Do you agree?

[I Resurection I]

For most teens, playing video games is just another recreational activity they enjoy with friends. The concern is when video game playing becomes an addictive or isolating activity.

Parents should be aware of these issues relating to teens and video games:

According to a Harris Interactive poll released in January of 2008, 23% of gamers surveyed reported that they felt addicted to video games.

Some teens are heavy users of online role-playing games (RPGs) such as World of Warcraft and multiplayer games such as Call of Duty in which they interact with other players in real time. Students will often neglect schoolwork and other aspects of their daily lives when they become immersed in these games. While it remains unclear whether this can be termed an "addiction," the American Medical Association has identified "video game overuse" as a behaviour, and may include it in a future edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Children who are heavy users of video games may also be getting less exercise and develop poor eating habits. Make sure that your teen is getting outside and not snacking too much on unhealthful food while gaming.

According to the book Grand Theft Childhood by Doctors Cheryl Olson and Lawrence Kutner, children who play primarily M-rated games (whether the rating is due to violent or sexual content) are more likely to be involved in fights or bullying

If you are concerned about the amount of time your teen is spending on video games, keep in mind that it is normal for young people to throw themselves enthusiastically into hobbies. Consider the effect your teen's gaming is having on his or her life: is he or she socializing less with friends? Are his or her grades declining? Is his or her sleep or general health being affected?

If your teen consumes an excessive amount of violent media?movies, music, television and video games?and displays aggressive or depressive behaviour, use the tip sheet Checklist for Violent Youth to identify signs of potential violence. Make sure your teen's mental health needs are being addressed through appropriate school, medical or social service counselling.


So my question to you is do you agree with this at all? My parents claim that some of this has applied to me but I havn't noticed anything other than a slight bored twitch when my parents take away the controllers

 

[Flishiz]

Many of those studies are biased, not taking into account many other factors that can account for the activity, video games aside.

Yeah, video games are addicting; all good things are.

 

[0p3rati0n]

I'm addicted to CoD and my new 360. But I still know schoolwork comes first!!! I finish HW and then Video Games. If you need to study then you'll survive a night or two to get it done!!! It's not video games that I blame more or less incompetence of the human mind.

 

[Kiefer13]

According to the book Grand Theft Childhood by Doctors Cheryl Olson and Lawrence Kutner, children who play primarily M-rated games (whether the rating is due to violent or sexual content) are more likely to be involved in fights or bullying

I stopped reading there. What utter nonsense. If games cause someone to react violently, that is not the fault of the game, but telling of deeper psychological problems that person may have. If it was not a game, it'd be a violent film, book or real life incident that would set them off instead.

Also, I doubt those people that genuinely claimed to be addicted to games know what actual physical addiction is like. I admit it may not be impossible for certain people to become psycologically addicted to gaming, but that is due to their own lack of willpower rather than being the fault of the games. I think the problem is a lot of people misusing the word "addicted" instead of "having a keen and enthusiastic interest in".

 

[Katana314]

I do think this is a problem, actually. I wouldn't mind seeing an attempt to educate people on methods of keeping limits to gameplay. I'd also like to see more support for MMO-type games that don't encourage marathon play-sessions. I'm pretty sure some massively multiplayer games actually lock you out of your account for a while if you've been playing for over 4 hours or something. Also, the game EVE Online makes progress in skill points while you're offline.

As for maturity, I feel like progress through our current game-playing generation may help. When the people who grew up with the N64 become adults, they'll probably let their kids buy Playstation 4's. But they'll be knowledgable about the games, and actually know to say "Hell no" when they try to buy an M game. Currently, I get this constant feeling that everyone who doesn't play video games at least once a month looks at them as "those kid toys", and figures they're all the same. Then half can't tell you what E, T, and M mean.

 

[Sundavar]

I'm addicted to video games, and every game out of the 7 I own for my Xbox 360 are M for violence. I'm also a WoW-player, but I don't play that often. I'm also an honors student with a 4.5 GPA and I never get in fights or any kind of trouble. But with all statistics there are exceptions, especially ones with a scope this large.

 

[Marenmarja]

for the record: http://www.grandtheftchildhood.com/GTC/Home.html

I don't fit this particular statistic, but I know people that do. It varies from person to person, just like everything else, and you can find an official study to support your position no matter what it is. In short, I say evaluate your own children/self and act accordingly. If it isn't a problem in your life find something else to fix and don't waste time worrying so much about everyone else's problems. Unless of course they ask for help, but that's a whole 'nother animal.

 

[zombflux]

I play games to be distracted.

 

[Spaghetti]

for the record: http://www.grandtheftchildhood.com/GTC/Home.html

I don't fit this particular statistic, but I know people that do. It varies from person to person, just like everything else, and you can find an official study to support your position no matter what it is. In short, I say evaluate your own children/self and act accordingly. If it isn't a problem in your life find something else to fix and don't waste time worrying so much about everyone else's problems. Unless of course they ask for help, but that's a whole 'nother animal.

I agree. I just had a look over the summary from their website and they said boys who played violent video games were twice as likley to get into a fight. I'm inclined to chalk this one up to conincedence considering the number of guys that play violent video games.

There's also the (probable) likley hood that the researchers chose kids from bad areas or dodgy schools which would have shifted the results in their favour. All the kids came from Pennsylvania or South Carolina...not exactly a national demographic is it?

Personaly, I don't consider myself addicted to video games. They are an important part of my life, but I'm not addicted. Unless its a new game, I'll never play a video game for more than an 1 + 1/2 hours before leaving it for 4 or 5 hours. Also, my Parents didn't care, they knew me to be sensible enough not to take this stuff seriously. I got Conkers Bad Fur Day for my 12th birthday for example and that hasn't effected me.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to hunt sweet-corn with a frying pan.