Anyone who has teenagers, or kids of any age for that matter, can attest to the fact that they get a lot of screen time. Too much maybe. Well, according to the World Health Organization, maybe our fears as parents are well-founded.
According to a draft report, the World Health Organization plans to list “gaming disorder” as a real disease in its 2018 International Classification of Diseases.
What does that mean? Well for starters, it means this is a real problem that has the power to ruin lives, and we should take it seriously. Most people probably know someone who spends too much time on their smartphone or playing video games. Kids and teens between the ages of eight and eighteen spend almost four hours a day in front of the TV, and almost two more hours on the computer or playing video games. That's too much time.
People afflicted with gaming disorder show addictive behaviors that are similar to those of alcoholics and drug addicts. For instance, they might wake up and think about playing video games first thing in the morning. Or they might be so into playing games that they stop doing other things like eating, sleeping, or hanging out with friends. And even when their lives begin to get out of control, people who are addicted to gaming often don’t have the desire or the ability to stop.
So what are some things you can do to make sure gaming doesn’t interfere with your loved one living a full and joyful life? Here are my prescriptions.
Partha’s Rx
- Set aside limited screen times and stick to them. When gaming time is over, it’s time to find something else to do.
- Get outside. Playing video games is no real substitute for good, old-fashioned recreation.
- Keep an eye on what kinds of games your kids are playing. Some are more addictive than others.
- If you think you or a loved one has an addiction to gaming, don’t be afraid to seek help.
It’s all about moderation when it comes to video games, just like with the rest of life. Modern technology has brought us a lot of good things, but it also has its downsides. So practice common sense when it comes to gaming so you can avoid having a problem.
