'Addicted to gaming' - panorama

[baddad]

Just noticed there's a panorama starting at 8.30 about 'kids who say they're addicted to computer games'...

Thought it might be of interest to some here, given that for many kids (mine included) computer games are a big part of their recreation time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_9254000/9254946.stm

 

L&P

 

BD

[JsMum]

I watched this it was really good, I think the ending statement was that the video games industry have to be more proactive for gamers who have an addictive personality, the majority are fine playing for a couple of hours but there are a minority where because of their personality traits it makes them more predisposed to becoming addicted but that doesnt mean that once they stop playing games there addiction has stopped because quite clearly one of the gamers said what he does now is go out and gets absaloutly drunk, so his gaming addiction has just moved onto a possible Alcohol addiction, we all have addictions even if its from smoking to sleeping too much it a personality issue.

 

But I do think the gaming industry should have addiction clinics for the gamers addicted to games.

 

There was talk about placing a lable saying this game may cause addiction, personally Ive never heard of half of the games they broadcasted the most distubing was the couple in china who played a game where they had to protect a make beliefe child, while their own baby was starving becuase the parents where too busy protecting the make beliefe child, that was sad and there is a case in England now too.

 

So yes Gaming industry should also take on some responsibility of the things that can go wrong when playing thier games for days on end.

 

Good Programmex

 

JsMumx

[baddad]

I agree that the gaming industry need to be more responsible in their marketing etc, but that can never take the place of personal or social responsibilty, any more than it can for other addictions (if, in fact, 'game addiction' is technically the same thing). An alcoholic gives up alcohol by stopping drinking, a smoker gives up smoking by stopping smoking, and a gamer who successfully gives up gaming will have to, erm, stop gaming. Alcohol awareness campaigns, warnings on cigarette packets etc can't 'stop' people from drinking or smoking - they can only reinforce the message for people who make the choice to do so for themselves. I think where the gaming industry should be controlled is in terms of game content (i.e. stuff like GTA), particularly with regard to downloadable content and add-ons that 'bump up' the ratings on games parent's have bought responsibly (i.e. when a 15 rated game has new content or maps available that are 18+, and parents don't even realise when their kids download them with points cards).

Ultimately, I guess anyone over the age of 18 has to take personal responsibility in the same way that they would for alcohol or tobacco or drugs, but just like those things the road to getting them 'clean' is going to depend on their support networks as well as self-determination. The scariest part of that is that, as the programme showed, someone spending 18 hours a day on an X-Box or PC is pretty much out of sight and out of mind as far as joe public will be concerned.

For younger kids I think it's got to be for parents to 'step up' and take the responsibility out of the child's hands, in the same way they would for any other 'addiction' that threatened their child's wellbeing.

I've got to say the biggest problem I've had was when my son made the switch from Wii to X-Box. The difference between the two consoles, in terms of online play, is massive, and it is much, much harder to say 'time's up' to a kid who is playing online and chatting with his school friends etc than playing without a headset with random players. Another major difference is the games are often open ended on X-Box (where wii is generally more for 'single events'), so 'I'll just finish this game' can mean 45 minutes instead of five or ten.

 

After too many arguments I put my son's console on a timer. He doesn't like it, but he knows it's non-negotiable and now won't start a 'round' unless he knows he can finish it. It's also restricted to weekends and school hols, and I know several of his friends parents have enforced similar rules. It wasn't a real issue for my son as he doesn't get much homework, but I know for some of his mates it was missed assignments and coursework that led to the decision, and i'd rather set the boundaries in advance, iyswim.

 

I'm hoping they'll repeat the programme and I can record it for him. If not, i'll get him to watch it on I Player. He's pretty cool about the timer and my reasons etc, but I think seeing it for himself will put it into even better perspective for him.

 

quite clearly one of the gamers said what he does now is go out and gets absaloutly drunk, so his gaming addiction has just moved onto a possible Alcohol addiction,

 

I think in this case he meant 'going out and getting drunk' more in the sense of 'going out and having a good time rather than sitting in your room in front of the tv', but yes, your right, some people are more likely to get 'addicted' to stuff for psychological reasons. I don't know though, whether that means addiction for them is 'stronger' or whether they're less capable of 'fighting it' iyswim? I can say from personal experience that giving up smoking is something you can't do for any 'sensible' reasons like money, or your health etc - You just have to reach a point where the 'sensible' reasons become secondary to the personal desire and conviction to give up, and then it's sort of like flicking a switch. It doesn't make it easy, but it does make it a hell of a lot easier.

 

L&P

 

BD

[Kathryn]

I didn't see the programme - may catch it on i player.

 

My son is prone to spending a little too much time on the X box but it helps that we only have one TV and it's in the living/dining room - the only communal area in our small house - it's also where we eat. Which means that if someone else wants to watch TV or chat there he has to turn it off, which naturally restricts his time. What he'd be like on his own I dread to think!

 

K x

[JsMum]

I didn't see the programme - may catch it on i player.

 

My son is prone to spending a little too much time on the X box but it helps that we only have one TV and it's in the living/dining room - the only communal area in our small house - it's also where we eat. Which means that if someone else wants to watch TV or chat there he has to turn it off, which naturally restricts his time. What he'd be like on his own I dread to think!

 

K x

I bet a TV is on his Christmas list then!

[Sally44]

I too didn't see the programme and will try to catch it on iplayer.

My son did not play computer games or Nintendo until quite recently. Initially, and even now, we are thrilled that he has managed to do this as we felt he had integration and processing difficulties that stopped him doing what alot of kids his age enjoyed.

I may live to eat my own words. Because now he can, if allowed, wake up and be on the Nintendo by 8.30am and be on it practically all day, with breaks for food and drink.

I would say, that I can see that this computer gaming has improved some of his skills. So there is a bonus side to it too.

But having said that. There are things that need to be achieved each day. And if he ever got to a stage where he was capable of going out of the house, with money in his pocket, I dread to think what he would spend it on. Maybe I am worrying unnecessarily at this stage.

But my son would definately need a timetable with the amount of time allocated and I don't think I would ever allow him to put money in a slot machine, because whenever we have been in a pub with him he is totally mesmerised by those flashing lights and would glady feed the beast all night long if allowed.

 

So, at the moment, I am glad he has achieved this skill. But feel that there is a beast lurking to be controlled and tamed. I think the best thing is to try to get our kids to be able to control themselves to an extent that it never becomes an addiction because then the only option is to never do it again. But I can also see and imagine how hard that is to achieve.

 

I now find that along with TV/DVD time, we now have another obsession of Nintendo and computer time that all has to be fitted into every day (because he cannot get to bedtime and discover that he has not 'watched something that he wants' or 'played a game that he wanted' etc etc. And he has no concept of time. And unfortunately sometimes that just is not possible and he gets upset about that, but he just has to learn to cope with that (or we deal with the fallout of the tantrum about that). But that is life. Tonight I managed to get him in the bath (victory number one ). After the bath he became upset that he wanted to watch something he liked and I told him we are all watching Victorian Farm and he could watch it with us or go to bed. He wasn't happy, but he dealt with it . Then he asked if he could have a story and I said it was too late and he dealt with that too . So tonight I can't complain at all. Tomorrow could be another story .