This is the sound you hear every time you tell your child to get off the video games for the night. But you don’t hear it once. You hear it over and over again.
If it seems your child’s love of video games has taken over their life and you’re genuinely worried about his/her well-being, it could be headed towards what the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially classified as a mental health disorder.
Simply enjoying video games and playing them off and on, or easily getting caught up in video games for hours on end but eventually turning off and returning to other activities may not signify gaming disorder or video game addiction, according to the WHO. It’s when the technology starts interfering with personal, family, or social health that it can officially become a “problem” that leads to other negative consequences. The effects are Increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol from a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, Neglected social skills due to lack of engagement with others outside of an electronic environment, Problems with concentration and attention due to rapid movements and fast-paced action of video games, Developmental problems due to avoidance of tasks that promote learning, self-discovery, and personal development, Seizures and repetitive stress injuries from flickering graphics, lights and colors that may trigger episodes in epilepsy patients and Increased aggression or violent behavior due to the content of some types of video games.Just like other enjoyable activities like gambling, drinking alcohol, or even eating food can be completely safe when done in moderation, video game playing can be fun, enjoyable and safe when used in healthy doses. It’s when the gaming begins to take over one’s life that it can lead to harmful consequences and even be diagnosed as gaming disorder. As video games and technology become increasingly popular, they are proven to have a massive impact on cultural attitudes, psychological development, and lifestyle choices of both children and adults. However, it’s important to note that only a small number of people play video games to the extent they would be classified as having a gaming disorder or video game addiction as outlined by the WHO.
And many times, the WHO explained, those who are diagnosed with gaming disorder or video game addiction often have a co-occurring mental illness like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or even autism.
I’m not surprised the World Health Organization classified gaming disorder as a mental illness, said Karen Russell, PCC-S, LCDC III, Site Director of Firelands Counseling & Recovery Services of Erie County. “I think that this has been a growing concern over the past several years and has typically come to the attention of professionals in the context of another disorder or concern that brings them to treatment.The challenge is determining which came first. Did the obsession to game cause other things in their life to take a backseat-social contact, emotional well-being, work, finances, intimate relationships, sometimes general hygiene and health behaviors? Or did the individual have an underlying disorder where they began to close off from everything and gaming became their only outlet?
The current study adds to the knowledge on gaming by uncovering the specific relations between video gaming and distinct measures of psychological functioning. Potentially problematic video gaming was found to be associated with positive affect and social relationships while playing but also with psychological symptoms, maladaptive coping strategies, negative affectivity, low self-esteem, a preference for solitude, and poor school performance. Including gamers’ reasons for playing video games and their preferred game genres helped deepen the understanding of the specific and differential associations between video gaming and psychological health. This knowledge might help developing adequate interventions that are applied prior to the occurrence of psychological impairments that may go along with potentially problematic video gaming.
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