Many teenagers play a lot of video games, which can raise concerns for parents about whether their gaming is within normal limits. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognized gaming disorder as a medical condition. Therefore, it is important to consider where the line is between normal and excessive gaming.
Not everything about gaming is problematic!
Even if a child or teenager plays for several hours a day, it is not necessarily problematic as long as the gaming can be controlled and does not interfere with daily activities or cause harm to the player.
Warning signs of excessive gaming:
Compulsive gaming
When video gaming starts to become problematic, young people become less motivated and less able to regulate the amount of time they spend gaming. Problematic gaming significantly changes a teenager’s or child’s daily life, which can lead to a significant decrease in interest in participating in activities unrelated to gaming.
Irritability
A teenager with gaming addiction becomes irritable and anxious in situations where they cannot play. Thoughts related to gaming events and circumstances dominate their mind, making it difficult to focus on anything outside of gaming. This can interfere with interacting with others as well as completing school or work tasks.
Normal routines are disrupted
As a consequence of compulsive gaming, normal daily routines—such as self-care, social relationships, and school attendance—are disrupted. The teenager may no longer spend time with friends outside of gaming, and previous hobbies may be abandoned. Former social relationships can be replaced by online relationships.
Breaking rules and restrictions
Often, rules and restrictions do not prevent a teenager with a gaming addiction. They will do everything they can to be able to play, even if it has negative consequences. This is also linked to disruption of daily routines – gaming continues even when it is noticed to be affecting performance at school, for example.
Escapism, or escaping into the gaming world
Gaming addiction is often caused by problems unrelated to gaming, which are escaped into the gaming world. These problems can include loneliness, depression or problems with family and friends. Gaming is used as a coping mechanism to escape and alleviate feelings of distress.
“Often in gaming addiction, the harmful aspect is not the gaming itself, but what the player is intended to achieve.”
For this reason, it is important to determine whether the issue is gaming addiction or underlying factors contributing to it. Sometimes, as a result of symptoms of depression, gaming can develop into a problematic coping mechanism, which can then develop into a more serious addiction. Often, the harmful aspect of gaming addiction is not the gaming itself, but what the player is trying to achieve through gaming.
tips for parents
How to help a child or teenager with gaming that has become problematic?
- Preventive measures, such as screen time limits and agreeing on daily routines: It is advisable to set screen time by discussing it together with the child or teenager. In addition, it is important to agree on daily routines that must be followed, which gaming should not interfere with.
- Try to initiate the conversation by talking: Teenagers may not necessarily notice or admit their problem. Talk to them sympathetically and listen to their own thoughts about gaming. Ask questions and discuss gaming in particular and the social relationships associated with it, such as gaming with friends. Often, gaming is part of maintaining friendships, and overly strict restrictions on gaming can distance the child or teenager from their friends.
- Approach the issue empathetically and without blame: An accusatory attitude will make the teenager defensive and the constructive discussion impossible.
- Offer help: Support from loved ones is important in any addiction. If you are concerned about your child or teenager’s gaming, or if gaming causes recurring conflicts in the family, you can discuss the issue with a short-term therapist with a psychology background, either together with your child or or separately.
There are also various support groups and helplines available for gaming addiction, such as peluuri.fi Help is also available from student health services, mental health services, and health centers.
About the author of this article
I am Juuli Jylhä, a psychology intern at Heltti. I wrote this article based on an interview with Samuli Shintam.
Samuli Shintami is an occupational health psychologist whose areas of expertise include neuropsychological topics as well as anxiety management, awareness skills, mindfulness and sleep.