Probably you have some thoughts, but are you, right?

As a parent, we often think that my child is game addicted. The big question is, “Can You Really Be Addicted to Video Games?” We think yes, your child can be addicted to games!

In May 2019, the World Health Organization officially added a new disorder to the section on substance use and addictive behaviours : “gaming disorder,” which it defines as excessive and irrepressible preoccupation with video games, resulting in significant personal, social, academic or occupational impairment for at least 12 months.

Let’s have a quiz today…

Which of these behaviours do you mostly see in your child?

• • Spends a lot of free time playing video games: It may have just started to be a one hour a day thing, but then you notice the person spending every free moment playing or doing something game-related.
  • Neglects school or work: This one should be obvious. If the person calls in sick or stays home from school to play a game, then there is a problem. Having a vacation day from work isn’t a bad thing, but skipping either work or school can be a bad thing if it’s for a video game. I know, I skipped college for video games.
  • Ignores family: Choosing a game over family is always bad, and a sure sign of addiction. If kids are neglected, or a spouse feels alone, then there is a problem. Video games are never more important than family.
  • Lets their personal appearance go: Since the person is always playing, personal hygiene won’t seem as important. The more someone lets themselves go, the bigger the problem is.
  • Health issues start to come up: If the person stays awake all night playing video games, has mood swings, etc., that could be a sign of video game addiction. A person can even die if they focus on playing video games without a break.
  • Spends money on video games prior to the necessities: Obviously, games are the priority for this person when it should the things they need to survive. If the rent goes unpaid just so the person can buy the latest games, then there is a problem with addiction.
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The list can go on, and it’s quite frightful, isn’t it?

How many of these resonate with what you see in your child?

You know deep down that something is seriously wrong with your kid.

Download the free Ebook “Dealing with gaming addiction” to find out more!