World Health Organization recognized gaming addiction as a disease

The big news this week was that the World Health Organization has recognized gaming addiction as a disease.  This helps to bring non-substance abuse addictions to light and for professionals to start considering what does treatment look like if abstinence is not an option.

For those that struggle with tech or gaming addiction the concept of not using smartphones, the Internet or a computer is nearly impossible to achieve in our modern technologically driven world.  The idea of moderate usage is almost impossible to gauge as well, to an addict 8 hours of gaming a day might be moderate compared to what their previous usage was before, although most people would consider 8 hours a day unhealthy.

What happens now?

While the debate will continue as to what gaming addiction looks like, for now, it is helpful to view it in terms as we do other addictions and to assess what crosses the line from obsession to addiction. If you think your child may have a gaming addiction here are some questions you should consider:

• Is this activity causing my child’s schoolwork to suffer?  Does your child still have good attendance, are they able to focus in class, can them complete assignments and homework on time?
• Have my child’s relationships with family and friends become strained?  Does your child still enjoy the company of their friends without gaming?  Do they regularly participate in family time?
• Does my child have other activities that also bring them joy or help them relax?  Are they able to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports or music?  Besides gaming what other activities do they enjoy?
• Is my child’s health deteriorating?  Does your child spend most of the day sitting down or being idle?  Have they recently gained or lost a noticeable amount of weight?
• Does my child become angry, anxious or upset if their game is limited or taken away?  Is there a conflict in your home around a gaming system?  Are you able to set limits that are respected by your child?

You can take our free needs survey here.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions please call Summerland camps today and we can help see if our program is a good fit for your family.