Computer Games ? Confronting Video Game Addiction

Video game addiction is on the increase around the world. As more people spend increased amounts of time in front of computer or TV screens, it is becoming a serious problem.

Video games used to be played with a group of friends at home. However, online gaming is now becoming increasingly popular. This is where people play against opponents via the internet and create a kind of online social gaming community.

This virtual interaction can in some cases become a substitute for real interaction and players can become addicted to beating their virtual opponents ? playing games for hours at a time.

This can be bad for their health because there is no one to check on the player and they can be stuck alone in a room, immersed in their computer games for long periods.

The goal is often about getting to the next level with these games and this can tip over into addiction as the person tries to beat opponents or improve their personal best score.

Spending too much time in front of computer screens can not only be addictive but also bad for the eyes and general physical fitness. It is a very sedentary pursuit and means the body is starved of exercise and sunlight, which it needs to function.

Playing computer games alone can also lead to feelings of isolation which could contribute long-term to mental health problems.

Video game addiction can even get so bad that people forget to take a break to eat or drink. There was a recent case where Taiwanese man died after playing a computer game for 40 hours straight without taking a break.

The young man had booked himself into a room at a local internet cafe and stayed there for two days straight playing a game without eating. When found he was still conscious but collapsed shortly afterwards and died in hospital.

The authorities suspected that the long hours spent in a sedentary position playing an intense game, without food or breaks, may have caused cardiovascular problems which led to his death.

This is of course a very rare occurrence but it shows that video game addictions can lead to serious consequences and should not be taken lightly. If an individual is suspected to be in a vulnerable situation due to their gaming habit, then there are steps friends or relatives can take to help them.

There are now video game addiction advisory services that can help with these issues. They can even refer individuals onto clinics that can deal with their addictive behaviour. So there is help out there for those who think they might have video game addiction.

Video Game Addiction is an organisation that provides an advisory service to help people who may be addicted to playing computer games. They are specialists in this field and can refer people onto clinics to help with their addiction. Video Game Addiction can also offer advice to friends and family who are worried their loved one might be addicted to playing video games. For more information visit http://www.videogameaddiction.co.uk

Source: http://sanduskycountycoc.org/confronting-video-game-addiction/

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