This is what happens when you tell kids its dangerous to go outside for 2 years.
Isn’t everyone addicted to fun/entertainment. Never hear of anyone being treated to beng addicted to watching crap on TV. If only society wasn’t only about what you can contribute through work and actually about living your best most fulfilling life and doing what you enjoy as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
Lol is a good idea to really use more NHS resources for this? Parents just need to say no and regulate their childs usage.
Not everything must be a medical issue
3.8 million kids in the uk
98% play video games
745 referred for treatment
Does the problem exist? Clearly it does
Is it inconsequentially fucking tiny at this degree? Also yes
This has nothing to do with COVID as I see others saying, it’s everything to do with the fact that there’s no money going into recreation for teens in this country – plus the fact that we have firmly shifted into the information age.. where mostly everything you do nowadays centers around a screen.
If anything it’s just the equivalent of when we used to go out and play hide and seek – except that wasnt seen as an addiction because it was an actual social activity. Where as gaming is quite a new/misunderstood and less active social activity in the grand scale.
The point being you can “treat” it all you want but unless there is some alternative provided – especially in this age.. it’s totally pointless. If anything it will drive more teens to drink and drugs (been there). Or do they expect them to just sit around bored watching daytime TV in their free time like a boomer.
As with pretty much anything in the world that people can find enjoyable, there are some who have a risk of becoming addicted.
As the numbers say, it’s not great for the people in that situation, but hardly an indication of a worrying epidemic…
I enjoy gaming, a lot. When younger, it was a great escape from a shite life, but I still enjoy it to this day. Mainly single player, I don’t see the attraction in all the multiplayer shooters that are so popular these days, mainly because I think I’d be crap at them I think.
I find it strange that they always show a picture of a console controller when talking about gaming when the mobile game market dwarfs the console market and unlike consoles if you have an addiction problem you have ready access to it at all times.
​
Successful games have always been addictive, every gamer knows what it’s like to say “I’ll just finish this then leave” only to still be playing 2 hours later. Games now though are being increasingly designed around creating addictive loops in the “gameplay” that they can then monetise. Developers hire psychologists specifically to help maximise this then turn around and go “it’s no different to a kinder egg”.
Its encouraging that some sort of support is available.. this is not a new problem though
Be nice to see gambling/loot box culture in video games receive this sort of attention but then the industry greases the right palms to go unchecked
I used to enjoy gaming, but really had to quit when I hit 31, I had nothing worthy in my life to show for it. I was unfortunately one of those who just let it become an addiction. It could have been due to depression, or just wanting that feeling of success in something that I kept failing in life.
Was able to turn things around. I know many, MANY, FRIENDS who game and can live normal lives, I just wasn’t one of them.
So to those who say the addiction numbers are small, I hear ya. But it doesn’t make it any less real.
Smartphone numbers should also be taken into account here.
Maybe if they didn’t have to sit at home for over 12 months to protect the damn NHS there wouldn’t be so many issues in the first place …just saying
Treat the parents.
Bright sunny day and your kid sits indoors on the Xbox etc for more than two hours? Threaten to switch if off and make the little turd go outside and get some sun. Get him/her into a sport or hobby.
If he/she goes into a blind rage then put the little fucker in their place.
Give the lads a copy of Razzle and they’ll soon find something else to get addicted to
When I was a child / teenager (and my mates) all consoles were kept in lounge rooms and unplugged / removed if we didn’t get off them. I’d take a guess and say there’s alot of PC gamers with computers on their room who are chronically online, gaming and scrolling. It could be a lack of money/ things to do, I lived in the middle of nowhere but went on bikes/explored woods with mates, then again this was pre smart phones, as teens it’s was Nokia 3310s or similar so you couldn’t really sit on a screen scrolling your phone and ps1 / 2 games had limited retention compared to online gaming with chat..
You’ve only got to walk past a play school and see all the babies holding phones.
Parents don’t know how to parent and kids no longer know how to have fun outside of a screen.
But I’d rather kids be gaming than outside destroying shit and in gangs.
The laws need to crack down on games turning kids into gambling addicts, that’s a bigger issue.
Feels like I’ve gotta be on my death bed to see a GP these days.
How the fuck are these kids getting referrals for treatment on a gaming addiction?
I had one as a kid too, then I got a job
There really needs to be more pressure on parents to, you know, parent. One of my 5yo’s friends is addicted to the PlayStation after seeing his dad play it all the time and having free access to it. We went for a play date and he wouldn’t stop playing, wouldn’t let his fitness have a turn. He can navigate the whole system with ease and plays games i would consider inappropriate for a 5yo (realistic guns, unsupervised multiplayer).
I’m not saying I’m a perfect parent. Far from it. But my husband and I took care not to play games in front of the kids when they were under 3, and rarely since then. The kids get limited time playing games (which is currently either minecraft or prime kids stuff on their tablets). If they get demanding over it, they get a day’s ban.
Gaming can be great for kids. Mine learn so much from it. But given how I’ve binged on gaming over the years, I’m well aware how addictive it can be. Parents who aren’t gamers need to educate themselves.
16 comments
This is what happens when you tell kids its dangerous to go outside for 2 years.
Isn’t everyone addicted to fun/entertainment. Never hear of anyone being treated to beng addicted to watching crap on TV. If only society wasn’t only about what you can contribute through work and actually about living your best most fulfilling life and doing what you enjoy as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
Lol is a good idea to really use more NHS resources for this? Parents just need to say no and regulate their childs usage.
Not everything must be a medical issue
3.8 million kids in the uk
98% play video games
745 referred for treatment
Does the problem exist? Clearly it does
Is it inconsequentially fucking tiny at this degree? Also yes
This has nothing to do with COVID as I see others saying, it’s everything to do with the fact that there’s no money going into recreation for teens in this country – plus the fact that we have firmly shifted into the information age.. where mostly everything you do nowadays centers around a screen.
If anything it’s just the equivalent of when we used to go out and play hide and seek – except that wasnt seen as an addiction because it was an actual social activity. Where as gaming is quite a new/misunderstood and less active social activity in the grand scale.
The point being you can “treat” it all you want but unless there is some alternative provided – especially in this age.. it’s totally pointless. If anything it will drive more teens to drink and drugs (been there). Or do they expect them to just sit around bored watching daytime TV in their free time like a boomer.
As with pretty much anything in the world that people can find enjoyable, there are some who have a risk of becoming addicted.
As the numbers say, it’s not great for the people in that situation, but hardly an indication of a worrying epidemic…
I enjoy gaming, a lot. When younger, it was a great escape from a shite life, but I still enjoy it to this day. Mainly single player, I don’t see the attraction in all the multiplayer shooters that are so popular these days, mainly because I think I’d be crap at them I think.
I find it strange that they always show a picture of a console controller when talking about gaming when the mobile game market dwarfs the console market and unlike consoles if you have an addiction problem you have ready access to it at all times.
​
Successful games have always been addictive, every gamer knows what it’s like to say “I’ll just finish this then leave” only to still be playing 2 hours later. Games now though are being increasingly designed around creating addictive loops in the “gameplay” that they can then monetise. Developers hire psychologists specifically to help maximise this then turn around and go “it’s no different to a kinder egg”.
Its encouraging that some sort of support is available.. this is not a new problem though
Be nice to see gambling/loot box culture in video games receive this sort of attention but then the industry greases the right palms to go unchecked
I used to enjoy gaming, but really had to quit when I hit 31, I had nothing worthy in my life to show for it. I was unfortunately one of those who just let it become an addiction. It could have been due to depression, or just wanting that feeling of success in something that I kept failing in life.
Was able to turn things around. I know many, MANY, FRIENDS who game and can live normal lives, I just wasn’t one of them.
So to those who say the addiction numbers are small, I hear ya. But it doesn’t make it any less real.
Smartphone numbers should also be taken into account here.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.629407/full
Maybe if they didn’t have to sit at home for over 12 months to protect the damn NHS there wouldn’t be so many issues in the first place …just saying
Treat the parents.
Bright sunny day and your kid sits indoors on the Xbox etc for more than two hours? Threaten to switch if off and make the little turd go outside and get some sun. Get him/her into a sport or hobby.
If he/she goes into a blind rage then put the little fucker in their place.
Give the lads a copy of Razzle and they’ll soon find something else to get addicted to
When I was a child / teenager (and my mates) all consoles were kept in lounge rooms and unplugged / removed if we didn’t get off them. I’d take a guess and say there’s alot of PC gamers with computers on their room who are chronically online, gaming and scrolling. It could be a lack of money/ things to do, I lived in the middle of nowhere but went on bikes/explored woods with mates, then again this was pre smart phones, as teens it’s was Nokia 3310s or similar so you couldn’t really sit on a screen scrolling your phone and ps1 / 2 games had limited retention compared to online gaming with chat..
You’ve only got to walk past a play school and see all the babies holding phones.
Parents don’t know how to parent and kids no longer know how to have fun outside of a screen.
But I’d rather kids be gaming than outside destroying shit and in gangs.
The laws need to crack down on games turning kids into gambling addicts, that’s a bigger issue.
Feels like I’ve gotta be on my death bed to see a GP these days.
How the fuck are these kids getting referrals for treatment on a gaming addiction?
I had one as a kid too, then I got a job
There really needs to be more pressure on parents to, you know, parent. One of my 5yo’s friends is addicted to the PlayStation after seeing his dad play it all the time and having free access to it. We went for a play date and he wouldn’t stop playing, wouldn’t let his fitness have a turn. He can navigate the whole system with ease and plays games i would consider inappropriate for a 5yo (realistic guns, unsupervised multiplayer).
I’m not saying I’m a perfect parent. Far from it. But my husband and I took care not to play games in front of the kids when they were under 3, and rarely since then. The kids get limited time playing games (which is currently either minecraft or prime kids stuff on their tablets). If they get demanding over it, they get a day’s ban.
Gaming can be great for kids. Mine learn so much from it. But given how I’ve binged on gaming over the years, I’m well aware how addictive it can be. Parents who aren’t gamers need to educate themselves.