Nowadays, at least one of the following devices is found in every home: mobile phone, tablet or computer. These tools can be used for fun purposes as they can be used in school or professional settings. Nevertheless, in a testimony relayed by the New York Post, Dr. Nicholas Kardaras highlights the case of a 6-year-old who has developed a real dependence on his tablet.
The case of John, 6, is far from an isolated case. In fact, many young children, teens and adults are completely addicted to their technological devices.
It all started when John's mother, Susan, was persuaded by her technology teacher that it would be wise to buy a tablet from the child. According to the teacher, this device would help him develop his educational skills.
Like any mom who wants to give her child the best, Susan has decided to follow the teacher's advice.
The beginning of addiction
The child started using the device to indulge in various educational games. Then he discovered a game called Minecraft. The teacher reassured the mother that it was a simple game of lego. Susan was happy to see that her son was taking advantage of his electronic gadget and was discovering games that allowed him to develop his creativity. But by taking a closer look, Susan noticed that this game was not quite similar to Lego. Indeed, the game she knew did not require users to kill animals to advance to the next level.
In addition, the mother saw how much her son loved his game and even made friends who shared the same passion. However, she realized over time that John had abandoned all the activities that were important to him before. He was no longer playing baseball and was not reading as before. One day trying to take the camera away, Susan was treated to a real temper tantrum. The reaction was so severe that the mother finally gave in, believing that the technological tool was primarily used for educational purposes.
Tablets and smartphones are a drug that destroys a generation of children.
One night, while the boy was sleeping, Susan came into his room and noticed that his eyes were wide-eyed in front of his screen, obsessed by its content and completely insensitive to his environment. A behavior that did not fail to shock this mother, convinced that her son was almost in a trance because of his lack of responsiveness to his interventions.
According to Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine and director of a detox center, the consequences of this addiction would be even more terrible because in the absence of the technological tool, the child does not know what to do to to be entertained. He becomes apathetic, uninteresting and, above all, uninterested.
Dependence on video games: a serious problem sometimes difficult to spot
Since Monday, June 18, 2018, the World Health Organization has formally acknowledged the existence of a disorder known as gambling addiction. Nevertheless, anyone who plays these games is not necessarily dependent. According to Shekhar Saxena, director of the WHO Department of Mental Health and Addiction, this addiction affects only a minority.
This dependence is defined as "the practice of video games or games on the internet, which is characterized by a loss of control over the game, a higher priority given to the game, to the point that it takes precedence over other centers of interest and activities of daily living, and by the continuation or increasing practice of gambling despite harmful repercussions ". It is obvious that every behavior practiced to excess can have notable consequences.
In addition, it should be known that there is a risk of dependence and that the boundary between normal or pathological use of these games is poorly defined. Thus, if parents notice excessive use of electronic devices accompanied by a behavioral change in the child, they should not hesitate to consult a professional to ask for help.