Is there a gambling addiction? Gaming addiction: access to dopamine. Prevention of computer addiction

Dependence computer games - a type of addiction accompanied by a person’s strong craving for immersion in computer reality.

It would seem that this type of pathology is not as terrible as addiction to alcohol or drugs, which are accompanied by addiction to toxic substances. However, this is only at first glance, since addiction to computer games is in no way inferior in strength to any other. Modern games visually they are getting closer to reality, so the number of people becoming their hostages increases every year.

Statistics on the prevalence of this dependence vary greatly, taking into account the opinions of different researchers. Doctor psychological sciences A.G. Shmelev claims that about 10-14% of computer users should be classified as avid gamers.

At the same time, Harvard University psychologist Marez Orzack provides even less comforting statistics: he believes that among people who play computer games, 40-80% are addicted. Passion for games is observed to a greater extent among boys than among girls.

Young people spend twice as much time playing games. The higher a person’s level of education, the less interested he is in computer games (other goals arise, and an understanding of wasting time appears).

Causes

The main factors in the development of computer gaming addiction are the following:

1. Lack of real communication. It most often occurs in children and adolescents.
2. Lack of bright life moments.
3. Dissatisfaction sex life. Often among the “victims” of pathology there are people who do not have a personal life or are extremely dissatisfied with it.
4. Mental immaturity. Often players mentally remain in childhood or adolescence, thereby avoiding the responsibilities of adulthood.
5. Phobias and social fears. An increased craving for games is often a cover for fear of interpersonal relationships, society, and the inability to adapt to the world around us.
6. Intrafamily conflicts.
7. An opportunity to escape from real problems.
8. Psychopathy. This does not mean a disease, but a pathological character trait that leads to prolonged stress or chronic diseases in unfavorable conditions.

Psychologists believe that the most dangerous games from the point of view of addiction are role-playing games, when a person identifies himself with a character, losing his individuality. The stronger the immersion, the more difficult it is to return to reality.

Development of pathology

Computer games are of interest to many, but not everyone becomes a gamer.

Players are conventionally divided into the following categories:

1. Situational game. People play when a favorable external factor appears, free time or competition. Without the manifestation of an influencing factor, interest in the game disappears.
2. Episodic game. In this case, people play from time to time and are able to control themselves independently.
3. Systematic game. The player is interested in computer games, but wasting time and failing to fulfill his duties can cause remorse.
4. Gambling. People in this group perceive gaming as the meaning of life and spend almost all their time on it.

Even if a person does not have the opportunity to play, he mentally plans his actions after returning to the game. Defeats, unfulfilled responsibilities, unfinished business only stimulate greater immersion in the game. In this situation, true gambling addiction is observed.

A bad habit goes through the following stages during its development:

1. Slight enthusiasm. A person is just adapting to the game.
2. Passion. There is a rapid and sharp formation of dependence, desire immerse yourself in the game. The gaming session becomes longer.
3. Addiction. Here there is maximum dependence, a contradiction and a struggle to “play” or “not to play” appears; it becomes increasingly difficult to lean in favor of the second option. The time spent in the game increases sharply.
4. Attachment. The pathology has become stable, subsides slightly and becomes stable. The game has become the center of the player's life. A person is no longer able to give up the habit on his own. The goal became the process itself, not the achievement of a result. Breaks in the game become negligible and occur only under duress.

Forms of pathology

The manifestation of pathology is possible in the form of one of the following forms:

1. Individualized. This option is the worst. The addict loses contact with the outside world, the person spends too much time on the computer, and the need to communicate with family and friends disappears.
2. Socialized. This form is characterized by maintaining contacts with society. People in this category more often play online games, where the process is competitive. This form is considered less harmful to the psyche.

Symptoms

The main symptoms manifested by the pathology in question:

• loss of time control;
• a strong desire to return to the game;
• the time spent in the game increases;
• the daily routine is disrupted;
• priorities shift, irresponsibility develops;
• is decreasing real communication up to complete failure;
• other interests are lost;
• aggression and hysterical behavior appear;
• sleep problems develop;
• Fatigue increases, fatigue can be caused even by a simple trip to the store;
• pain appears in the shoulders and lower back, and back pain often occurs due to the constant sitting position.

Consequences

To understand the problem, you need to know why you need to get rid of it, and what the consequences of addiction to computer games are.

1. Degradation. The main danger is the cessation of personal development. The person is not interested in studying, earning money, reading books, socializing or learning anything new. There is indifference towards loved ones. The person becomes withdrawn, lonely, and avoids society.
2. Physical health deteriorates. Back problems are becoming more common, and vision is deteriorating quite quickly. Irregular diet leads to gastritis and ulcers. “Experienced” gamers acquire sand in their kidneys due to low activity. It is also possible to develop hemorrhoids. The pressure decreases appearance a person becomes similar to a drug addict.
3. Mental health is deteriorating. Since not everything goes smoothly in the game, the player often gets nervous and worried, which leads to loosening nervous system. This condition makes emotions uncontrollable, which leads to aggression and depression.
4. Cash spending. This point is more typical for adult men who like to purchase various things in modern online games to improve their character.
5. Waste of valuable time. The younger generation spends a large amount of time on useless games, which does not allow them to properly engage in sports, study useful literature and study.
6. Happening decreased self-esteem, there is a violation of self-awareness.
7. The addict gets used to the fact that pleasure can be achieved without effort, so he stops showing real world activity.

How to get rid of the problem yourself?

It is necessary to treat addiction comprehensively, changing your overall lifestyle. Giving up computer games is quite painful and requires setting oneself the following tasks:

1. It is necessary to analyze the problems that underlie the addiction and why there is a desire to return to the virtual world. Family troubles, self-doubt, difficulties at work are possible. If a reason is found, then everything will need to be done to eliminate it - raise self-esteem, improve family relationships, eliminate the problem at work.
2. You need to learn to control the amount of time you spend working with a computer. Various timers or applications can help here. It is not possible to give up the habit overnight, so it is recommended to gradually reduce the time during which the player spends at the computer.
3. Free time from the PC must be filled with interesting, useful activities. Fishing, hunting, rock climbing, driving courses, anything that can interest a person. Revisit old hobbies or find something new.
   In order for the day to come when a person understands that a computer game is not interesting to him, support and help are needed at the stage of giving up the addiction, it is better if it is a close relative or friend.

Psychotherapy

The most effective method considered psychotherapy. To overcome addictions, you need to use individual or group therapy. If a choice is possible, then a group lesson is a priority, since most computer addicts have difficulty building interpersonal relationships and working with a group. A gambling addict will never admit that he is addicted. But if he sees people who have acknowledged the problem, it will be easier for him to deal with his own. It will not be possible to overcome addiction in 2-3 sessions.

A multi-stage system will be required, a rough outline of which is presented below:

1. On initial stage it is necessary to overcome objections about the presence of dependence. The person is not yet ready to change; he lacks an understanding of the problem. It is necessary to inform the addict as much as possible about the dangers of his habit.
2. Awareness. This stage is characterized by understanding the problem, awareness of addiction and the need to get rid of it. It is necessary to make it clear to the addict that he is supported and helped, and not reproached.
3. Treatment. This stage involves changing behavior, fighting addiction and negative emotional reactions that will inevitably arise during the treatment process. Simply getting rid of the computer is not a solution; it requires the addict to independently learn to control time.
4. Correction of relationships within the family and society. They move to this stage after a person learns to control behavior. The risk of a breakdown is still present, so you need to improve family relationships, filling your free time from the computer with hobbies and communication with loved ones.
5. Overcoming the consequences is the final stage. The problem as such has disappeared, but its consequences still remain. These could be problems with work or study, or difficult communication with relatives. All problems need to be eliminated, and a psychotherapist will help you deal with this situation correctly.

The presence of computer addiction in children requires family psychotherapy, since such addictions empty space don't appear.

Most children who develop addiction do not have normal family relationships, so treatment in in this case will also depend on the solution to the problems of adults that caused the failures in raising a child.

Computer game addiction is a form of psychological addiction that manifests itself in a person as an obsessive passion for computer games. Such dependence is one of the forms of addictive human behavior, a way of escaping the existing reality by transforming one’s psycho-emotional behavior and requires competent correction.

Causes

Computer addiction in children has reached epidemic proportions. The average student spends 2 to 6 hours at the computer. About 70% of American children spend their free time playing games with scenes of cruelty and violence. In these games, killing is the goal and the main element of the game. Children confuse virtual reality with real reality, which is why more and more minors in America are opening fire with rifles and pistols at school.

Any addiction or mania is a consequence of deep psychological problems. With the help of computer games, a person tries to get away from what worries him life situation or replace some missing element in your life (the attention of loved ones, social status, absence of a loved one).

Possible causes of computer addiction:

• Various mental disorders (psychopathy). Pathological character traits of a person, unsociability, complexes and modesty often lead a person to Internet addiction. Some patients use a computer to realize their childhood fears and fantasies;
• Lack of communication. This problem is relevant for children and adolescents whose parents are constantly busy earning money;
• Intrafamily conflicts. To escape family scandals, some people immerse themselves in the virtual world, which further aggravates the situation and leads to divorce;
• Social phobias. A person is afraid of real society, interpersonal relationships. Computer games allow you to escape reality and feel strong and significant. A computer becomes a person’s interlocutor, life partner and sexual partner.

Symptoms

The pathophysiological mechanisms of the formation of computer addiction and gambling addiction are the same. They are based on stimulation of various pleasure centers in the brain. Both teenagers and independent adults become addicted to computer games.

This pathological condition manifests itself in the form of a feeling of euphoria and psycho-emotional uplift during immersion in the virtual world. The patient cannot plan his time at the computer. In order to overcome sleep and stimulate mental activity, he begins to drink caffeine-containing drinks and other psychostimulants. For some adult gamers, the main food product is beer and various fast foods. A person who is mostly immersed in the virtual world does not observe the rules of personal hygiene: he forgets to brush his teeth, comb his hair, and take a shower. He eats poorly, sleeps poorly and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

If the computer breaks down, the patient is upset and may be aggressive with loved ones and people around him. Such a person begins to spend all his money on updating programs, computer consoles, and new games. He doesn’t think about his personal life, work or school; his world narrows down to completing the next mission in the game.

As addiction progresses, a person cannot give up computer games, although he well understands their uselessness. He constantly leaves the existing reality and immerses himself in the virtual world, takes on the role of a certain
character and lives his “computer” life.

The patient communicates with other people in different ways computer topics.Gambling addiction leads to an overload of the central nervous system; exciting impulses constantly enter the human brain.

After some time, the patient experiences a decrease in mood, general well-being, social activity, increased anxiety and impaired adaptation to society. As computer addiction develops, adults become dissatisfied with themselves, lose the meaning of life, and develop deep depression.

In adults with gambling addiction, libido decreases and various disorders occur in the sexual sphere. “Addicted” people, as a rule, have an unsettled personal life, are withdrawn, and taciturn.

Manifestations in adolescents and children

Computer addiction in adolescents is usually severe. They become angry and aggressive if their parents ask them to break away from the computer for even a minute. Signs of gaming addiction in children are the fact that they start skipping school and lying to parents and teachers. Some minor patients ask for or steal money in order to spend it on their favorite computer game.

Computer games make children violent because they have to shoot and kill, and for this they are rewarded in the form of points, bonuses and gifts. The immature psyche of a child is overloaded with game effects. Conscious modern child virtual reality is no different from real life.

Computer addiction in adolescents has a negative impact on their health and academic performance. The child begins to drink and eat without leaving the computer monitor. At school, all his thoughts and desires are focused on the anticipation of playing at home.

Teenagers with gambling addiction abandon friends, start eating unhealthy food, and give up school. Many minor patients become aggressive and prone to violence. Some scientists claim that computer addiction in children leads to dementia.

Consequences

Computer game addiction has a negative impact on human health. Over time, his vision deteriorates, problems with the spine and joints appear. Many “addicts” suffer from headaches and insomnia. As a result of sitting at a computer for a long time, a person becomes weak, increased fatigue, appetite decreases. Sitting at a computer for a long time leads to the development of cardiovascular diseases: angina pectoris and ischemic disease hearts.

Long-term consumption of drinks containing caffeine and other stimulants leads to exhaustion of the nervous system and arterial hypertension. Considering that “dependent” people eat poorly, they develop gastritis and gastroduodenitis, and a tendency to constipation.

Computer games in children develop those areas of the brain that are responsible for vision and movement. Gambling addiction stops the development of the frontal lobes, which are responsible for training memory, learning, and emotions.

Children addicted to computer games spend little time outdoors and do not play sports. Most often, such children have a pale appearance, “bruises” under the eyes, and a poorly developed musculoskeletal system.

Diagnostic criteria

Before applying for a qualified medical care You need to make sure that your family member has a computer addiction, and not just an excessive passion for video games. There are a number of criteria based on which you can differentiate the problem:

• The patient does not want to be distracted from the game and reacts aggressively to such requests;
• Lack of a critical attitude towards one’s behavior;
• The patient neglects his social responsibilities (study, work), does not participate in family affairs, and his social activity is sharply reduced;
• The patient loses interest in the world around him, and experiences emotional uplift only during a computer game;
• Neglect of personal hygiene and social behavior;

Besides deviant behavior the patient experiences sleep disturbances, headaches, discomfort in the back area. Also, due to prolonged forced positioning of the hand, the development of carpal tunnel syndrome is possible.

If these criteria are met, the patient can be diagnosed as addicted to computer games.

Therapy methods

Computer addiction should not be viewed as
a completely independent disease. It is a consequence of more serious psychological problems. Therefore, it is important for a specialist to identify the root cause of the disease and fight it.

Psychotherapy is used to treat the consequences of computer addiction, medicinal methods, hypnosis. It is important to take an integrated approach.

For this addiction, psychiatrists use autogenic training, behavioral, family psychotherapy, psychosynthesis. Psychotherapy is aimed at correcting intra-family relationships, eliminating various psychological attitudes of a person (withdrawal and unsociability), treating children's fears and sexual problems in adults.

Gestalt therapy methods have been successfully used in adults. This is due to the fact that passion for computer games is a way to get away from a previously unresolved problem. And these techniques suggest how to “close the gestalt”, i.e. resolve the situation.

Symptomatic drug therapy is aimed at treating insomnia, irritability, anxiety and depression. Adult patients with gambling addiction are prescribed herbal sedatives to reduce the excitability of the nervous system. These can be herbal tinctures, but most often doctors prescribe tranquilizers or antipsychotics. Sleeping pills are used to normalize sleep cycles.

Antidepressants are mandatory medications in the treatment of computer addiction. They relieve psycho-emotional stress, normalize mood and improve overall well-being.

It is important to establish proper nutrition, which takes into account already formed digestive problems. The patient is additionally prescribed a course of vitamins and restorative medications.

Stages of psychological assistance

Specialized assistance has a certain stage. This structure has been identified as the most effective in treating computer addiction.

At the first stage, it is important to help the patient overcome internal resistance to treatment. This key moment, without which further therapy becomes meaningless. The patient must recognize the problem and the need for outside help to resolve it.

The second stage is aimed at determining the depth of the problem. The patient, together with the attending physician, must identify all the pitfalls that may interfere with social rehabilitation. The doctor’s tactics in this case are supportive and guiding.

Computer game addiction – the new kind psychological addiction, in which a computer game becomes a leading human need.

It seems this type addiction is not as bad as alcoholism or drug addiction, in which toxic substances become indispensable for normal metabolism. But this is only at first glance, because psychological dependence on a computer is no less strong than any other. In addition, modern computer games are becoming more and more “advanced” and imitate reality more and more perfectly, so more and more people are becoming their hostages.

Some statistics

Statistics on the prevalence of this dependence differ significantly among different researchers. Doctor of Psychological Sciences Alexander Georgievich Shmelev believes that about 10-14% of people who use computers are “avid gamers.” At the same time, Harvard University psychologist Maresa Orzak cites much less comforting statistics: she believes that among people who play computer games, 40-80% suffer from addiction.

There are some gender and age aspects of such addiction. The intensity of passion for computer games is more pronounced among boys than among girls. Young men, on average, spend twice as much time on computer games. The older and more educated a person is, the less time he spends on computer games (completely different goals appear, and it becomes a pity to waste time).

Causes

The reasons for addiction to computer games are as follows:

• lack of bright and interesting moments in real life. Everything is so everyday and ordinary that a person looks for a simple and often cheap way diversify your life. This is how he begins to join the virtual world;
• a hidden inferiority complex, different in childhood and adolescence, is a consequence of the fact that a person “underplayed” in a timely manner, so he tries to make up for lost time;
• Quite often, such addiction develops on the basis of sexual dissatisfaction, when relationships with the opposite sex do not work out, and a person tries to “switch” to something;
• sometimes the first step towards the development of this addiction is “extra” time. For example, people who are forced to stay at their workplace from 9 to 18, when this time is just needed to “sit”, begin to get involved in computer games or aimlessly wandering around the Internet.

Psychology

The mechanism for the formation of computer addiction is based on withdrawal from reality and the need to take on a certain role. In most cases, this is a means of compensating for life's problems. At the same time, a person begins to realize himself in the game world, and not in the real one.

Now there are many computer games, fortunately, not all of them are equally dangerous. Conventionally, they can be divided into role-playing and non-role-playing. By determining which category it belongs to, you can assess how dangerous it is.

Role-playing games are distinguished by their pronounced influence on the human psyche. At the same time, a person “gets used to” a certain role, identifies himself with some character, while simultaneously escaping reality.

Among role playing games 3 types can be distinguished:

• with a view “from the eyes” of the character;
• with an “outside view” of your hero;
• leadership games.

The most addictive games are those with a view from the eyes. The gamer completely identifies himself with a certain computer character, enters the role as much as possible, because he “looks” at the virtual world through the eyes of his hero. Literally a few minutes after the start of the session, the person begins to lose touch with the real world and is completely transferred to the virtual world. He identifies himself so much with the computer hero that he can consider the actions of the computer character his own, and the virtual world itself begins to be perceived as real. At critical moments, he may fidget in his chair, trying to dodge shots or blows, and turn pale.

If you look at your hero “from the outside,” then the power of entering the role is less compared to the previous type of games. Despite the fact that identification with the computer character is less pronounced, emotional manifestations associated with the game are still present, as can be seen during the failures or death of the computer hero.

In leadership games, a person controls several (or many) characters. He does not see his hero on the screen, but invents a role for himself. Pronounced “immersion” is possible only among people with a developed imagination. The psychological dependence that forms during leadership games is quite pronounced.

Symptoms

There are a number of signs of addiction to computer games:

• One of the main symptoms of computer addiction is severe irritation that occurs in response to the forced need to withdraw from a favorite activity. When the game resumes, you can immediately notice the emotional upsurge;
• a common symptom of computer addiction is the inability to predict the end time of the session; the player will postpone it again and again;
• the computer becomes the center of life dependent person, therefore, when communicating with others, the most interesting topic for him will be a discussion of his favorite computer game;
• as the addiction progresses, a person’s social, work and family adaptation is disrupted - he forgets about work, household chores, studies, and loses interest in them;
• the presence of psychological addiction is also reflected in a person’s habits: in order to spend more time at the computer, he increasingly eats without leaving the monitor, neglects personal hygiene, sleep time is reduced, and the computer sessions themselves are lengthened.

Fortunately, it is developing this dependence not all at once, it goes through a number of stages. The sooner you notice its presence, the easier it will be to deal with it.

Stages of addiction development

There are 4 stages of addiction to computer games:

1. The initial stage is mild infatuation. It comes when a person has already played several times, and, as they say, “got a taste for it.” Such a pastime gives a person positive emotions. At this stage, the game is situational in nature, a person plays occasionally, only under certain conditions, when there is free time, but he will not play to the detriment of something important.
2. The next stage is passion. The transition to this stage can be determined by the emergence of a new need - play. At this stage, a person already plays systematically, and if this is not possible, then he can sacrifice something in order to make time for his favorite activity.
3. And finally, the addiction stage. In the pyramid of values, play is elevated to the top level.
4. Over time (this may occur after several months or even years), the attachment stage begins. A person’s gaming activity fades away, he begins to become interested in something new, and social and work contacts can be established. However, a person cannot completely “say goodbye” to the game on his own. This stage may last long years. The emergence of new games can provoke a surge in gaming activity.

Dependency can manifest itself in one of two forms - socialized and individualized.

The individualized form is the worst option; it is characterized by loss of contact with others. A person spends a lot of time at the computer; he has no need to communicate with family, friends, or those around him. For such people, the computer and everything connected with it is a kind of “drug”; it is necessary to regularly take the next “dose”. Otherwise, withdrawal occurs in the form of depression and increased irritability.

The socialized form is characterized by the preservation social contacts. People suffering from such addiction prefer online games. For them, such an activity is not so much a “drug” as a competition. This form is less harmful to the psyche compared to the individualized one.

Consequences of this dependence:

• self-esteem decreases, a person’s self-awareness is disrupted, over time he may view himself more as a computer character than a real person;
• people suffering from such an addiction get used to the fact that pleasure can be achieved without any serious actions or volitional efforts; over time, in the real world, they stop taking initiative, become passive, and personality degradation occurs;
• the consequence of addiction may be disruption of family and social adaptation. The gamer devotes more and more time to the computer, and conflicts arise in the family on this basis. Over time, friends may turn away if they do not share a passion for computer games;
• an ever greater craving for the game is reflected in professional activity person: he can play work time when you need to do something urgent. Lack of initiative, the desire to leave work as soon as possible, and negligent attitude towards one’s work responsibilities inevitably lead to problems at work and even dismissal;
• In order to play some computer games, you need to pay for various services. The consequence of addiction to such games can be debt. In the hope of winning, a person can borrow significant amounts of money, take out loans;
• When sitting at a computer for a long time, not only the human psyche suffers, but also his physical state. Visual impairment, excess weight and work impairment gastrointestinal tract due to insufficient motor activity and irregular nutrition, problems with the spine, hemorrhoids - these and other diseases can develop due to excessive passion for computer games.

Computer gaming addiction: main features

The article contains answers to questions. What is computer addiction? What is the danger of computer addiction? How is computer addiction formed? The main signs of computer addiction. This applies to computer game addictions - addiction to computer games.

Target - reveal the truth and protect against mistakes that will cost you dearly. Those for whom computer addiction is not just words know how difficult it is to save your loved one, sometimes even impossible. Materials are based on facts confirmed personal experience and other people. The topic is voluminous, section navigation is below.

Read it completely, because there is no unnecessary information here.

What is computer addiction?

Computer addiction - special kind relationship between man and computer. Specific emotional attachment of a person to technical means.

Another name for the phenomenon is gaming addiction.

Being a behavioral addiction, computer addiction is accompanied by a pattern of behavior in which:

• broken or completely there is no control over gaming behavior- a person cannot or finds it difficult to stop playing on his own or to be distracted by other activities;
• video games have higher priority before any other interests or daily tasks;
• continuation or escalation (increase) of gaming activity, despite Negative consequences , which have ALREADY arrived. Relationships within the family deteriorate, and academic performance suffers. Some lose their jobs or miss out on opportunities. career growth, but continue to play computer games.

A person strives to fill all his free time with a computer: games, social networks, watching videos and more. The key word is “strives”, because at the moment there may be circumstances that prevent you from doing what you want and enjoying computer games to the fullest.

Children are hampered by school and parents, adults are hampered by their children, work and obligations. Such factors can only keep a gamer from breaking down for so long. initial stage development of the problem.

If the interference disappears, a person can easily get lost in the virtual world, and getting him out of there will be very difficult.

The American Drug Addiction Association described the term “addiction” quite succinctly and scaryly:

chronic disorder of the brain, motivation, memory and related systems. Dysfunction in these centers results in characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. It is expressed by a pathological desire to possess an object of dependence.

Any addiction is accompanied by:

• inability to abstain;
• deterioration in behavioral control;
• craving for the object of addiction (withdrawal);
• reducing the significance of emerging problems for the dependent person. This leads to problems either taking a long time to be resolved or not being resolved at all;
• difficulties with interpersonal relationships, an unhealthy emotional reaction in the event of an attempt on the object of addiction.

This is true for computer game addiction.

Gaming addiction can manifest itself with varying strength (degree of severity). Can change its state: enter remission ( temporary attenuation of signs of addiction) or provoke a relapse.

If a former gamer returns to gaming after a break, this often leads to what is called computer gaming binge.

We believe you know the meaning of the word “binge”.

According to official medicine, without treatment or participation in recovery activities, addiction progresses and can lead to disability or premature death.

What is the danger of computer addiction?

Computer addiction is something that gradually reduces a person’s presence in the real world to zero. It is not necessary that a person stop going out on Fresh air(but it also happens often).

A person addicted to video games loses the desire and ability to change the reality around him.

The motivation to live real life gradually disappears.

Social roles, responsibility for your decisions - all this will overshadow the computer.

A person addicted to a computer loses the most valuable thing in life - time.

Video games were designed as a form of entertainment. That's what they are - a form of entertainment. Computer addiction leads to the fact that the importance of the computer is overestimated, and a person, instead of using the gadget for its intended purpose, adjusts his life to it.

Gradually, a distorted idea of ​​the fullness of life is formed, in which everything comes down to having fun (read, playing).

Any free minute should be spent on playing - that is, on entertainment.

A sane person understands that life is not about entertainment. But the computer gamer doesn’t understand.

Another danger of computer addiction lies in a lack of understanding of its nature and the reasons why it formed.

At a certain stage of development, problems with it very hard cope with.

A person struggles on his own or his loved ones help him - it doesn’t matter. People don't know with whom they have to fight.

Even modern medicine does not fully understand what is happening and how it can be treated. Thinking that there is nothing wrong with this, people remain inactive until the moment when such behavior becomes impossible to tolerate. It is not the gamer himself who raises the alarm, but his loved ones.

How is computer addiction formed?

There are three reasons why computer addiction, as a phenomenon, exists in general:

1. Computer games are developed to make money. To fulfill obligations to investors, companies make a product that, least , should please and captivate.
2. Lack of knowledge about the potential dangers of video games. Misunderstanding of the conditions under which it is revealed.
3. Lack of control over the time spent playing computer games.

The formation of computer addiction is due to the lack of time control.

Parents do not attach importance, considering the computer as a harmless and even useful toy for children. Children are under the supervision of a digital “nanny”.

If we stop monitoring the time we spend playing computer games, the process will start.

Interest arises, then a hobby appears, which gradually turns into a need or attachment to games.

There are many factors that can become “catalysts” for computer addiction: stress, disappointment in yourself or your partner, failures in life, etc. They are somehow associated with negative experiences in real life, which makes it less attractive than the virtual world.

Do not confuse them with the reasons for the emergence and development of computer addiction.

These factors are not primary reasons, but often help to form dependencies.

The most common mistake

There is a computer in almost every home. He gained trust. Many people see no reason to worry about its frequent use for entertainment.

Society is at a stage where excessive use of computers or the Internet is not perceived as a problem. This is the result of propaganda working to popularize the gaming movement. Funded by computer game companies.

The goal of propaganda is to attract the maximum number of people to computer games.

But.

Computer addiction is a ticking time bomb. No one knows when it will work.

To understand where we are heading, just look at the experience foreign countries who have been struggling with computer addiction for several years.

Official medicine recognizes computer addiction mental disorder. WHO has already done this, we just have to wait for it to come into force new edition classifier of diseases and update domestic lists of diseases.

Research into the phenomenon of computer addiction will be carried out more often and in more detail. The experience of the USA, Japan, South Korea, China. These countries encountered this phenomenon before ours.

Did they manage to cope?

What is happening abroad causes mixed feelings.

Medical centers have already been created for treatment various types computer addiction. The centers are working, people are healing and returning to normal life. Of course, not everything and not always.

But they didn't solve the problem. The popularity of computer games, as well as the revenue of development companies, continues to grow.

Reminds me of the problem of smoking. People know about the dangers of tobacco and possible consequences his smoking. They know about the high risk of developing a strong addiction to smoking. Despite this, every person has free access to poison (albeit from a certain age).

There are many anti-tobacco campaigns launched around the world. But real and effective measures Almost no one accepted the fight (in addition to increasing the cost of cigarettes, restrictions on sales and labeling on cigarette packs).

The maximum that can be achieved is to oblige video game manufacturers to label their products with warning labels “the product may be addictive” .

Currently, computer games are marked only with an age label (0+, 12+, 18+).

Summarizing foreign experience.

The scale of the gap between the availability of video games and treatment for computer addiction is interesting:

• many games free or cost a little money g (800-1500 rubles).
• treatment from computer addiction costs 60 - 100 times more than the game itself which led to addiction.

As a result, people who fall into the trap are left alone with their problem. Everyone can afford a video game, but not everyone can afford treatment in a modern center.

The main signs of computer addiction and some misconceptions

You can find dozens, even hundreds of different signs of computer addiction on the Internet. Many are an indirect signal of a problem. According to some tests, you can identify one form or degree of computer addiction, according to others, you cannot detect it. This creates confusion in people's heads.

Popular Misconceptions

Myth 1. Computer addiction is not a mass phenomenon.

Is it true. There are more than 2 billion gamers in the world. According to the World Health Organization, 3-4% of them struggle with computer addiction. This is more than half of the population of Russia! And how many are not aware of the problem or don't have the opportunity for treatment?

Myth 2. Video games are useful.

Is it true. If we consider separately game mechanics, games really can improve some indicators: speed of reaction, decision making and a number of others. At what cost?

Any skill takes time to develop. It needs to be removed from somewhere. If more time is spent developing some skills, others will suffer proportionately.

Computer literacy and computer games have nothing in common except the word “computer”.

As a means of entertainment, computer games are useful just as much as it is useful to while away time in nightclubs.

Myth 3. Computer addiction can develop only in the case of mental pathology. This does not threaten a healthy person.

Is it true. Any addiction may be accompanied by pathological factors.

Computer addiction can be an irritant for the manifestation of signs of other mental pathologies. Even WHO experts have defined computer addiction as an independent clinical disease, the existence and development of which does not depend on other mental disorders.

Myth 4. Computer addiction does not exist, it is a media exaggeration.

Is it true. There is no evidence that computer addiction is artificial, except for the opinion of an individual or group of people. This opinion is often held by gamers who defend their hobby.

Some media outlets actually attribute every possible sin to computer games, which fuels a moral panic. This is the case, we do not approve of such news. But this does not address the reality of the problem.

Signs of computer addiction

Time spent playing video games

Is it possible to determine the presence of addiction by knowing the amount of time a person spends playing video games? Most often, if a person spends a lot of time playing games, this is the first signal. But this is not always the case.

What is a lot and what is a little? A vague concept, the idea of ​​which can differ significantly.

A number of scientists even define 1 hour of gaming time a day as too much. Therefore, you should not rely only on time.

If your actual play time is relatively short, you may not always be able to relax and breathe.

Instead of the number of hours spent playing games, it is better to find out what meaning does a person put into this .

Considering the phenomenon from the perspective of free time, computer addiction begins when man looking for free time to play, instead of playing in your free time.

Depersonalization

Depersonalization is a medical term that refers to a disorder of self-perception. One’s own actions are perceived as if from the outside. Being in his body, for some reason a person does not control it.

When the mind is captured by games, real life ceases to bring pleasure and becomes boring and monotonous.

Feeling this, the gamer tries to increase his gaming time or find new games to fill his life with positive emotions.

It will take a long time before he understands that computer games changed his perception of the world.

We make plans, but life makes its own adjustments. It's interesting when you don't know what awaits you. Computer game addicts do not expect anything unusual from every morning. They know how their day will go.

Control over life gradually weakens, the gamer feels like just an observer, as if he were in the passenger seat of a car. The car is moving along a road that he did not choose.

You can try to take control, but the car is already in motion and traveling at high speed.

This is what depersonalization is. Life just passes by. An unpleasant and terrible feeling, with little comparable.

IN modern world new technologies and achievements, people constantly deal with various information systems. The computer has become an integral part of life for each of us, some use it for information purposes, others for communication and hobbies. Undoubtedly, Personal Computer acts as an assistant, performing cognitive and communicative functions. But then, when the time spent near the computer exceeds acceptable standards, a person becomes socially isolated and is only interested in the virtual world, it makes sense to talk about computer addiction.

Among all types of computer addiction, gaming addiction is the most common. According to statistics, approximately 5% of people around the world suffer from gambling addiction and need psychological help.

Psychology of gambling addiction

The gameplay itself is a natural activity, the game is present in human life since birth. Everyone plays: football players on the field, children in kindergarten, actors on stage. But with the birth of computers, a lot has changed; a cyber game is fundamentally different from a regular game, since a person is immersed in another world that is not similar to reality.

Computer is a departure from reality into cyberspace, a change in mental state, obsessions and thoughts. A person obsessed with computer games begins to confuse the virtual world with reality; in severe cases, cyberspace becomes the main environment of existence.

In its symptoms, gambling addiction is similar to alcoholism and drug addiction. Symptoms of gaming addiction:

• spending time at the computer more than 5-7 hours a day;
• outbursts of aggression in response to comments from others about gambling addiction;
• inability to escape from a computer game;
• eating at the computer;
• isolation from social contacts and society as a whole;
• depersonalization;
• ignoring personal hygiene;
• use of psychostimulants;
• communication on topics exclusively related to gaming;
• identification with the main character, complete dissolution in the game;
• state of euphoria during gameplay;
• nesting Money into gameplay or gaming equipment.

Physiological symptoms of gambling addiction:

• dry eyes;
• pallor skin, anemia;
• back pain, spinal curvature;
• headache;
• exhaustion, starvation (in severe cases - dehydration);
• acceleration of metabolism;
• increased heart rate and pulse.

There are a large number of different computer games that are interesting to gamers in their own way, but the most dangerous for the psyche are online games. At first, a person simply identifies himself with the hero, then there is a complete dissolution in the virtual world and an escape from reality. People live in cyberspace: they fall in love, make friends, quarrel, and the emotional coloring of relationships online is much brighter than in real life. There are several important aspects to the psychology of gambling addiction:

• loss of sense of time;
• constant feeling of novelty;
• distorted perception of oneself;
• change in consciousness;
• antisocial character;
• feeling of virtual power;
• change in the volitional aspect.

The addicted player is so captivated by the gameplay that he loses his understanding of the passage of time and the concepts of “here and now.” Consciousness gradually ceases to distinguish the real from the virtual. There are cases where people addicted to computer games played for several days in a row, without sleep or rest.

Gamers (translated from English as “game”) can play the same game for several decades, as they are constantly updated (graphics change, new ones are invented interesting stories). A so-called feeling of novelty arises, when the game not only does not get boring, but is perceived every time as something unusual and interesting.

Computer gaming addiction erases personal boundaries, a person stops living his life, the virtual existence of the hero becomes dominant. Some gamers even changed the name in their passport to a gaming nickname and changed their appearance to be more like their character.

In gambling addiction, a distortion of consciousness occurs; the real world is perceived with difficulty, unlike virtual reality. The cognitive sphere of a gambler suffers to a greater extent: attention is scattered, thinking is slowed down, and memory is distorted.

A person with a computer gaming addiction becomes a “social disabled person,” and his thinking takes on an autistic character. Gambling addicts stop going to work, visiting crowded places, and communicating with relatives and friends. Computer gaming addiction is often accompanied by a fear of large crowds of people and open spaces.

In the game it seems to a person that he can achieve anything, his self-esteem is high and intellectual abilities are at their peak. In reality, everything looks different, the individual becomes powerless: basic hygiene procedures become difficult to perform.

Normal human activity is carried out with the help of volitional efforts, the motivational sphere and the main goals set. In virtual reality, on the contrary, actions occur without volitional impulse, by inertia. The player seems to be under hypnosis, his consciousness is programmed to complete the game. Often such people have a glassy look “to nowhere” during gameplay, they do not hear speech addressed to themselves, and do not notice anything around them.

Computer gaming addiction consists of 4 main stages:

• slight interest;
• passion;
• addiction;
• attachment and complete dissolution in the gameplay.

Most often, children and adolescents are addicted to computer games due to immaturity of mental functions and greater suggestibility. However, there is currently an increase in cases of gambling addiction in adults. There is a tragic case where a 30-year-old man, after spending more than 4 days in the game, died of cardiac arrest. Sharp outbreaks of gambling addiction in adults are most evident in life failures and chronic diseases.

Gambling addicts experience the following mental changes:

• anxiety levels increase;
• fears appear, panic attacks are possible;
• aggressiveness and irritability increases;
• signs of deviant behavior and sociopathy appear;
• the tendency to violence and murder increases;
• the likelihood of developing mental disorders increases.

Statistics and shocking data

Children are most prone to gaming addiction to computer games adolescence, in particular boys. According to a survey conducted among American schoolchildren, 50% of girls spend more than 5 hours a day playing computer games. Boys, on the other hand, spend more than 7 hours playing every day, and their number is close to 80%.

The largest percentage of gambling addicts live in Japan and China. There is a known case when a schoolgirl played network game more than three days and died from dehydration. One Russian man spent almost a million rubles on an online game and filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer due to “virtual theft of funds.” One American young man became so captivated by the virtual world that he right hand, in which he held the mouse, pinching the carpal tunnel, a large, intractable tumor formed.

Often computer games are a catalyst for the development of congenital psychopathology. One of the terrible cases that shook the whole of Europe occurred quite recently: a schoolboy dependent on computer games shot his classmates and teacher. The boy's mental health before the game was normal, but after several months of gambling addiction, he developed symptoms of paranoia. There are known cases when avid players of the aggressive genre became maniacal killers. A resident of Louisiana killed several people over the course of a week because they seemed to him like monsters from his favorite computer game. An eight-year-old boy living in the United States killed his nanny by playing a fairly well-known crime game.

Gaming addiction to computer games can leave a heavy imprint on the human psyche. The personality becomes antisocial, aggressive, uncontrollable, and ultimately completely degrades.

Video - “Gaming Addiction”