Gaming addiction is now a mental disorder

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Gaming addiction is now a mental disorder

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life ... 829228.cms

Gaming addiction is now a mental disorder
Sunayana Suresh, TNN | Jun 30, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has identified gaming addiction as a disorder. Banaras Times delves into the issue...

Recently, a four-year-old in England was registered as the youngest tablet addict. It was discovered when she would get cranky and crying every time her tablet was taken away from her. Doctors say that these were withdrawal symptoms caused due to her being addicted to games.

At the face of it, gaming always meant to be problematic. Little wonder then that gaming de-addiction centres were set up as early as in 2002. But, there wasn't much clarity on terms of research nor was gaming addiction considered a serious mental condition and, hence, it was considered as a grey area. But, with the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from the American Psychiatric Association identifying it as a mental disorder, the situation seems to be gaining all the necessary problems.

What are the risks?
Earlier, the most common addiction problems were those of online multi-player games, the risks have widened. Today, researchers consider continuous use of games on mobiles and tablets, as well as those 'harmless' ones on social networking sites, where you take care of farms or feed your dragons as a addiction, if you continuously use them for more than a few hours.

The risks, researchers say, can be quite problematic, with effects ranging from attention deficit problems to even obsession and compulsion. There have recently been cases that have been recorded, where parents in UK and the US have had to take their children, who haven't even reached their teens, to join programmes to get them off their addiction to their parents' smartphones or tablets.

In fact, only last week did a study in the UK say that one out of seven parents allow their children, many of whom are under 10, to use their mobile devices for more than four hours daily.

Coping with it
Psychologists say that gaming addiction earlier was seen in a specific set of people, which comprised of teens and people in their 20s. Today, they see children and older adults as people suffering from gaming addiction. Psychologist Sandhya K says, "This shows how everyone today, irrespective of age, has no other means of keeping themselves occupied and are increasingly addicted to gaming on their handhelds or computers."

Steps for gaming detox
Gaming addiction can be a serious problem for people. Before it turns hazardous and can even prove fatal, here are a few steps for you to keep in mind:

Evaluate your gaming schedule: If you're the sort that ends up spending more than a couple of occasional hours gaming, try and see how gaming fits in your priorities. The greater the number hours you allot to gaming shows it is more risky.

Set a time limit: Every time you end up playing a few games, remember that you need to give yourself an upper time limit. This way, you don't end up spending too many unnecessary hours gaming and end up addicted.

Reward yourself: If gaming ranks very high in your daily routine, reward yourself every time you do something else during the hours you spent gaming. This way, you keep
yourself motivated.

Find a substitute activity: Usually, an outdoor activity is the best way for one to keep himself or herself diverted from an addiction like gaming.

Gaming-related deaths across the world
- There have been many deaths related to gaming addiction across the world. Here are a few such alarming cases:
- A South Korean man collapsed to death after playing a game for 50 hours non-stop. He was immediately pronounced dead due to heart failure.
- Again, in South Korea, a couple were so engrossed in their gaming obsession that they neglected their three-year-old daughter during a 12-hour gaming session and found her dead when they were done.
- An American teen, Daniel Petric, killed his mother and injured his father when they didn't allow him to play his favourite online game.
- A Chinese teen, Xioyi, killed himself after being influenced by his favourite game and wrote in his letter that he was going to join his heroes.

Babies suffer from Ipaddy
An increasing number of young children are now addicted to mobiles and computers, especially for the games. The technical term for children who suffer from gaming addiction to tablets and throw a tantrum every time they are denied the use of the gadget is now officially called Ipaddy.

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