The class 7 student is experiencing deteriorating mental health because of his addiction to playing mobile games. The teenager reportedly has been playing mobile games for 15 hours a day continuously for six months.
The boy used to scream "fire-fire" while sleeping, and his hands also continued to shake. His eating habits are also negatively impacted due to his excessive gaming addiction.
Currently, the boy is admitted to a disability institution, where counsellors have a close eye on him and are monitoring his progress.
The family hopes that the counselling will help the boy to overcome his gaming addiction and heal his mental heatlh.
What is Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD)?
IGD is described separately from excessive use of the internet, social media, or online gambling.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also added the gaming disorder in its 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in mid-2018.
WHO defined gaming disorder in ICD-11 as "a pattern of gaming behaviour (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterised by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences."
What are the symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD)?
- Inability to reduce playing or quit the game
- Not performing well at school, work, or household activities
- Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Using video games to relieve negative moods
- Being socially awkward
- Continue playing games despite facing problems
- Not following up properly on daily activities or chores
How do video games become an addiction?
Recently neurological research showed the similarities in the brain of people with video games and substance use disorders.