Video games take toll on Trichy teens

  • | Sunday | 16th September, 2018

Games that involve violence and thrills and a particular category called “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games” are the ones that the teens get addicted to more often. According to psychiatrist Dr K Ramakrishnan of Athma Hospital in Trichy, who treated the Class VIII student, those in the age group of 13 to 18 years were the vulnerable ones. Another boy, also similarly addicted to games, smashes the fridge and television at his house when his parents try to snatch his device. TRICHY: A Class VIII student who spends hours gaming on his mobile phone refuses to go to school, and worse, beats up his parents when they try to mend his ways. This year alone, he had treated around 200 teens for gaming abuse and around 10 for gaming addiction.“The Class VIII student was hooked to gaming throughout the day, but turned violent when his parents tried to restrict it.

TRICHY: A Class VIII student who spends hours gaming on his mobile phone refuses to go to school, and worse, beats up his parents when they try to mend his ways. Another boy, also similarly addicted to games, smashes the fridge and television at his house when his parents try to snatch his device. All these and more have been happening as mental health experts confirm that there has been a spurt in cases of students addicted to video gaming on various devices.In fact, an increasing number of school students hooked to games were being taken for mental health counselling, with hospitals here reporting hundreds of such cases in the past year. According to psychiatrist Dr K Ramakrishnan of Athma Hospital in Trichy, who treated the Class VIII student, those in the age group of 13 to 18 years were the vulnerable ones. This year alone, he had treated around 200 teens for gaming abuse and around 10 for gaming addiction.“The Class VIII student was hooked to gaming throughout the day, but turned violent when his parents tried to restrict it. We put him up in the rehabilitation centre for two months, but one month after the rehab, he had this urge to start gaming again,” the doctor said. Ramakrishnan had put up a total of four teens for rehabilitation this year. The addiction to gaming was diagnosed only when the parents took the children to psychiatrists to examine their sudden decline in academic performance or on finding them turning reclusive or exhibiting violent behaviour.It may be recalled that addiction to digital and video gaming has been classified as a mental health disorder by World Health Organisation (WHO) this year in its new International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Attaining a feeling of gratification – which results in bursts in dopamine activity (the neurotransmitter that helps control brain’s reward and pleasure centre) – is said to be one of the main reasons for getting addicted to gaming. Games that involve violence and thrills and a particular category called “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games” are the ones that the teens get addicted to more often.

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