Children addicted to video games are attacking their PARENTS, experts warn
Parents should not take consoles from children who show signs of gaming addiction, as this could lead to physical violence, a psychologist warned.
Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, head of the National Center for Gaming Disorders, says it could become a police matter if children lose access to gaming.
The center – which recognizes gaming addiction as a disorder along with the World Health Organization – sees teens gaming for up to 14 hours a day.
Kids are addicted to Call of Duty, Fortnite, FIFA, Angry Birds, War Zone, and Minecraft, but no game is necessarily more addictive than another.
According to the center’s founder, it has treated 745 patients since it opened in October 2019, including 327 last year.
Taking consoles away from young gaming addicts could lead to aggression, according to an expert from the NHS’s National Center for Gaming Disorders (file photo)
Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones (pictured), head of the National Center for Gaming Disorders, says it could become a police case if children lose access to gaming
Most of the patients referred to the center so far are teenage boys, although adults also suffer from gaming addiction.
Professor Bowden-Jones now wants the NHS logo to be displayed on games so buyers know help is available for them and their families.
‘By the time they see us, parents will have tried everything,’ said Professor Bowden-Jones the times.
“Their immediate response is to take everything away — grab the game console, the laptop, the phone — which leads to aggression and violence, both from the child to the parents and from the child to siblings.
“Once violence happens, it’s a traumatized family.”
The National Center for Gaming Disorders helps assess and treat people over the age of 13 who have difficulty controlling their video game use with therapy.
It provides support in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy, educational workshops and more to the affected addict and family members.
Minecraft, FIFA, Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon, and Fortnite are some of the major titles that have caused addiction problems and led to referrals since the center’s launch.
But mobile apps such as Roblox, Angry Birds and Clash of Clans have also led to referrals in the past four years.
Gamers are addicted to Call of Duty (pictured), Fortnite, FIFA, Angry Birds, War Zone and Minecraft
The NHS logo could be displayed on games sold in the UK, letting buyers know help is available for them and their families
As well as acts of aggression, the center has seen some children injure themselves when their consoles are taken away, saying ‘they would rather be dead than not gaming’, Professor Bowden-Jones said.
Others skip meals and avoid a wash so they don’t miss playtime, saying they would play 24/7 if they could.
‘There’s no time for anything else,’ Professor Bowden-Jones said. “These are kids who don’t brush their teeth, who don’t shower for months.”
Others don’t sleep well and can’t concentrate at school because they spend all night gaming.
Online gaming platforms like Twitch and Steam, which let users collaborate with people from all over the world in different time zones, exacerbate this.
Another big problem is addictive ‘loot boxes’ – in-game ‘treasure chests’ that award players random virtual prizes.
Depending on the game, loot boxes can contain a new weapon, a fast car, or even a high-quality football player.
But they also cannot contain anything that the player wants or needs, even if he has spent real money on them.
Critics have likened loot boxes to virtual slot machines and have called for them to be regulated as a type of gambling.
Critics have likened in-game loot boxes (pictured) to a virtual slot machine and have called for them to be regulated as a type of gambling
Previous research has shown that about one in six children steal money from a parent to pay for in-game loot boxes.
But in the UK, ministers last summer rejected calls to ban loot boxes after a 22-month consultation.
Instead, the government will bet on “industry-led” protections within the sector.
Gaming is still enjoyed by the vast majority – about 98 percent – of young people without harm, but the rest need serious help.
Those particularly prone to gaming addiction tend to be prone to impulsive behavior and less emotional regulation.
One experience was shared by a mother named Lisa, whose son Ryan became addicted to games during the Covid lockdown.
Ryan played games like Call of Duty and Minecraft on various devices including PlayStation, laptop and smartphone.
“He was 12 when I first noticed that gaming was becoming a problem and it got worse during the lockdown,” Lisa told the Times.
“He’d be gaming 24/7 if he had his way.”
Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, Call of Duty simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II
Ryan would get “very aggressive” and angry at the person he played against online and then direct those emotions towards his family.
After group therapy, Ryan has spent less time gaming and his mother has seen an improvement in her mental health.
Lisa is now urging follower parents to seek help from the center if anyone in their family notices symptoms of gaming addiction.
According to Professor Mark Griffiths, an expert in behavioral addiction at Nottingham Trent University, there were six criteria for a gaming addiction: salience, mood alteration, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict and relapse.