thought you were doing yourself harm good for you but many people enjoy playing for hours on end and enjoy functioning in life that way
also how does sneaking a few hours a day when a baby is asleep make you a problam gamer… if it does then i must be like… a… i dont think theres a word for it :D :S
how old are you “dutchin”??? u have a child/?:P :P i didnt know that, im only 13… unless im only wrong and you were repling to another coment
Two things. One – you, madam, are the greatest mother ever to have lived. Not only is FFXII my favourite FF yet, any RPG-playing mother is awesome in my books. I applaud you for being so cool.
Secondly, I disagree with this study putting video games in a bad light. Sure, low grades and impaired social skill IS something to worry about, but in no way is a video game addiction a bad thing, should the child be able to balance it.
I play video games sometimes up to six hours a day, but proudly say I maintain my level of intellect, soical skill AND I keep active by biking almost every day.
In fact, I attribute my intelligence to video games. They’ve greatly improved my problem-solving ability (countless hours solving logic, philosophic and other puzzles, etc.), vocabulary and ability to reason and memorize.
Though harsh it may be, I believe that if a parent can’t teach their child to at least balance their addiction to video games, they shouldn’t blame it on the video games. They should get off their ass and take a stand if it’s so bad.
personally, i prefer ffvii and ffviii
I definetly agree with the PS3 final fantasy player.
Amen! You are a good mom. Exactly. How many of these internet cooks spend most of their free time dinkin around online or with their dick in their hands?
I beat mario when i was 2. I played games my whole life. LOTS of games… 3.5 hours a day? Hahaha…. funny.
I always kept in shape… played sports. Had g/fs.
Now I still play them. I am 21. going to school in a few months for Video Game Design. Cant wait to make a living doing something I have a passion for.
Never discourage kids from playing games. Only offer other things to encourage other activities too… Get them on a sports team… or bring them to the beach. You still have to be a parent too. Most people let the tv raise their kids, well some let video games do it too. Tv Addicts Anonymous? :P half the population of america is in it. And the other half just doesn’t want to stop watchin tv to go.
Did you ever think video games provoke kids into doing this? A lot of video games do.
how exactly would a game provoke a kid into killing people and doing drugs? just saying that the kids who say they do just either dont have anyother explanation or have a mental disability such as autism
haha im playin that game right now:p FF Forever
ff forever? damn rights!!!
I highly disagree with studies that revolve around anything like gaming or any other hobby that requires a lot of time and effort. There also have been studys which show that video gamers are better at macro management when it comes to work at the office or even working in teams which relate to a lot of the online gaming. I myself may have a bias look on things b/c I am a gamer myself. I have personally witness gaming at its best and yet worst, and what I mean by this is that people who incorporate games into their life just don’t prioritize!
“They also were more likely to have video game systems in their bedrooms, reported having more trouble paying attention in school, received poorer grades in school, had more health problems, were more likely to feel “addicted,”
1. There is nothing wrong with having a video game system in your room. i.e) you have a tv in your room, no ?
2. troubles paying attention in school and bad grades?? …. Imo thats the failure of the parenting in the house, teaching your child to prioritize their life is something to be taught and planned.
3.Had more health problems….. Health problems happen b/c you don’t have the right diets. Most gamers eat food that is convinent. Instead of a pizza pocket have a whole wheat bread sandwhich. whats wrong with that?
All in all, people have to get their facts straight. Its not the gaming its the habits
Agreed!
Oh and also..
1) For parents that worry about 18+ games… Don’t buy it for them and you won’t have that problem. Don’t feed their “said” addiction, but don’t ban them from playing videogames. If they have to pay for the games themselves, then they will realize money management, and if they don’t realize that then they will have to eventually :) Eventually they will get tired of playing the same games.
2) An old guild leader on my WoW server got a job at Microsoft because of his “Leadership skills.”
3) Most people that play videogames regularly are better at computers/technology then someone who doesn’t play at all/not often.
4) As GetPrioritiesSt8! said; people need to prioritize.
Why doesnt it show a picture of a kid playing wow.
Anthony, I deffinetely agree with that short but extremely relevent statement. I am a 12 year old living in Canada and when I go to school the first thing I hear is WOW lingo. Now, when I read this artical the first thing I think of is World Of Warcraft. Not every video game is addicting, but one key thing I do find is that WOW is. I was on the internet the other day and watching a youtube video-sped up-of a guy playing WOW 24 hours straight. Then it hit me: I dont even play WOW and I know it is addicting and can have devastating affects towards social life,school, and most of all… a grasp on reality. Who ever plays WOW is just down right stupid, I mean, can you even comprehend someone spendind $20 a month to mutalate their life. Also this comment is toward every mother who plays videogame: That is not right and unethical. A mothers job is to-well do I even have to explain what a mothers job is. I know a proper mother DOES NOT play video games, and neither does a dad! And these words come straight from my father: A welthy and proper man does not drink,smoke, or twittle their thumbs. We have a brain! We must ask ourselvs for the sake of mankind, if mothers and fathers spend up to 5 hours playing games like WOW…What has our world become?
Video games are as addicting as you want them to be, my friend. It’s not like heroin or smoking. Hell, any addicting drug, where you have to force yourself to stop. You have to complete this quest, THEN you stop. It’s not do this quest, then do another, but then another. It’s not like that. If you haven’t played them before, then you have no idea what you’re talking about.
$20 dollars a month, two hours a day is going to melt brains and destroy families? Please, my brother. Parents have to stay with you and cuddle with you or it becomes some screwed up broken home? It’s better for them to get addicted to anything, but the dreaded video game, amirite?
No.
It’s not like that at all.
My parents play video games sometimes and my mother is addicted to Facebook. Do they not care about me? No, my brother they even play video games WITH me. Are they a failure to the world and a menace to society? Once again, no my brother.
I actually felt very sad for you when I read that you wrote. Your parents must be some power obsessed nut-jobs who care about their work more than they do about you.
it sounds to me like your lives are boring and your dad is probably having an affiar
ok. 1) “A welthy and proper man does not drink,smoke, or twittle their thumbs.” that last bit about twiddling their thumbs has nothing to do about video games. its about they dont sit back and let other people do things for them / dont sit around and not do anything.
2)rofl youtube video of a guy playing wow for 24 hours…. id like to see that and you realize it could easily be photoshoped :P
3)the only reason youd hear 1337 speak at skool is either all the kids their speak in txt that appears in the air or they are really stupid… in a metaphorical way. lol Kid @ skool: lets go gank some n00b NE Other Kid: LOL k but u want to troll all de way der? 1st Kid: kk :P
4) “Also this comment is toward every mother who plays videogame: That is not right and unethical.” ok first go fornicate with a goat. secondly how in any way shape or form is it unethical? i mean seriously what makes it moraly wrong?
5) aha you dont no what a mothers job is
6) FACTS: I have a healthy realationship with my girl friend whe have been dating for four months and she dosnt play video games at all and we have never been in a fight. i am a gifted student with a much higher then average IQ. My dad plays video games and i am the most anti-drug person you could ever know and like i have stated i have a high IQ and my best subject is math I LEARND MATH FROM A VIDEO GAME PLAYER!?!?!?!? OH NOES!. video games taught me to read. i play WoW.
7) my dad has the same name as you lol
8) my dad is a proper dad he disiplines me right and he teaches me more about the world then school EVER has and like i said HE PLAYS VIDEO GAMES!
i would call you ________ and such but i dont want you to report my comment and have it removed just cuz i said 1 swear word and cuz you no im right
HAHAHAHA “go fornicate with a goat” lol that made my day dude. oh btw if you ever get sick of wow you should give Warhammer Online a try way better PvP
lol i wonder just how many people actually know what “fornicate” / “fornication” means :P
All very good points but lets be honest here; there is without question a problem with this. Don’t get me wrong, I am a GAMER – love video games, buy the special editions for certain titles, can spend hours on end playing. But I am one who has a grip on his life, has a social life, gets what he needs to get done in his day, and acts responsibly for the most part. Yes, I’m slightly older than the demographic but I was also born in the early 80′s and have been along for every step of the rise of the gaming industry. Playing for even 7 hrs on end some nights was normal. But you get older, you have your priorities and video games simply have to give way to whats more important. Some kids never get to a point where they’re held accountable by their parents, crucial years pass where they dont develop themselves academically and socially and get so wrapped up in their video games that they form legitimate and very real addictions to them. Like everything in life, there needs to be balance. And more so, parents need to act like parents, and control their kids a bit better instead of wondering why little Jimmy and Sally dont have lives away from Master Chief, Mario, and Snake Eyes until long after the problem sets in. You want your kid to really appreciate their video games? Make them work for it. Make them maintain a grade point average. Make them do things that will help them realize the value of down time!
IM BUK LAU EI WULD LEIK 2 ORDEAR FOUR THE SPEESHUL TODAU!
What the frag!?
After reading this article and then reading the study, I can’t but feel deeply troubled as how the facts given the study were distorted by this write-up.
First of all, the study clearly states that they defined an “addicted player” (the term they actually used was pathological gaming) as someone with 6 out of the 11 symptoms they were looking for, in their own words, “having zero to four of the symptoms is considered to be within the normal range.” You are stating four symptoms.Even if a given person exhibited all the symptoms you mention, you are suggesting at worst that they like videogames too much. But you are still 2 symptoms short of proving addiction.
Moreover, and even more troubling, is the first symptom you choose. No where in the study it says that playing 3.5hrs per day every day makes you an addict. Chances are you took a calculator and made the inference yourself (24hrs/7 = 3.43), but there is a fatal flaw with this assumption. Time playing was never taken into account in the study as this quotes show:
“The amount of time spent playing is not a criterion for pathological video-game use, just as how much one drinks is not a criterion for alcohol dependence.”
“Pathological use (or addiction) must mean more than “do it a lot.” ”
The 24hr given was a trend observed in addicted gamers, never a symptom.
Lastly, the study proved that gamer addiction is a real problem. However, it is also humble enough to accept that it was unable to determine the causes, or the treatment, the last point that this article infers.
*applaudes*
It’s all about priorities. Like any other time wasting hobby/activity, it has to be done in moderation after the more important, real life tasks have been accomplished. Teach your kids how to prioritize and expose them to some culture so that they have varied pass times. Also, don’t alwaqys spoil them with the latest and greatest technology.
I agree. I love video games. And i play them sometimes much more than that but i still have time for other things. I mean if someone locked themselves in their room so they could play then THATS addicted. I agree with GetPrioritiesSt8! At first I would eat junk and whatnot. But then i caight myself and started eating right. I felt fine. And with the whole grades thing? I also agree wth jayromofo’s first comment. My stepdad used to live in ukraine and when he came to canada our “advanced calculus” classes were like ukraines grade 8 math. And with rpgfan, if you have time to do all this why dont you work towards a bigger problem. You didnt stalk a kid who played alot of video games. You cant read their minds.
To me this article is like a joke. So many flaws already spotted. For instance: Most teenagers shun away from their parents and family anyway.
But im still healthy. Pretty much everyone has a point.
Like i said. You cant learn eveything by watching people studying them or anything.
So there
where?
Ok. I’m going to try to make this make sense. I’m not going to use any “statistics” but I’m going to try make make my own little random report from my 7 years of smoking pot and “observing”/”Analyzing”. This will be for 14-18 since highschool is what technically matters most. Pretty well going to de-rail it but it all comes down to the end point so whatever.
Guarenteed, if your kids are playing online videogames, they’ve discovered a decent amount of internet. People say things on there, like websites — and most of the time, your kids will hear about it by reactions and whatnot. Everything is pretty much a link to something else so you get exposed to alot more.
Music also adds a huge impact too on how your children think. If you hear a band like Brokencyde (alot of younger kids think this is music) who state that they like to “get crunk” and skip school and other shit like that, chances are sadly that kids who have the *hardcore teen-angst buildup- that they are probably going to think it “the cool thing to do”.
As for school, kids are there for certain reasons; They want to be a nurse or a teacher, they want to get the hell out, they don’t know what their going to do and just “flowing”, they are there for the social aspect. Not all of those look all that reliable so it seems they all may be subject to a thing called “influence”. Drugs, partying, drinking, social events: all means they are beginning to build connections.
I was lucky enough that during highschool, myspace was the only thing around. And being that it was fairly new, it wasn’t a hardcore trend. What I’m getting at with this one is if you have 100 people as friends for example, then you’re somewhat being let into someones life as you know it. I don’t know about all of you but I’m rarely on facebook, I’ll check my emails and check my facebook responses and reply, and if I’m at the computer and not lazy and see I got an email from facebook pop on from msn, I’ll check it. As you’re being let in to other peoples lives, you start learning different experiences from other people. If someone loses a job, you’re the first to know!. If “Meagan” got pregrant, you can wish her luck. If “Jake” dropped out and is making 17$ an hour doing construction, it could…. sound like a good idea.
So going back to influence. I think since we read up on other peoples lives, and experience alot more then we’re accustom to. And if everyone is starting to act the same way and learn off of other people that it’s going to start happening on a daily basis. People are experiencing life faster now then the last 15 years I’d probably have to say. Everything plays a role nowadays to your childs learning progression, or why he doesn’t want to go to visit grandma.
I’m pretty sure there’s more things to bitch about then if your childs playing videogames for 3.5 hours a day. I think there’s more problems that we’re facing now, find something else to blame.
** Also btw Rhonda. My bad if I offended you.
Yo, Buk Lau, Is that pick-up or delivery?
ill take it to stay. ill get it through the drive through window
lol… nice
Bah, kid plays outside for 4 hours, he’s healthy, kid plays video games for 4 hours and he’s addicted? I call BS on the article and study. I play video games for well over 4.5 hours a day. Simply because it’s what I enjoy, what’s the problem with that? I have a stable relationship with a girlfriend, friends I can choose to see if I wish, but do not because I do not wish to. That choice is not a negative one, merely one of preference. To put a stamp on what a child chooses to do as poor, simply because it may not be the norm, or rather, was -not- the norm when you were growing seems ignorant and similar to the attitudes shared by those who harolded rock music as devil music. It’s a vague comparison, I admit. But one I think actually fits if you think about it.
Anyway, for those who do not like to read. What I mean to say is, video games are not bad unless you start ruining your life playing them. I think we can agree, without being too ignorant, that you should shower daily. Video games should never interrupt proper bathing. Also, public schools are not important for grades. Make sure you pass, besides that, it’s irrelevant. Even grade 9, 10 and to a lesser degree 11, can be done poorly, though it is certainly not recommended. Either way, if you have done a fair job raising your child to be social at school, they will grow up, I believe, to be functional adults. Who probably play an MMO alot.
That uh, summary…did not summarize….merely expanded. Anywho, thanks for reading, unless you didn’t…then you’re a jerk.
Overusing elipsis…is fun.
I read :)
I draw :)
yup the excuse is that video games are bad:) the parents of these kids couldn’t control their kids habbits some how, with lets say… family outtings? time limit on gaming? yeah no, video games are definatly stronger then good parenting
<—-Over here we see a Squiggly Monster.
and over here we see manbearpig —> …..OMG HES GONE EVERYONE RUN RUN FOR YOUR LIVES MANBEARPIG IS ON THE LOOSE
lmao mind if i use that on msn??? its frenching hilarious *avoids use of swear words so he wont get reported*
rofl… nice
What about husbands addicted to video games. I would like to see a study on that, I also have a test subject. LOL
Guilty!!! =)
I can’t believe I’m reading this…If ANY parent needs a chart to decide whether or not a their child has a video game addiction then we DO have an issue however its NOT with the child!!!
I’ve read some good advice in the comments. Some of that I will repeat however some of the ideas are new.
- If its sunny…kick your kids out of the house to play outside or with a friend (your kid needs to develop a social life)
- Make sure to spend some quality time with your child…sports, camping, hiking, art or whatever your child shows interest in, but quality time is essential for developing a healthy relationship with your child. You need to start this at a very young age…Trying to start this with an older child usually doesn’t go over well (You wanna make up for lost time? Too late now asshole…it usually whats running through their heads). My kids constantly bug me to go do things…apparently I’m “fun”.
- If its raining…who cares if your kid plays games all day as long their homework is done. Yeah I said as long as their homework was done…maybe if parents actually paid attention to things like that then their children might not be doing so bad in school. Why? Well when you check their homework it becomes quite clear where they seem to be having problems. This is YOUR child not the teachers, if they are struggling its your RESPONSIBILITY to help them.
- If at any point in time your child throws a tantrum when you ask them to get off then confiscate it indefinitely.
- Ground them from using it when they are in trouble as this forces them to find other ways to amuse themselves
Anyways this is my advice…tried tested and true…take it or leave it…but given the study I just read it’s sorely needed.
Again the younger you put a system in place the better…as I said above older kids will be resentful…but if they grow up this way then its “normal” to them…and healthy too
Take Care
A Parent In Disgusted Disbelief
disbelief….
finally someone with a clue. I have three kids…and one in particular who come develope an unhealthy relationship with video games(otherwise known as an addiction!!!!)…It’s simple….kick them out of the house, immerse them in sports, remove the video games, moniter than amount of time. In the summer our Wii is put away, not even available to them….
You must give your children an alternative that is more entertaining….my son will be upset when he is in the middle of a game and I say , “time to shut it off”…but as soon as he learns we are going for a bike ride, or swimming, or playign catch…he quickly forgets….
Totally agree with you. Bottom line it is the parents responsability to raise their kids. There is always someone trying to put the blame on something else other than the parents. I remember in the days that Heavy Metal was the reason why kids took drugs. I listened to heavy metal when I was a kid, but never took drugs… why?? Because my parents were raising me …. not the music.
k well me i love video game splay it when ever i am bored some times i play like 6 hours but thing is i love to be around with my friends always trying to make plans with them video games helped with my math to tell the truth i was born when video games were still new and i am 18 i turned out great so to say about video games this thing is wrong it is up to the kid if it takes over his life or no t :) wow first time writing some thing about a form wow
Just for future reference. You may want to pay a bit more attention in school. English class looks like it may have a use for you if that is your native language.
Hold on, let me get this straight. Above and beyond all of this addiction stuff, are we actually suggesting that a a hobby is unacceptable? A hobby, I might point out, that keeps youth off the streets, off of drugs, off of prostitution and out of crime? Really? This is the problem? A video game? The same games that enhance visual aquity, hand to eye co-ordination, and at times educates? Really? Cuz last I checked, there were far worse “problems” we as a society need to address.
Besides, there’s no quibbles about me sitting my fat ass on a couch with big bag of potato chips and a gallon of dip to watch a special two hour broadcast of America’s got talent is there?
Also, if you have ever seen the Penn and Teller program regarding kids and video games, statistics show kids who play violent video games are far less likely to shoot an actual gun, are actually in better health than those that just watch television, and with the semi recent release of the Nintendo wii, gamers actually have better physical implications than going to a gym to work out.
As for school, of course it’s boring. But it doesn’t take a wizard to figure out that if you cram forty students into a room with one teacher, and the teacher is so overworked and frazzled she can’t control the classroom, well, whaddya think is gonna happen?
As for social ineptitudes, I can’t really see an issue of eight to ten gamers getting together on line and playing a game, while communicating verbally and visually. I am willing to wager anyone who doesn’t play video games, does not get together socially with ten people after work or school to enjoy their hobbies every single day.
How about this, instead of wasting time on a study that means nothing to no one, we get class sizes down to a reasonable number, give the teachers half a chance to teach, make the video games educational, and physically demanding, and move along with our lives. Video gamers are on average in better shape than those that play musical instruments. So you tell me, what is wrong with video games again? Better yet, we are more concerned about a kid getting a “C” in math, who stays out of trouble, isn’t hooked on drugs or alcohol, isn’t purse snatching from old ladies, and is relatively innocent, than say a soldier in Iraq, or a 13 year old prostitute. What is wrong with this world? Perspective people, perspective.
There is nothing wrong with playing video games for extended periods of time. However its all about balance.
There is a BIG difference between talking to someone a thousand miles away (even with webcam) then talking to someone in person in your hometown. When you are talking to someone in person there are consequences for what you say…REAL consequences…Whats the worst that can happen online? “oh my god I’m getting booted from my xfire guild”…who cares that’s nothing!
As far as TV goes people commenting here seem to think that EVERYONE finds it acceptable. I have NO cable or satellite…the only thing me, my wife, and the kids watch are movies. Now don’t get me wrong some channels were all right…discovery, history, comedy, but all in all the rest of the garbage on there was not worth the price of subscription…plus most shows left me feeling dumber for having watched them.
As far as drugs, the street, and prostitution go…well if you educate your child at a fairly young age (we chose grade 5) and explain all the dangers BEFORE they are exposed to them (drugs, alcoholism, peer-pressure, sex…etc) they have a lot better chance in life…Also if you show them other ways to have fun while growing up…as I listed above like camping, hiking, biking, art, boating/tubing, quading….the list goes on and on, but if you do these things with them regularly then when the time comes when they want to start drinking with their friends they have a strong UNDERSTANDING of what fun really is. They will also have a strong understanding of who THEY are. This will help them make the right choices. However people must realize that everyone makes their own choices including your children and you can raise them thinking that you did a really good job and your kids can STILL make really poor choices…The reverse is also true…there are some really shit parents and you would bet money that their kids are destined to be drug addicts, yet somehow against all odds they succeed in life. What children need is education and balance that is the best you can do…the rest is up to them as you cannot live life for them.
And to address your little spiel at the end…I AM more concerned about my childs grades and habits then the soldiers in iraq or a 13 year old prostitute. The soldiers in iraq are adults who made a choice to serve their country…they have my respect but I am definitely more concerned about my own child then them. Your second example is even easier to answer…what do you think creates a 13 year old prostitute? Poor parenting. So yes definitely concerned about MY child more then a 13 year old prostitute…and if everyone thought as I did and put FAMILY first then there would not BE a 13 year old prostitute (or at least a hell of a lot fewer then there are). Perspective…I think I have a very good perspective on life.
I think you are wrong, my mom is a great parent, although she had me when she was too young, she still put me before everything, made sure i had food, clothes, a home, an education, she taught me about drugs, sex, violence, all these things we want our children to avoid, but let me tell you something, as soon as your kid steps into a high school every word you have ever spoken will turn into $h!t no word of a lie, all it takes is one kid, im serious, and youre right about family first, but not to the extent where you brainwash them to be another gear in the machine, id rather be the wrench, but don’t worry I feel better knowing that on the day you die, one of the very few remaining haters will be dead, because by then technology will have engulfed teh earth more than now, so if your scared of video games and t.v. go find yourself a crossbow or something (cuz your too old school for the technology of a gun), and go blow your brains out with it) If there was NO people like you, constantly picking at everything they can, then the vulture population would be extinct :) PCEEE