Video game addiction essay

Since the early 80’s, the video games became an essential part of the entertainment industry that capturedmany people, mostly children and teenagers.  According to Lee and LaRose “the video game has become one of the most popular and pervasive forms of entertainment” (632).The community meets a new hobby ambiguously: despite the fact that the computers bring a lot of benefits to society, people began to realize that they have a negative impact on children, especially teenagers.

Nowadays, the problem of the negative effects of video games on children’s health and development is particularly relevant. Many parents cannot find time for their children because of the daily activities, fatigue, and other routine problems, and thus have a positive attitude to the video games, allowing children to play different video games on the computer. How is it dangerous for a child to play the computer games?

Consequently, in this paper we are going to research and examine the negative impact of the computer games on children and to explore how it is possible to reduce the unfavorable effects of the video games on children’s health.

To begin with, every year the ranks of gamers are increasing exponentially. More and more children are spent seated at a desk in front of a computer, playing their favorite computer games. The more young people or teenagers are addicted to the computer games, the less they pay attention to their families and friends.

Some researchers have found that the growing popularity of virtual entertainment contributes to a sharp drop in the quality of relationships and frequency of communication with parents and peers. Teenagers spend their free time not on the important social contacts, but on the computer hobbies, due to which the credibility of the family decreases and the children turn in on themselves.

Many parents began to notice that children, who played the video games, more often used the words: “I was killed,” “I killed,” etc. Many mothers begin to notice this fact after the kids played the “shooter game” on the computer. This is a proven fact that the main theme and purpose of the video games are to kill somebody or do other different aggressive actions.  The computer industry is developing very rapidly, the video games are becoming more and more realistic, a murder of any game is done realistically, dead people are falling, etc. The developers work on the physics of human behavior, a virtual man walks, shoots, falls and dies like a real man. In many countries, the psychologists often raise the issue of banning the video games with sexual and aggressive tendencies, such as “Counter Strike”, “Leisure Suit Larry”, “Custer’s Revenge”, etc. Custer’s Revenge “…involved the player attempting to get a naked Custer to have sex with a naked Indian woman, who was tied to a pole” (Kearney and Pivec 491).

All these actions only negatively affect children’s behavior. Moreover, the violent video games can provoke children to suicide. “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Americans aged 10 to 24 years. Suicides account for 12.9% of all deaths among young people aged 15 to 24 years” (Taliaferro et al. 427). The player imagines himself the hero of his favorite games, and starts to grow into this role, confusing the real and virtual worlds. As a result, it leads to irreversible consequences for a gamer.

As a result, the computer games have negative impacts on children’shealth and behavior. The computer games that include murders, violence can lead to the mental disorders, poor health, sleep, loss of awareness of objective reality, etc.Over time, a child, fascinated by different video games, becomes irritated, is removed from his/her peers and society as a whole. A child or teenager, who is addicted to the computer games, has different problems, such as sleep problems, insomnia, worsening health status, declining eyesight. A teenager becomes irritable and always exhausted.

In addition, a child loses a “contact with reality.”In instance, for him, the “virtual” world became an alternative to the “real” one and thus he lost any relationship with the community, the video game becamethe “drug” for him. In general, it should be noted that the computer games have more negative aspects than positive ones. Thus, in connection with these consequences, a lot of child psychologists recommend for parents to limit access to the computer for their children or completely block that access.

Furthermore, a prolonged sit at the computer adversely affects a visual acuity. Myopia is being developed because of a constant stress of visual organs. In addition, there is a harmful radiation (referring to old models of monitors).

As it was listed above, some video games promote violence and brutality that have a negative impact on health, especially on mental and emotional states. A computer game can provoke an attack of motiveless aggression, if a child or teenager has some mental diseases.

In addition to the above-mentioned information, it is possible to add that the common features of computer game addiction are a huge number of psychological and physical symptoms that are closely linked: psychological symptoms: well-being or euphoria at the computer, increase in the amount of time spent at the computer, neglecting family and friends, feelings of emptiness, depression, anger, problems with work or school. Physical symptoms: carpal tunnel syndrome (the nerve trunks in the hands, associated with prolonged muscle tension), dry eyes, headaches according to the type of migraine, back pain, irregular meals, skipping meals, neglecting personal hygiene, sleep disturbances, changes in sleep patterns.

The main causes of video game addiction among school children (7-10 years) and teenagers:

• The lack of communication and warm emotional relationshipsbetween parents and children within family. When parents (or other close relatives) do not pay a proper attention to their children needed for a daily expression of a sincere participation in a child’s life.
• The absence of serious hobbies, interests, attachments, not related to the computer.
• The inability to establish a desired contact with others, the lack of friends. Let’s suppose that a child (teenager) is too shy and could not overcome his shyness. Or the presence of a visible physical disability, the external ugliness repels peers from communicating with him.
• The total bad lack of any child. This reason is similar to the previous one. For example, a child has bad grades at school, or has bad relations with parents. If this situation does not suit any child, he may well fall into computer game addiction, where he is a protagonist, he is on top of success, he is a winner, ruler, and the first destroyer (or creator).

How to protect children against the computer games? How to reduce the negative effects of video game addiction? There are some recommendations that should be followed in order to reduce video game addiction.

Firstly, it is recommended to communicate more with children, because computers cannot replace “real communication.” It is important topay more attention to children, take care of them, always wonderhow your child is, what kinds of games he/she likes or dislikes playing. Gain children’sconfidence and they will talk about their victories and failures.

Secondly, it is necessary to offer to play with him, try to switch his attention to other games, such as logical, intelligent, non-PC. Show your child that you are always happy to play with him and you always can find free time for him. It is very necessaryfor him to feel appreciated and important.

Finally, it is helpful to try to limit your child’s pastime at the computer. Try to be more outdoors, play the mobile games with your child.Suggesthim to join any circle of his interests.

Thus, any child or teenager can be addicted to the computer games, but these chances can be reduced if:  there is an atmosphere of friendliness, peace, comfort and trust in family;a child has wide interests and hobbies; a child is able to establish positive relations with others; a child is able to set at least the smallest target.

Taking the above-stated information into account, it is possible to conclude that video game addiction can negatively affect children’s health, both psychological and physical ones. The excessive use of the computer games can lead to psychological symptoms. There is no doubt that parents should pay more attention to whatactivities their childrenlike or dislike to participate in, and what games they play. Each person should take responsibility for his life, know what things are harmful and fatal for him and what things are helpful and bring only benefits.