Video game addiction: 10 signs your child may be addicted

Is my child addicted to video games?

Video game addiction; your teenager is turning into a monster, he falls into a survival mode, is explosive and aggressive the second you talk to him about cutting down his video game time? Video games have become his reason for living, his center of interest and all his thoughts seem to be directed towards them? Is it inevitable that the second you tell him that his video game time is over, the situation turns into a nightmare, into conflict and his reactions seem to be exaggerated?

In order to determine if video games have become a problem, you need to ask yourself the following question: "Is my child, because of video games, neglecting or excluding activities of daily living such as sleeping, eating, bathing, building or maintaining friendships or interpersonal relationships? ''. Do video games interfere with the performance of daily living activities? If the answer to these questions is yes, you are probably addicted to video games or have an addiction in the making. Since the pandemic episode, the number of parents contacting me for help with a child they suspect may be addicted to video games has skyrocketed. Here is an article to shed some light on this growing issue.

A brief overview of the video game industry

The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. It has surpassed the movie industry in terms of revenue for several years. Although not all research is conclusive, there is evidence that video games can be harmful, that they can increase aggression and that they can be addictive. However, these effects differ greatly from person to person and involve many other factors than just time spent playing.

Real life vs. virtual

I am 38 years old, during my childhood and teenage years I had a balanced life, I liked to play video games like most boys my age. The rule at home was clear; if it's sunny, you play outside, if it's raining, you can play inside. Games back then were two dimensional, their quality was limited by the technology present, nothing like what kids and teens have access to now. Modern video games have become so immersive, they offer seductive universes, to make you dream, which are very different from the external world of the screen which can be disappointing and which can leave the player indifferent in many cases. Games by definition have codes, clear rules and goals to achieve that are explicitly defined and progress is quantified. Video games test players with puzzles and challenges. However, the presence of tutorials on how to overcome and pass these challenges every time guarantees success and eliminates the possibility of failure. The chivalrous missions in these games give meaning to the player's life and a sense of accomplishment when they succeed in solving the puzzles. These feelings are precisely what children, teens and young adults are looking for, and precisely what there is no prefabricated recipe for in the real world.

This feeds their need for recognition, accomplishment and a sense of contributing to a noble cause and a quest greater than themselves, the kind of feeling that is less obvious to them when they are working at the local grocery store.

Why does he consume so many video games?

Why does my child seem addicted to video games? It is important for you to know that for your child, as much as for adults, the refuge in video games is a way to escape and avoid difficulties experienced by the person. Even though video game addiction is not yet a recognized pathology in the DSM-5, there are still many similarities with alcohol, drug, gambling, work or sex addictions. Thus, video games can be for some people, a means of escape from difficulties that they do not wish to face.

Secondly, when playing video games, your child experiences a sense of control. A child who is bullied at school, a child who is awkward in relating to others, or a child who is isolated will seek a sense of confidence and power through their video games.

In these cases, the withdrawal to video games will be the consequence of emotional or social difficulties.

Thus, to hope for a change, it will be essential to determine what are the causes, the difficulties or the lacks that the person tries to escape or to palliate inside the video games.

It is also important to keep in mind that it is not a coincidence that some games are more addictive than others. Yes, behind the design of video games are programmers and complex computer design. However, it is no longer a secret that an army of scientists, psychologists and experts in human behavior are involved in order to bring together all the ingredients for a perfect recipe that will make the game, a game that will nail to their chair, a maximum of followers.

Faced with this objective of the video game giants, many children and teenagers are not able to cope. The addiction to video games will in some cases be the result of this power imbalance.

Clues to the possible presence of video game addiction:

Is your child addicted to video games? Here is a list of clues that you will see in your child who has or is developing a video game addiction:

1- Your child is chronically lying about his or her screen time.
2- You notice that your teenager now has only one area of interest and discussion: video games. His former passions have been pushed aside. He/she is now unable to find anything to do other than play
3- Your teen has begun to neglect other aspects of his/her life (love life, sports and social activities, etc.)
4- Your teen is becoming socially isolated and has a marked decline in interest in real world forms of socialization. For example: If the parent suggests that the teenager invite friends over to the house, the teenager would rather refuse the offer and interact with them virtually.
5- Your child acts aggressively towards other children in the family, insults you and tends to behave in a bullying manner towards you, destroys objects in the house to express his or her displeasure.
6- You observe a decrease in his ability to empathize with the people he loves.
7- He may forget to eat or drink for long periods of time.
8- It is impossible for him to keep his commitments not to play video games.
9- You observe symptoms of euphoria during and after playtime.
10- His school grades are down.

If you see several of the signs above, your child may be addicted or developing an addiction to video games.

How many hours of play is this problematic?

How many hours can I say my child is addicted to video games? It would be simple to determine a universal guideline for the maximum number of hours of video game play. However, since every child is affected differently by the amount of time they spend playing games, this would be a perilous exercise. The point is not to determine X number of hours, but rather the impact that a certain number of hours can have on your child's behavior and life. For example, a teenager may play for 3 hours a day and experience no negative consequences on his life. For another, 1.5 hours of play per day will have a significant negative impact on him/her. You must therefore be vigilant and determine the appropriate playtime guidelines for your child.

Should you be concerned? Is it possible that things will go back to normal on their own?

It should be mentioned that in some cases, this intense interest in video games will be temporary and will eventually fade away on its own. However, for a certain percentage, the situation will intensify and may lead to problems that will be discussed in our next article. If you have any doubt that your child may be addicted to video games, I recommend that you listen to your inner voice that tells you that your child is not well. Contact me to benefit from my expertise in family coaching. I will take care of you and your child in order to accompany you in a process of change, for the well-being of your child.

Find out about my practical video game addiction training to help your child break his or her video game addiction, live online training where you can ask your questions with ease.

The positive points are negligible

Video games can have benefits, including developing cognitive skills and stimulating young people's imagination. However, it is essential that parents and educators closely monitor the use of video games by young people and teach them to use these games responsibly. Ultimately, when we weigh the harms against the benefits, the benefits do not outweigh the harms.

Coaching is essential

In conclusion, video game addiction among children and adolescents is a growing problem that requires special attention from parents and educators. It is essential to closely monitor video game use among youth and teach them how to use these games responsibly to avoid the negative effects of video game addiction. By taking proactive steps to limit excessive video game use, parents can help their children develop healthy video game use skills and avoid the risks associated with video game addiction.