You hooked online video games, Internet and sinking ?

IT is 10pm and you know exactly where your children are. They are at home with you, and the last time you looked, they were on their computers engrossed in some game or another.

But does that mean they are fine?

As highlighted by The Star’s front-page story yesterday, that may not be so.

Governments, mental health practitioners, schools, NGOs and parents in many parts of the world – particularly in Asia – are worried about how many young people are hooked on video games and the Internet.

And when the two technologies merge to yield online gaming, we have a greater risk of passion turning into obsession.

Therefore, we should not be surprised by cases of gamers behaving badly when prevented from playing.

On Saturday, for example, two men fought at a cybercafe in Taman Bukit Serdang, Selangor, after one of them had refused to let the other use a computer.

The violence continued at a nearby restaurant, with others joining in, leading to both men being slashed with a parang. The police have since remanded two of the brawlers until tomorrow.

It is possible that this incident was more about uncontrollable egos and temper than it was about an uncontrollable urge to play computer games, but it does tell us that we ought to take a closer look at how our kids are affected by online gaming.

We need to acknowledge that there is a problem here that needs to be addressed systematically and holistically.

South Korea, which has extensive Internet connectivity, has long recognized that.
Checked link:
South Korea online gaming addiction rehab centers ...
Inside the South Korean Rehab Clinic that Treats Gaming ...
South Korea Gaming Curfew to Battle Video-Game ... - Time 
Virtually addicted: Weaning Koreans off their wired world ...
Hooked on Games: The Lure and Cost of Video Game and ...
Internet Addiction Targeted In South Korea - Huffington Post
Teens spend up to 88 hours a week gaming in Korea
Hooked! The Addictive Power of Video Games | Focus on ...
10 Most Popular Games in Korea That You'll Get Hooked On
Korea Fights Gaming Addiction With New Law | The Fix
South Korea Aims to Curb Gaming Addiction in ... - The Fix
Never Too Old for Video Games? - Video Game Addiction

Its National Information Society Agency has been conducting an annual survey on Internet addiction since 2004 and runs programmes that provide preventive education, counselling and expert training.

Singapore’s National Addictions Management Service provides outpatient treatment for gaming/internet addiction, describing it as “the extreme use of computer and video games that interferes with daily life”. Gaming addiction in China had attracted so much attention that the authorities have set up military-style rehabilitation centres for young people.

And if some of us believe that our kids are merely going through a “phase” when they spend hours playing online games, it is useful to note that the American Psychiatric Association has identified Internet Gaming Disorder as a condition that requires further research.

“This reflects the scientific literature showing that persistent and recurrent use of Internet games, and a preoccupation with them, can result in clinically significant impairment or distress,” says the association.

Essentially, the association is saying there should be more clinical research and experience before it is ready to classify Internet Gaming Disorder as a formal mental disorder.

As it is, many Malaysian parents can share stories about how their children are so into playing online games that they miss meals, lack sleep, skip schoolwork, lie and steal, and ignore friends and family.

Such a troubling pattern does not have to be officially recognised as an illness to be treated as a problem.

It is time that the Government, schools, parents and the community work together to figure out how we can ensure that a hobby does not become a dangerous addiction.

Related post:

 

 Sick gamers on the rise !

Parents seek help for addicted kids Experts: Too much gaming has more serious effects than most people realise For many Malaysians, i...

Sick gamers on the rise !

Parents seek help for addicted kids

Experts: Too much gaming has more serious effects than most people realise

For many Malaysians, it is no longer just a game.

Desperate parents trying to get their children to kick their addiction to computer games have started to seek professional help for them.

At least two psychiatrists interviewed by The Star confirmed that the issue is becoming a growing problem among children and young adults in Malaysia.

University Malaya Centre for Addiction Science deputy director Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari said he had seen five patients, aged 14 to 26, for possible games addiction last year.

He revealed that the small number did not indicate the seriousness of the issue as many gamers were unaware of the problem they were having and thus did not seek treatment.

“It is potentially a growing problem and there is a need to create more awareness on this.

“Otherwise, it can become an illness when these gamers come in late for treatment,” he said yesterday.

Dr Muhammad Muhsin said a comprehensive database should be compiled so that medical experts could set up a plan to manage the problem.

He said the problem was indicative of a disorder if gamers start to behave compulsively when playing or tend to get into a fight over it.

“It can be an addiction if it affects their relationships with other people and disrupts their normal routine,” he added.

In one case, a 14-year-old boy went into a rage when his parents cut off the Internet subscription. He smashed the television set and the PC, Dr Muhammad Muhsin said.

“If gamers feel that they have used a lot of time or money to play the games, have difficulty resisting it and get upset easily, they should start seeking professional help.

“The reasons may be due to the person’s poor attachment to their parents, lack of parental supervision and peer pressure,” he said.

“They could be using the Internet to overcome their mood disturbances too.”

Hospital Penang consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Lai Fong Hwa said with improved Internet access and faster communication, more younger people were playing video games.

“There may be a concern that their social life may be affected and they will have problems developing social skills,” said Dr Lai.

Scuffles a common sight at cyber cafes, say gamers
 

  Blurred reality: experts say games addiction could affect the development of children’s social skills.

PETALING JAYA: With titles like World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm and Left 4 Dead, it is no surprise that video gamers are hooked for good.

However, these fans are adamant that they do not become aggressive despite the brutal nature of the game.

They said that last Saturday’s attack at a cyber cafe in Selangor, where a man slashed someone for hogging the computer, was an isolated case.

At that time, the victim was playing Dota (Defence of The Ancients), which involves two teams pitted against each other with the goal of destroying their opponent’s base.

“It’s irrational to fight or even stab someone over something like that,” said marketing executive Ivan Yong, 25, who is an avid computer gamer.

But he admitted that there were many short-tempered players and that scuffles were not uncommon among players at cyber cafes.

“Personally, I think gamers get violent when they invest too much time in their games. And they lose it when a teammate or opponent spoils it for them,” said Yong, who admitted to being less level-headed during his younger days.

A fellow gamer, who wished to be known only as Hammi, agreed with Yong.

“Yes, gamers tend to get violent sometimes. Sometimes they may not realise what they have done at that time,” said Hammi, 26.

“As a fellow gamer, I think it’s important to differentiate between reality and playing games,” she added.

Student Kae Jun, 17, conceded that many of them were addicted to the games.

“Some people play games so often that it is part of their routine. If they don’t get to play, they will get frustrated,” he said.

Businessman Joe Chee, 27, and student Min Jie, 18, who are both regular cyber cafe goers, said outbursts were common there.

“Some gamers tend to be violent and toxic. They let their emotions get the better of them,” said Chee.

“They would even curse their opponent’s family. Then a fight would break out,” Min said.

Both noted that cyber cafes that enforce a “no noise” policy tend to be less hostile.

“Those loud players have no consideration for others with their endless screaming. You see different types of people at a cyber cafe,” said Min.

All the gamers interviewed agreed that players should not let their love of the game get the better of them.

“It’s important to realise that every time you get upset, it drains your emotional energy.

“Losing your cool makes you tired,” said Chee.

Duo in cyber cafe brawl remanded for four days

PETALING JAYA: The two men who slashed a youth after fighting over a computer console at a cyber cafe have been remanded until Thursday.

According to Serdang OCPD Asst Comm Razimi Ahmad, the duo allegedly slashed a man in the neck with a parang for not letting one of them use the computer console.

During the incident at a cyber cafe in Taman Bukit Serdang at about 10pm on Saturday, the suspect got into an argument with an employee at the cyber cafe who was reportedly hogging a computer he wanted to play on.

They had a war of words and the suspect, who is in his 40s, left the place.

The suspect returned to the cyber cafe at about 11.30pm with a friend carrying a badminton racquet bag which contained a parang and a plank.

In a fit of rage, the two men attacked the employee with the parang and plank.

The cafe management managed to break up the scuffle and told the men to take their dispute outside before shuttering the place.

The trio reportedly continued their fight at a nearby restaurant, where police said the victim was slashed in the neck.

Witnesses claimed that about four friends of the victim came to his aid and slashed the suspect with his own parang before subduing his accomplice with the plank.

 Sources: The Star/Asia News Network

Related posts:

  Internet addiction taking toll on health !

Jan 10, 2014 ... Internet addiction has become a new threat to healthy living for Malaysians, depriving them of sleep and exercise, a survey by a global ...

A father's lament: The real world is not a game! Apr 29, 2012 ... While the game did in fact have educational payloads, the ... Games like this " infantilize children." .... The Global Standard in Internet Metric.  Internet junkie children have parents worried

Aug 7, 2010 ... PETALING JAYA: Parents and teachers have been left in a quandary as the onslaught of Internet games and social networking sites are ...

Cyber crooks target gamers; E-gambling dens menace  Aug 4, 2011 ... IDC Market Research (M) Sdn Bhd associate analyst Devtar Singh said there were currently an estimated 7.3 million online gamers in Malaysia ...  Brain Games Won't Make You Smarter, Study Says Apr 27, 2010 ... More than 8,600 people aged 18 to 60 were asked to play online brain games designed by the researchers to improve their memory, reasoning ...

AirAsia pilot's son obsessed with video games don't know dad is gone! Jan 4, 2015 ... He said the schoolgoer's obsession with video games would keep him preoccupied at home, when .... The Global Standard in Internet Metric.  The shame of the game Mar 7, 2012 ... To be sure, gaming itself is entertaining and harmless if it's done within limits, and controlled. Being addicted to video or online games, however ...     Get rid of illegal casinos gambling now ! Dec 20, 2012 ... Cyber crooks target gamers; E-gambling dens menace, raid in Penang ... Cyber crooks target gamers; ... The Global Standard in Internet Metric.