Pc Addiction: When The Computer Becomes Your Kid's Best Friend

[george]

PC addiction: when the computer becomes your kid's best friend

BERLIN: -- At first, Katharina (not her real name) only sat in front of her computer for a few hours at a time. But then she began to spend more and more time, always playing the same game. It wasn't long before her whole life revolved around the game.

"In the game, I could be a completely different person than I am in real life. I liked that," says Katharina, now 20 and living in Berlin.

What Katharina didn't notice was that she wasn't just playing the computer game because she wanted to do so, but because she was addicted to it. She's not alone. Thousands of youths get so heavily immersed into computer gaming worlds that they lose control and become addicted.

Exact numbers are unknown. Studies provide different numbers. A study by the Criminology Research Institute of the German state of Lower Saxony found 3 per cent of male ninth-graders addicted to computer games. Another study by Berlin's Humboldt University found that 1.4 per cent of 12 to 19-year-olds are addicted to computers.

Oliver Bilke, the chief doctor at Berlin's Vivantes Clinic for Children and Youths, has seen numerous cases like Katharina's. In the spring of 2009, he introduced two special walk-in clinics for youths with computer problems.

But what can an ambulance do for a teenager with a computer problem?

"There are certain criteria for a gaming addiction, just like other addictions," explains Bilke. These include playing intensely, spending an increasing amount of time with the game, continuously thinking about the game and letting virtual relationships become more important that ones in the real world. Other signs include letting real-world duties slide in favour of the games and failed attempts to limit the amount of time playing, according to a gaming ward at the clinic of the University of Mainz.

Of course, not all addicts realise their problem on their own. "Usually, parents or grandparents are the first to notice," says Bilke. "At the clinic, we have an interview to see if we're really dealing with an addiction and whether the child is ready for a change."

Usually, patients are asked to keep a media journal, noting how much time they spend with which technical devices.

"Many aren't aware of how much time they really sit at the computer," says Bilke. But then they'll notice that the checked their emails in the morning, surfed and chatted in the afternoon and then played games all evening.

"It helps a lot of kids, just to identify their problem," says Bilke. Once they see the times in black and white, a lot of kids reduce their computer time themselves. But that's not always the case.

"Sometimes the gaming is compensating for fears, depression or concentration problems," he says. In those cases, therapy can help.

Those who can't break away from gaming can get admitted to the clinic. "We block all access to computer games and offer an intense therapy over weeks or months," says Bilke. "At the same time, we can work with the children on the root of their addiction and develop alternatives to gaming."

-- The Nation 2009-10-01

[shriah]

I don't believe in PC addiction , TV addiction , Mobile phone addiction as a illness. Its more a symptom to a different actual problem. A video game is just what it is a fun way to spend some time , its not a drug or chemical that makes you get addicted.

[chiang mai]

I don't believe in PC addiction , TV addiction , Mobile phone addiction as a illness. Its more a symptom to a different actual problem. A video game is just what it is a fun way to spend some time , its not a drug or chemical that makes you get addicted.

There are behavioral addictions and chemical addictions, both are equally as destructive.

[gbswales]

I dont think it is that simple as to say that it is or is not an addiction - in fact maybe the word addiction is trying to cover to wide a range of things - the causes are also completely different as well.

I always thought the generally accepted definition of addiction was something a person could stop without suffereing either physical or mental pain which made it very difficult to withdraw from. Within that are a huge range of definitions as well - I was at one time addicted to smoking, it made me anxious and worried for for a while when I gave up and even now 20 years later I still get the odd craving for a cigarette - was that serious addiction (I was smoking 30 a day) - I dont know? It was serious in the meaning that it was doing me physical and financial harm but although I was moody and agitated for a while I didnt get any physical pain from withdrawal.

The analogy with computers is not so straightforward as there are other more munane factors

As a child, if allowed to, I would always play games or read rather than work or learn - of course there were no computers, no electronic gamse and no TV worth watching (just auntie BBC which had childrens programmes for about an hour!) BUT there were train sets, adventure books and comics and toy soldiers/figures - these were my fantasies and I would spend days with hundreds of plastic figures arranged all over a large table with logs as scenery - fighting battles that in my imagination were very real - this is not a million miles away from what kids now do on a computer. However that said I also did other things which were healthier such as going for long walks, often in the evening, with my best friend - these werent healthy in mind because at that age (11-15) we often used theses long walks to have private discussion about our developing sexual interests, which could not be easily discussed at home, but nonetheless there were healthier side effects - during those walks we also observed life in general which I guess was good.

The problem is today that we live in an over protectionist society that is gradually breeding a generation who spend little time out of the home - there are many factors in this:-

1) Paranoia - I dont think that "stranger danger" was any different in my day, but parents were not pre-occupied with the thought - nowadays I think some worry more about this risk than they do about traffic accidents which cost many more lives. Did I ever enounter any situations? yes I did - it was part of growing up and I learned to deal with things that I didnt want.

2) Working families, when I grew up I would say that 80% of the kids I knew had a full time parent (I darent say "mother") at home who was able to spot in a moment any worries or concerns I had - I swear my mother had eyes that followed me around and knew exactly when I did something wrong!

3) This new breed of "quality time" parents who seem to feel that they cannot devote 10-15 years of their life principally to being a family - I shudder when I hear expressions like "I have to have my own space" "I need a break from my kids" etc and the people who I have heard say that they enjoy holidays without their kids much more - So many people want to spend time without their kids that you seriously wonder why they had them in the first place. Being a family is different from being single or just a couple and the real worry here is that the less time children spend with their family then the less they learn about bringing up their own children later.

What is the reality - well if you are trying to prevent children from exposure to sex and violence then you dont sit them down in front of the TV or the Computer while you do the cooking - you let them cook with you instead (its hard and messy but they love it and so will you when you see the joy on their faces). You dont go out to posh restaurants and leave the kids with a baby sitter - how are they supposed to learn sophistication that way.

you also have to learn to let them go when they need to.... its frightening when you focus on all the "potential dangers" that are hyped up by the press but in my view they are more at risk crossing the road to school or playing football in the playground than they are at risk from predators - arguably they are at greater risk from predators on the internet than in a park. That said facing risks is part of growing up - you have discuss things with kids, get over the embarrassment of explaining what can happen so you can concentrate on helping them avoid it - stay with friends, dont go off with anyone unless you check home first (like they all have mobiles these days so even parents at work are contactable), talk about what your kids do...........

I despair for today's generation as although much more "knowledgable" they are less prepared to deal with the real world than any previous generation