Before you shell out for Christmas, you must read this that When kids can’t quit video games. This is what happens when kids can’t turn them off.
“….Just weeks before, they had turned to an education consultant, who helped them come up with a plan: Byrne had to go away — first, to a summer long wilderness therapy program, where he could reconnect with himself and the real world around him, and then to a boarding school. He had to start over, in a place with strict structure, where he couldn’t spend his days immersed in video games. His parents knew it was their last option. If this new plan couldn’t save their son, maybe nothing could. Video games are nothing new, and neither are reports of game addiction. But today’s most popular games are wholly immersive: Vast digital landscapes unfold in eye-popping detail, nuanced characters evolve from one level to the next. These games are deliberately designed, with the help of psychology consultants, to make players want to keep playing, and they are available on every platform — gaming consoles, computers, smartphones. Today’s teens are more tethered to this technology than any previous generation; these so-called “digital natives” have been playing more sophisticated games at younger ages than their parents ever did. I don’t think we know exactly how many are suffering from this, but we know it’s a big problem,” said psychologist Kimberly Young, founder of the Center for Internet Addiction. “A modest estimate might be 5 percent. But 5 percent of American kids is a lot.” Boys tend to be more susceptible to compulsive gaming than girls, but any kid who is trying to avoid overwhelming stress — bullies at school, a difficult home environment, social anxiety — might be especially drawn to video games. Experts also see a correlation between obsessive video game use and traits associated with autism, attention deficit disorders, anxiety and depression, although the exact nature of the connection is not fully understood….” The next level video games are more addictive than ever. This is what happens when kids can’t turn them off.