Addiction to video or computer games was once an illegitimate concern among parents and psychologists around the 1980s. But with new technologies popping up each day, adolescents and adults alike are finding new ways to entertain and distract themselves. However, for at least nine percent of those who play video games today, gaming is more than a diversion—it’s an addiction. The American Psychological Association may be considering video gaming addiction a mental disorder in its 2012 edition of the DSM-V due to growing concerns over adolescent and young adult populations worldwide experiencing this increasingly prevalent addictive behavioral disorder.
The mother of a 14-year-old boy from Roxbury, Massachusetts, called 911 in an attempt to get him to stop playing videogames. “I woke up in the middle of the night and saw the light on in his bedroom,” Angeles Mejia said, explaining that he was playing the game “Grand Theft Auto,” a violent game in which the player assumes the role of a criminal.
Video game addiction is reaching dangerous levels in several countries worldwide, according to Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation.
Recent studies show that video game addiction has been linked to several adverse effects among children, including obesity, Vitamin D deficiency, lack of bone-building exercise, attention deficit disorders, poor sleep, and aggression.
America’s first Internet addiction treatment center has opened in Fall City, Washington, not far from Microsoft’s headquarters. The 45-day program at the 6-bed, family style retreat costs about $14,500 and is not yet covered by insurance. However, there are some scholarships available.
In September 2007, 16-year-old Daniel Petric snuck out of his bedroom window to purchase the videogame Halo 3, which was forbidden by his parents due to its graphic, violent nature. When he returned home, his parents caught him with the game. His father, Mark Petric, a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, OH, put the game in a lockbox in a closet where he also kept a 9mm handgun.
About a month later, Daniel used his father’s key to open the box and removed both the game and the gun. Daniel then came up behind his parents, who were sitting on the couch, and said, “Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you.” Then he shot both of his parents in the head. His mother, Susan Petric, died instantly with wounds to her head, arms, and chest, and Mark Petric survived to tell the tragic tale.
