Game Addiction

Video games can be quite entertaining for children as well as the whole family, given the right circumstances. Studies have shown that kids who play certain kind of games appropriate to their age at moderate levels suffer from little to no harm at all. However, when a child becomes more engrossed in video games than other interests, it's easy to become concerned as a parent, especially if the obsession lasts longer than what might be considered just a 'passing phase.' As you probably already know, video game addiction is a real problem, with real consequences. This book was written to help you identify whether your child is suffering from an actual addiction, or whether he or she is simply passionate about playing video games. You will be provided with practical insight into properly addressing your child's current level of exposure to video games, thereby preventing or remedying a possible addiction. Much like other types of addictions, approaching the situation appropriately is crucial because taking the wrong approach could prove to be just as problematic as the addiction itself. The good news is, no matter how far along the addiction is, there are numerous ways to intervene and get your child back on the right path. So what are you waiting for? Grab this book now, and let's get started!

WARNING: THIS VIDEO GAME MAY IMPAIR YOUR JUDGMENT. IT MAY CAUSE SLEEP DEPRIVATION, ALIENATION OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WEIGHT LOSS OR GAIN, NEGLECT OF YOUR BASIC NEEDS AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF LOVED ONES AND/OR DEPENDENTS, AND DECREASED PERFORMANCE ON THE JOB. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN FANTASY AND REALITY MAY BECOME BLURRED. PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. No such warning was included on the latest and greatest release from the Warcraft series of massive multiplayer online role-playing games—World of Warcraft (WoW). So when Ryan Van Cleave—a college professor, husband, father, and one of the 11.5 million Warcraft subscribers worldwide—found himself teetering on the edge of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, he had no one to blame but himself. He had neglected his wife and children and had jeopardized his livelihood, all for the rush of living a life of high adventure in a virtual world. A fabulously written and gripping tale, Unplugged takes you on a journey through the author's semireclusive life with video games at the center of his experiences. Even when he was sexually molested by a young school teacher at age eleven, it was the promise of a new video game that had lured him to her house. As Ryan's life progresses, we witness the evolution of video games—from simple two-button consoles to today's multikey technology, brilliantly designed to keep the user actively participating. For Ryan, the virtual world was a siren-song he couldn't ignore, no matter the cost. As is the case with most recovering addicts, Ryan eventually hit rock bottom and shares with you his ongoing battle to control his impulses to play, providing prescriptive advice and resources for those caught in the grip of this very real addiction.

Exploring the mind of a video gaming addict, Elaine's second book guides the reader through the journey of her son's addictive disorder and recovery. The story unfolds along the nine signs of gaming disorder and the five stages of addiction, weaving toward the recovery stage, including candid and insightful interviews with her son, Jake.Elaine calls upon the advice of experts to support her message that there is no easy way to survive video gaming addiction or any other addiction's withdrawal and recovery. It takes a lot of time, patience, Herculean strength, and enormous support from others, including family, friends, and professional therapy. But it is possible to detox from this compulsion. It is possible to reach the stage of recovery. And it is worth moving through the pain to arrive at the other side, more fully alive."Thought-provoking, emotionally moving, informative and triumphant, Uskoski's guide explains the shocking world of Video Gaming Addiction through the lens of a mother and her heroic efforts to save her son from his harmful addiction."Cindy Rescorl, Parent"Raw, heartbreaking, and heart-warming. this story takes you on a roller coaster of emotions into and out of the depths of gaming."Michelle NogueiraAddiction Problem Gambling and Technology Overuse Counselor, Homewood Health Centre

An eleven-year-old boy strangled an elderly woman for the equivalent of five dollars in 2007, then buried her body under a thin layer of sand. He told the police that he needed the money to play online videogames. Just a month later, an eight-year-old Norwegian boy saved his younger sister's life by threatening an attacking moose and then feigning death when the moose attacked him--skills he said he learned while playing World of Warcraft. As these two instances show, videogames affect the minds, bodies, and lives of millions of gamers, negatively and positively. This book approaches videogame addiction from a cross-disciplinary perspective, bridging the divide between liberal arts academics and clinical researchers. The topic of addiction is examined neutrally, using accepted research in neuroscience, media studies, and developmental psychology.

About the Book The multi-billion dollar video game industry is in the business of creating fun and enticing games that can be addictive. As addicted gamers feast on digital indulgences, real life is neglected and their reality crumbles around them. Headlines related to video games: ¿New Mexico mom gets 25 years for starving daughter.¿ ¿ Fox News ¿China used prisoners in lucrative Internet gaming work.¿ ¿ Guardian News ¿Online gamer killed for selling virtual weapon.¿ ¿ Sydney Morning Herald ¿South Korean dies after games sessions.¿ ¿ BBC News Hooked on Games is written by Brooke Strickland and Andrew Doan, MD, PhD, a physician with a research background in neuroscience, who battled his own addictions with video games. Dr. Doan was an addicted gamer, who at his peak, invested over 20,000 hours of playing games over a period of nine years. Dr. Doan¿s reckless compulsion to play games transformed him into a monster that almost destroyed his family, marriage, and career. He shares his expertise to educate others on the dangers of video game addiction and to provide hope for video game addicts and their families. Dr. Doan shares steps for gaming addicts to achieve recovery and steps for families and loved ones to intervene. Without attention to this quickest growing addiction, our society will suffer from the creation of Generation Vidiot, millions of people devoid of innovation and skills to live in the physical world. ¿As is true with many addictions, overuse of video games steals our valuable and limited time and minds.¿ ¿ Christie Morse, MD (Pediatric Ophthalmologist) ¿Shocking insights into the minds of hardcore gamers.¿ ¿ Daniel Hunt (Former Competitive Gamer)

Video game addiction is gradually becoming a more serious problem in our society. With recent games, such as Flappy Bird and Candy Crush, people are not only spending more time playing these games, but wasting money on them as well. In extreme cases, this addiction has led to serious family and social conflict. This guide will outline a fast and efficient method to help you free yourself from video game addiction. Here is What's Included in the Book How to identify what is triggering your addiction to video games How to develop a game plan to end this addiction How to in remain free from this addiction

This book addresses the history, symptoms, causes, and available treatment for "video game overuse." It examines numerous case studies and provides resources from several countries including the US, China, South Korea, and the UK. Features • Questions and answers about the medical definition/description of the condition; the source/causes; details of symptoms; available cure/treatment; and societal issues or public opinion such as legal issues, social/psychological ramifications, etc. • Case studies from both the physician and patient perspectives • Animations, figures, and photos to support, explain topics under discussion. In electronic versions these items are integrated as hyperlinks and “pop-ups” throughout the text • Resources including Web sites, articles, blogs, and books that offer additional information on each subject