Video game addiction, a growing concern for parents and healthcare professionals alike, is increasingly recognized as a significant mental health issue.
Video game addiction, a growing concern for parents and healthcare professionals alike, is increasingly recognized as a significant mental health issue. Read More Gaming
Mass General psychologist discusses growing video game addiction concerns
LOW COST INSULIN. FIVE ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH THIS MORNING, YOUR BRAIN ON VIDEO GAMES. THERE IS SOME GROWING EVIDENCE THAT PEOPLE CAN BECOME ADDICTED TO PLAYING. AND HERE TO EXPLAIN IS DOCTOR KYLE FAUST, A PSYCHOLOGIST AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR PATIENTS. I THINK MANY HOUSEHOLDS HAVE FOLKS THAT WOULD RATHER JUST PLAY ALL DAY AND NIGHT. DOCTOR, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE COME ASK FOR HELP? SO IT DEPENDS ON HOW PATIENTS ARE REFERRED TO RECEIVE TREATMENT. IF THEY WERE REFERRED BY PARENTS OR OTHER CAREGIVERS, IT’S USUALLY BECAUSE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS GAMING, SOCIAL MEDIA, STREAMING SERVICES, AND SO ON WAS LEADING TO MAJOR ISSUES WITH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND LEADING TO POTENTIAL PATIENT SPENDING. LITTLE TIME DOING ANYTHING BESIDES USING VARIOUS TYPES OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. IF A PATIENT DECIDED TO SEEK TREATMENT THEMSELVES, IT’S USUALLY BECAUSE THEY FAILED OUT OF SCHOOL, LOST JOBS BECAUSE OF THEIR DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY USE, OR THEY FIND THEMSELVES UNABLE TO EXPERIENCE ENJOYMENT IN ANY ACTIVITIES ASIDE FROM DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY USE. OFTEN DESPITE THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, THESE TECHNOLOGIES MAY HAVE CAUSED IN THEIR LIVES, THEY’RE UNABLE TO REDUCE THEIR USE OR QUIT USING. LUCKILY, THERE’S A PLACE TO TURN. MANY PEOPLE START PLAYING THESE GAMES AS KIDS. IS THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM? YEAH, ESPECIALLY IF IT’S FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. IT’S COMMON FOR PARENTS TO BEGIN EXPOSING THEIR CHILDREN TO VARIOUS TYPES OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AT EXTREMELY YOUNG AGES. IN SOME CASES, THEY BEGIN TO GET EXPOSED BEFORE THEY’RE EVEN ABLE TO WALK AND TALK AND THIS COULD CLEARLY IMPACT THEIR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. SOME RESEARCH INDICATES THAT YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE POTENTIAL ADDICTIVE IMPACTS OF THESE VARIOUS TYPES OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, ESPECIALLY DIGITAL GAMING. I CERTAINLY DON’T BLAME PARENTS FOR THIS, BECAUSE MOST PARENTS DON’T KNOW ABOUT THE RISKS THAT EARLY EXPOSURE TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES CAN HAVE FOR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF USERS. I HOPE PARENTS ARE LISTENING UP THIS MORNING. SIMPLE SOLUTIONS DELETE THE APP OR JUST GET RID OF THE GAMING SYSTEM. GET IT OUT OF THE HOUSE AND GO COLD TURKEY DOES THAT WORK? SO YEAH, I WISH IT WAS THAT SIMPLE. WHAT YOU SUGGESTED CAN BE A GOOD STARTING STEP AND THAT MIGHT BE ALL YOU NEED TO DO FOR CASUAL USERS, BUT MANY TYPES OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO KEEP USERS SCROLLING, WATCHING, OR GAMING BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THESE COMPANIES TO MAKE MORE MONEY BY RUNNING MORE ADVERTISEMENTS AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT A USER WILL MAKE DIGITAL PURCHASES. FOR MOST USERS, DELETING AN APP AND GETTING RID OF A GAMING SYSTEM CAN BE QUITE HELPFUL. BUT FOR SOMEONE EXPERIENCING WHAT’S CALLED GAMING DISORDER OR INTERNET GAMING DISORDER, THEY’LL LIKELY JUST DOWNLOAD NEW APPS AND FIND NEW WAYS TO DEACTIVATE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BLOCK GAMING OR OTHER APPS. THEY MIGHT ALSO CONTINUE TO GAME AT FRIENDS HOUSES OR USE COMPUTERS AT SCHOOL OR LOCAL LIBRARIES INSTEAD. AND FOR SOME USERS, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO QUIT COLD TURKEY, BUT IT’S OFTEN MORE EFFECTIVE TO HAVE A SOLID PLAN IN PLACE BEFORE MAKING THIS MAJOR LIFE CHANGE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE SOME TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY THAT A USER LIKELY CAN AVOIDING OR CAN AVOID USING IN THIS DAY AND AGE. SO ULTIMATELY, A MORE EFFECTIVE SOLUTION IS TO SEEK TREATMENT USING THE MOST EFFECTIVE EVIDENCE BASED APPROACHES CURRENTLY OFFERED FOR INTERNET GAMING DISORDER OR GAMING DISORDER, WHICH IS UTILIZING COGNITIVE, BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND MINDFULNESS BASED TECHNIQUES, WHICH WE DO PROVIDE AT THE DIGITAL ADDICTION AND GAMBLING TREATMENT PROGRAM HERE AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL AND CERTAINLY, IF YOU’D LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR SEEKING HELP, YOU SHOULD BE AB
Mass General psychologist discusses growing video game addiction concerns
Video game addiction, a growing concern for parents and healthcare professionals alike, is increasingly recognized as a significant mental health issue. Dr. Kyle Faust, a psychologist at Mass General Hospital, recently shed light on the complexities surrounding this addiction, particularly when it begins in childhood.Faust said that many young patients are referred for treatment when their gaming habits start interfering with their daily lives, including school performance and social interactions. He says for some, digital technology becomes a crutch, leading to a significant decline in a person’s ability to engage in other activities.Faust said the problem often starts early with parents unknowingly exposing their children to digital technologies at a young age. “Some research indicates that younger individuals are more susceptible to the potential addictive impacts of these various types of digital technologies, especially digital gaming,” Dr. Faust said. He says the early exposure can disrupt normal brain development, increasing the risk of addiction.While simply removing gaming systems or apps might help casual users, Faust said that those with severe addiction — classified as Internet Gaming Disorder — often require a more structured approach.
Video game addiction, a growing concern for parents and healthcare professionals alike, is increasingly recognized as a significant mental health issue.
Dr. Kyle Faust, a psychologist at Mass General Hospital, recently shed light on the complexities surrounding this addiction, particularly when it begins in childhood.
Faust said that many young patients are referred for treatment when their gaming habits start interfering with their daily lives, including school performance and social interactions.
He says for some, digital technology becomes a crutch, leading to a significant decline in a person’s ability to engage in other activities.
Faust said the problem often starts early with parents unknowingly exposing their children to digital technologies at a young age. “Some research indicates that younger individuals are more susceptible to the potential addictive impacts of these various types of digital technologies, especially digital gaming,” Dr. Faust said.
He says the early exposure can disrupt normal brain development, increasing the risk of addiction.
While simply removing gaming systems or apps might help casual users, Faust said that those with severe addiction — classified as Internet Gaming Disorder — often require a more structured approach.
