Video Game

Introduction In the 19th century, if u asked the thirteen years-old boy what they did in their spare time they’d probably tell you about helping their parents on the farm. You ask the same question to a teen in 20th century, and you’ll get an earful about base ball, double-dutch, and pick-up sticks. But now we are living in a new millennium, a millennium where 97% of children ages 12-17 would reply the “videogames” to that question. ’ Granted, video games often appear harmless, but they can be very damaging to children and teens who are lacking in self-control. The dangers of video gaming can be summarized into one word: addiction. What is video games addiction? According to Wikipedia “Video games addiction is an excessive or compulsive use of computer games or video games, which interferes with a person’s everyday life.
Causes
What are the causes of video games addiction amongst teenager? With the popularization of network technology, video games have developed rapidly and entertainment for many people the main way young people learn to accept new things. Therefore, they play the game that can freeze themselves for a certain role in the game and opponents to challenge, through the victory in the game were met. Thus, in order to continuously meet their own sense of accomplishment, they will continue to upgrade in the game, the game more attractive, which in turn will be unable to extricate themselves addicted to the game. Dr. Michael Fraser, a clinical psychologist in Manhattan who specializes in treating video game addiction, says troubled kids often use games as a means of escape from depression and anxiety. Video game and Internet addiction usually point to other mental problems including anxiety, depression and trouble forming healthy relationships, said Fraser. His patients—mostly boys in middle, high school and early college—use games as means of escape, whether from social anxiety or from a learning disability that makes concentrating on schoolwork difficult. “Stress may turn youngsters into video games addicts” (TST, 2010) Next, as children age growth, the contact expansion of the scope, the increase of knowledge, rich inner world, formed their own values also will causes them into video games addiction. Errors caused parents disciplining methods and the parents lack knowledge of psychology, do not grasp the child's psychological development of the law caused the children fall into games addiction.
Effect
Video games addiction will affect them in terms of family, social, physical, psychology, health and school. Gamers rather spend time video gaming than spending precious time with family. It causes them to isolate from their family and friends. Gamers also will lack of social interaction due to obsessive gaming. Physically, gamers will suffer from many diseases. Gamers are physically weaker than normal human who do exercise regularly. Next, psychologically, gamers will lose interest in school achievements, excessive frustration or anxious when unable to play or server is down. Gamers also experience loss of personal control while gaming, as they cannot control their timing. Gamers do not have regular meals and often skip it to play games. They also rather save the meals money and buy games prepaid cards and expansion packs. While in the school, due to long hours of video gaming, they often suffer a decreased in academic and work performance due to skipping school and being late for school as play games till midnight.
Solution
There are a few good ways to stop video game addiction but the parents or guardian and the child have to work together. First are things parents can do, increase parental supervision. When your kids says he wants or is getting a new game make sure there is a responsible adult with him and make sure to let the adult know what your kid can buy. Next is parental control. The new systems like the PS3, xbox360, and the PSP have parental control. Last is set amount of time that your kid may play. Do not let them go over it (David Walsh). For the weekends you should let them play at night as much as they want because they can’t really do anything outside. Now here is what kids can do to shorten their time. This will only work if this is their free will. Do not buy any new games. Play old games and burn out of the games so it loses its appeal. This way kids start to play outside. The second things kids can do are talk to a parent or responsible adult. Third is see how much total time kids play a week then try to take an hour off each day. For example let say you play 50 hours a week take of 7 hours one for each day and once you play 43 hours a week without thinking about it take down another and so on until you are at a good spot. Last is take away the temptation by having your parents holds on to it or selling it. It’s up to you how you do it.