New Delhi: The internet has become an integral part of people’s lives. However, its usage has gone beyond the typical and in many cases leading to addiction, especially among youngsters. In the realm of online gaming, every second child spends time in front of the screen playing online games and sometimes so much that it affects their daily lives – studying, playing, etc.Being a mental health disorder, IGD severely impacts the personal, family, and social lives along with the physical and mental development of children.the last two years, because of the Covid pandemic, children were confined to the four walls, hence, the resurgence of online gaming has seen an upward trend. Screen time for the kids has increased and along with it, the symptoms and signs of IGD like:
Mood swings
Increase in irritability
Loss of interest in other forms of entertainment like playing sports, watching television, reading books, etc.
Loss of appetite
Social withdrawal
Mental health professionals believe that the condition typically emerges in those kids who spend more than eight hours a day on the internet gaming.
Experts also believe that increase in IGD can lead to various other mental health issues like anxiety, ADHD, depressionbouts of violent behaviour in children and teenagers. Children who play online games start living in the make-believe world, daydreaming and relying on the internet to meet their confidence and self-esteem goals. They also see online gaming as a tool to gain social acceptance among friends and peers
Treatment
Even though gaming disorder is still emerging, experts believe that a few steps taken by parents can help children get over it:
Limit internet timings: In today’s world it is very difficult to keep your child away from the internet all the time, and so parents must restrict the timings so that the child can complete their other tasks too.
Parents' involvement: No matter how busy they are, parents should take time to see what their kids are up to. Spend time with the children, know their daily routine, and help them with homework so that they feel loved and supported.
Talk to the children: It is very importantkeep the dialogue open. Discuss the ramifications of online gaming disorder with the children and hear their viewpoints as well.
Indulge them in sports and other activities: Encourage children to get involved in various activities where they can enjoy themselves with friends and family.
New Delhi: The internet has become an integral part of people’s lives. However, its use has gone beyond the usual and in many cases leads to addiction, especially among young people. In terms of online gaming, every second child spends time in front of the screen playing online games and sometimes so much that it affects their daily lives – studying, playing, etc.
Being a mental disorder, IGD has serious consequences for personal, family and social life along with the physical and mental development of children.
In the past two years, children have been confined to the four walls due to the Covid pandemic, hence the resurgence of online gaming has seen an upward trend. Screen time for the kids has increased and with it the symptoms and signs of IGD such as
Mental health professionals believe that the condition most often occurs in children who spend more than eight hours a day gaming on the Internet.
Experts also believe that an increase in IGD can lead to several other mental health problems, such as anxiety, ADHD, depression, and bouts of violent behavior in children and teens. Children who play online games begin to live in the make-believe world, daydream and rely on the Internet to achieve their self-confidence and self-esteem goals. They also see online gaming as a means of gaining social acceptance among friends and peers.
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