Computer addiction in a teenager: signs of what parents should do

Computer addiction in adolescents is a pathological psychological addiction to computer games. If a person spends too much time in the virtual game world, over time he begins to develop serious psychological disorders, he loses social connections, his personality degrades, so the teenager needs urgent qualified medical care.

There are several types of computer game addiction. This is Internet addiction and gambling addiction. Our clinic uses effective techniques to cope with this problem in a short time.

Computer addiction in children: how it starts

Dealing with computer and video game addiction can be just as difficult as dealing with gambling addiction and other types of addiction.
The following story will demonstrate an example of such situations, and at the same time can give hope. "How could this happen?" - Paul's mother was worried. She finally realized that her son had developed an addiction to online computer games. Until that day, she had been calm about the fact that her son spent a huge amount of time in his room playing games, and she managed to convince herself that everything was fine. After all, when he sits in his room, they don't argue about anything and she doesn't have to raise him.

The tendency to deny is very strong in people. In this case, denial helped the mother ignore the problem at hand. She would even say to herself, “Other children are wandering the streets and getting into trouble. What's wrong with his interest in computer games? He is safe in his room; I know where he is and what he is doing.”

Paul's mother even convinced herself that the time he spent in front of the monitor had a positive effect on his self-esteem. She told her friend Mary, “You know, Paul isn't very good at a lot of the other things that the rest of the guys are good at. And now he has found something that he is good at. I know his self-esteem will grow along with his success in the game."

But, alas, now the mother’s confidence has cracked. She happened to attend a seminar on addiction. She was shocked when the psychologist began talking about the destructive effects of computer addiction. She learned of the breakdown of family relationships when children or adults became overly involved with the computer and lost interest in each other. In addition, she learned about the documented changes in the brain that occur in those who become addicted to gaming.

Causes of addiction

Addiction, first of all, is a deviation, a disease that requires mandatory correction. But, first of all, it is necessary to understand where exactly it all began, what served as the starting point for the formation of this harmful influence.

Psychologists say that the reasons for the development of computer addiction include the following:

Lack of friends and hobbies. For a teenager, establishing himself in society without self-affirmation is not possible. Success in this case directly depends on his ability to maintain social contacts. If a child does not know how to communicate and feels awkward being surrounded by peers, then he most often seeks solace in computer games. Bright, dynamic arcade games and shooters help him take his mind off personal problems and failures. Immersing himself in the virtual world, he feels more confident and easily finds teammates in the game. As a result, everything goes to the point that the gaming space becomes a priority and more desirable for the teenager, in contrast to establishing contacts with peers.
Lack of understanding in the family. All families are different, as are the relationships within them. It’s unpleasant to admit, but not all families have mutual respect and love. It also happens that a teenager feels unwanted and unloved. In the absence of understanding and care within the family, the child’s self-esteem and self-confidence noticeably decrease. He feels resentful and angry, and therefore tries to distract himself in the only, in his opinion, accessible way - with the help of computer games. The virtual world helps him once again feel his importance and relevance, where he has many friends and like-minded people. Many parents make the fatal mistake of thinking that it would be better for him to play computer games than to get involved with bad company that will push him to smoke cigarettes and alcohol.

Important

Computer addiction is no less dangerous than alcohol and drugs. The desire to escape reality has a destructive effect on a teenager’s personality and can lead to the development of various mental disorders.

Principles of therapy and correction of computer addiction

In some cases, hospitalization in a hospital is necessary to relieve withdrawal symptoms. For this purpose, antidepressants, anxiolytics and/or sedatives are used. But psychotherapy takes the leading place in treatment. Most experts recommend individual and/or group psychotherapy with an emphasis on working with images and emotions. Considering certain difficulties in the implementation of interpersonal contacts and social adaptation of persons with computer addiction, it is more advisable to use group types of therapy.

The use of family psychotherapy is also promising, because very often the basis of computer addiction is family dysfunction and an inadequate style of parenting and relationships with the child.

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How to save a child from computer addiction

Helping a child overcome addiction is often much more difficult than helping an adult. The reason for this will be the child’s reluctance to make contact and admit that there is a problem. Most children suffering from computer addiction do not listen to the arguments of adults, believing that they specifically want to protect them from their favorite games, just to prove their superiority.

That is why it is very important, first of all, to establish trusting communication with the child. Only after this should one look for the reason that prompted the child to escape from reality. Often the reason is extremely simple - lack of self-confidence, problems communicating with peers, misunderstandings in the family. Parents have to not only find the source of the problem, but also help the child deal with the difficulties that have arisen.

To make it easier to fight computer addiction, take into account the advice of psychologists:

The first step, as mentioned above, is to recognize and admit that there is a problem. It is also worth drawing up a plan of proposed actions aimed at getting rid of such a bad habit.
Under no circumstances should you criticize, scold or physically punish a child. This approach will only worsen the current situation and alienate the child from you, forcing him to withdraw into his inner world. In addition, in fairness, it is worth noting that the blame lies not only with the child; parents who were unable or unwilling to pay due attention to their child and missed the moment that served as the reason for leaving for the gaming world also bear no less responsibility. .
Think about what your child used to be interested in. He should have his own interests and hobbies that he has previously engaged in. Share his hobbies with him, in this way you will increase the level of mutual understanding between yourself and the child and will be able to establish trusting communication, without which all your attempts to overcome addiction may not work at all.

Consequences of computer addiction

Attachment to the computer makes it the main way of communication with the outside world, and this applies not only to addiction to social networks. In most games, participants conduct dialogues in a chat, and this communication becomes the main thing.

This is fraught with the loss of skills of real interaction with others. A teenager simply forgets how to conduct constructive dialogues, communicate on various topics, and interact effectively in society. The absence of these skills provokes emotional and social immaturity - the child becomes unable to understand the feelings of another person and put himself in his place. It is difficult for him to build warm, trusting relationships with his family and achieve emotional intimacy.

The feeling of impunity for actions on the Internet provokes a feeling of permissiveness in real life. A child can do anything in a computer game, including committing actions that are actually prohibited by law. As addiction progresses, these areas of life become mixed, and the adolescent’s unstable psyche becomes unable to exercise control over his actions.

The end result may be depression, especially associated with the absence of an attachment figure when restrictions are imposed.

The physical health of a teenager suffers no less: problems with the musculoskeletal system appear due to constant exposure to non-physiological positions and poor posture; Dry eyes occur, vision is impaired; Disturbances in the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness develop, headaches, dizziness, and disturbances in the blood supply to the brain appear due to low physical activity and rare exposure to fresh air. Failure to comply with hygiene and neglect of nutrition entail a deficiency of vitamins and microelements and the risk of developing certain diseases.

Statistics show even more severe consequences.

It makes you think, right? It is important to take control of the situation as early as possible and prevent irreversible changes.

Computer addiction in adolescents and preschoolers: where to turn

If a simple test for computer addiction (for example, an attempt to distract a child from the Internet) leads to aggression and you cannot resolve the situation on your own, it is better to contact a specialist.

An experienced psychoanalyst will find out what problems are bothering the child, talk to him and help him overcome addiction. If simple communication sessions do not help, a psychologist can offer hypnosis - in many cases, careful psychotherapy can solve the problem of cyber addiction once and for all, but it is worth considering that not all people are amenable to hypnosis. The doctor may also suggest drug treatment - most often this method is used in the presence of concomitant disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.).

Antidepressants and sedatives will help eradicate the source of the problem - a painful state of depression and fear, forcing the child to look for a way out in the computer world.

Reasons why teenagers immerse themselves in the virtual world

The consciousness of a teenager is very susceptible to the influence of various factors of the surrounding reality. And when these factors somehow cause him discomfort, the first thing he does is run to the computer screen, to games where he feels comfortable. If nothing changes, then the teenager gradually becomes more and more immersed in the computer world until he becomes completely dependent on it.

What are these factors?

Loneliness. Moreover, loneliness is in the understanding of the teenager himself, and not in ours. That is, it is not necessarily the absence of people around him. Teenage loneliness is the absence of those with whom you can share your innermost thoughts, experiences, and problems. The teenager will be lonely, even if all his family is at home (or even there are a lot of guests around), but at the same time he knows for sure that none of these people will hear, understand or support him.
Low self-esteem. The desire to assert oneself, an inferiority complex, and low self-esteem make a teenager withdrawn, shy, not popular and not authoritative among his peers. And in a computer game or on social networks you can show qualities that are lacking in reality: to be a hero-liberator - brave and courageous, not to be afraid of enemies or trials, to be eloquent, humorous, fashionable, cool, smart, slim, handsome, muscular , easily meet girls and enjoy their attention, be the soul of the chat or the leader in the game...
Chaos. If there is complete confusion and disorder around the child, the easiest way to get rid of it is virtual. At first occasionally, then more and more often, until the illusion of complete comfort and security of a teenager in this computer world takes root in his brain.
Family conflicts. It does not matter whether quarrels and scandals occur between parents, or between a parent and a teenager, or between a teenager and his brother or sister. They invariably cause him mental imbalance, giving rise to an irresistible desire to get away from it. And the easiest way is the same: to bury your face in the screen and keyboard.
Stress or life failures. A teenager is surrounded by stress like a thick wall: failure in class, ridicule from classmates, a girl abandoned him (a boy abandoned him), lost in a competition, a friend betrayed him, teachers (or one, but especially harshly) find fault, high school students terrorize him, an important test or exam is looming, his complexes pester him. about “hormonal” acne or voice loss... Again, you can throw out the negativity through a computer game. True, when it begins to become addictive, the teenager’s brain subconsciously finds problems from which it needs to escape into the game.
Excessive love of parents for another child in the family. It doesn't matter - younger or older. It is important that the teenager grows up understanding how much better his brother or sister is in the eyes of his parents: he studies well, loves order, is an athlete, a winner of subject Olympiads, neat, obedient, etc. If parents love one child more and do not hide it, the chances that the unloved one will be at the mercy of the computer increase significantly.
Excessive demands. The situation is the opposite of the previous one, but also causes psychological discomfort in the teenager. The constant pressure and desire of parents to see only the best achievements from the child will lead to the fact that he will begin to be afraid of the slightest failures and think that the love of his parents must be earned, it is not unconditional. Such internal conflict also pushes one to search for an accessible outlet.
Lack of communication with peers. The reasons for this may be different: not a cool “outfit”, reluctance to join dubious ones, “rogue”, loser. And the basic need of a teenager is the presence of a social group of his age that shares his interests, full communication with peers. And if it doesn’t exist in real life, it can be found in the virtual world...

Consequences

Anything that is excessive is not good.

Because the:

Prolonged absorption of excess information causes neurosis, problems with self-control and negatively affects the ability to remember well.
Self-identification is disrupted, since a teenager may try to enter the real world in the status achieved in the gaming space - cognitive dissonance has never benefited anyone.
The skill of working hard to achieve real results disappears, which hinders further development as a person capable of independent life in the future.
Studies suffer, real friendships are destroyed.
The risks of developing social phobia increase.
Serious problems with the spine (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia), intestines (up to volvulus or ulcers due to impaired diet and neurosis), and vision are possible.

How to approach an introverted child? Find out the answer right now.

Signs of an addicted person

Despite the fact that computer addiction does not yet have generally accepted recognition, the main diagnostic criteria for this mania have nevertheless been developed. They are divided into two large groups: mental and physical.

Mental symptoms

Dependence of mood on being at the computer. Behind it is a great mood, euphoria mixed with a feeling of guilt; without it - irritability, depression, aggressiveness, a feeling of emptiness and not knowing what to do with yourself.
Losing control over time. Internet addiction erases the boundaries of time and the concepts of day and night for its captive. At the same time, communication with one’s gadget is steadily increasing, unnoticed by the addict.
Inability to stop. Often it is almost impossible to tear a computer prisoner away from the “occupier”. The need to interrupt the game (communication, browsing, etc.) causes resistance, indignation, and aggressiveness in the addicted person. Gamers are often obsessed with a goal: to reach a certain level, get all the bonuses, complete the entire game, and then all similar games. At the same time, it does not have a final goal (thanks to game developers), since the game world is constantly replenished with new versions of virtual reality. Even if for some reason he doesn’t like the game, he won’t leave his computer. He'll find another game.
Ignoring the surrounding world. Internet addiction, like a jealous soulmate, over time displaces from the environment of its “slave” everyone who can interfere with their “relationship”. That is, family, work, study, personal relationships, interests and hobbies. A dependent person will prefer a computer to any other activity, even his once most favorite one.
Denial of the problem. Like any other mania, computer gaming addiction is not recognized by the person who has fallen into its “embraces.” At best, he realizes that he spends too much time on virtual reality and promises to improve (both to himself and to those around him). But he does not keep these promises, even resorting to lies. In the worst case, he simply denies any dependence and harm from it.
Irritability. It is observed due to the inability to access the Internet (damage to the gadget, lack of Wi-Fi, unpaid traffic), as well as its low speed.
Minimizing needs. A person caught in a computer network stops taking care of himself, eating well, and getting enough sleep. Relegates basic hygiene procedures to the background.

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Physical signs

Vision problems. Namely, myopia, dry eye syndrome, display syndrome, which arise due to overload of the visual apparatus, which, in turn, occurs as a result of prolonged work at the monitor.
Pathological changes in the musculoskeletal system. Thus, a forced posture at the computer with a bent back can over time lead not only to pain in the back and neck, but also to curvature of the spine, the development of osteochondrosis and even intervertebral hernias. Tensions in the muscles of the hand and fingers on the mouse can result in muscle pain at best, and in the worst case, pinched nerves and tendons (carpal syndrome).
Disorders in the digestive system. Irregular and poor nutrition can result in gastritis, peptic ulcers, and chronic constipation for a gamer or social media lover. And in combination with a long stay in a sitting position - and hemorrhoids.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system. A sedentary lifestyle and prolonged sitting posture contribute to blood stagnation and, as a consequence, the development of varicose veins. The same sedentary lifestyle, supported by high-calorie snacks, can also contribute to the appearance of cholesterol plaques in blood vessels, that is, atherosclerosis.
Exhaustion of the nervous system. Due to the need for constant attention and processing large amounts of information, and in the case of games, quick decision making, the nervous system is exhausted. Fatigue sets in. As a result of lack of sleep, lack of fresh air, and poor nutrition, the brain simply does not have time to rest and the nervous system does not have time to recover. Therefore, fatigue gradually increases and turns into chronic fatigue. In addition, the nerves are constantly “undermined” by negative emotions - from scandals with relatives, problems at work or in school, one’s own bad decisions or the wrong moves of other players, low-rated photos or deletion from friends on social networks.

Signs of Internet addiction

There are a few warning signs to look out for

A teenager is at risk or is already addicted to computers if:

His daily routine has changed. He began to go to bed late and was reluctant to get up, the time of eating changed - he began to refuse food in favor of staying with his toy.
The teenager began to spend less time with friends when he had them.
Fatigue, passivity, attacks of aggression and irritation appeared.
There is academic failure. Difficulties appear when doing homework. Disciplines that were previously easy are no longer enjoyable, and grades deteriorate.
Absenteeism appears. Parents who are unable to monitor their child’s attendance due to work commitments may encounter such information from teachers.
Ignoring household responsibilities. This applies to families where there was already a clear distribution of functions for each family member. The teenager stops performing his tasks and resists when he is reminded of the need to do something around the house.
Lack of hygiene. Often, spending a long time at the computer causes difficulties in following hygiene rules: the child may “forget” to brush his teeth and the first thing he does is go to the computer immediately after waking up.
Full concentration on the game. Attempts to engage in conversation end in failure: it seems that the child simply does not hear what is being said to him. Answers inappropriately or asks to be left alone.
The time spent at the computer increases. The child is not able to control himself, he is lost in time, perhaps promises to sit less tomorrow, but does not keep his promises. The inability to sit at the computer provokes aggression, tearfulness, and rage.
Very often, in places where there is no access to a favorite gadget, a teenager behaves nervously and wants to go home as soon as possible. The first thing he does upon returning is press the “Start” button, in extreme cases without even having time to take off his outerwear. In the case of addiction to social networks, the same can be attributed to mobile phones as an accessible way to access the network.
The teenager begins to communicate a lot using computer terms.

Does this sound familiar to you? This means, most likely, the teenager really suffers from computer addiction. I will tell you in detail how to treat computer gambling addiction. Its consequences have the most detrimental effect on the fragile psyche of a young man.

Reasons for developing addiction to games

The main reason why computer addiction occurs is social in nature. Children can follow the example of their parents, especially their father, who is also interested in games. This is why it is so important to set a positive example for your child. Remember, teenagers learn not from our words, but from our actions. Computer gaming addiction usually develops in families where parents spend little time with their children. Teenagers are looking for something to replace healthy communication and find joy in games.

The formation of a negative habit is also affected by the teenager’s environment. To improve relationships with peers, he imitates classmates and friends who spend a lot of time in front of a monitor, tablet or phone. Staying up to date with new games means being one of your own. Parents who notice an emerging problem can distract the child from the computer by offering family time that is fun for everyone (hiking, board games, football, solving charades). It is easier to cope with a problem when it has just matured. Therefore, do not put off looking for a way out of the situation until later.

The desire to play is increased in children who do not know what to do. It is worth inviting the teenager to enroll in an aircraft modeling club, take a trial karate lesson, or take up modern dancing or playing the guitar. A possible option is to study computer technology. The teenager will learn how to make simple programs and what he needs to learn to create games. What’s good about the last option is that your child will do what he loves, and at the same time spend time at the computer usefully.

If the problem is complex, and the teenager has developed a persistent and painful psychological dependence, like on chemical substances, be sure to contact a rehabilitation center. Specialists will help the addict understand his problem and find the reasons for its occurrence. The patient will learn to take responsibility for desires and will be able to evaluate them. Doctors will demonstrate that Internet addiction is not the only source of happiness, peace and euphoria, and that these feelings can be achieved in alternative ways.

Main features

Computer addiction is not a serious pathology, but it harms many. The criteria for the disease are divided into 2 types: mental and physical. Let's consider those that are classified as mental signs.

Increased mood from being at the computer. The gadget lifts the mood, brings joy and pleasure, and when it is not there, the person becomes nervous, irritated and angry.
Lack of time control.
It's hard to stop.
Leaving the real world.
Failure to admit there is a problem.
Nervousness, irritability and aggression.
Failure to meet simple needs.

Physical signs

Physical signs of addiction include the following:

vision deteriorates;
the musculoskeletal system is disrupted;
poor functioning of the digestive tract begins due to poor nutrition (gastritis, ulcers, frequent constipation, hemorrhoids);
heart and vascular diseases usually appear due to a sedentary lifestyle;
the nervous system deteriorates.

Prevention of computer addiction

Primary prevention should begin at school and be aimed at improving the mental adaptation of students, their interpersonal relationships, and familiarizing themselves with the manifestations of computer addiction and its possible consequences. It is necessary to inform parents and teachers about the formation of the first signs of computer addiction.

Technologies for the primary prevention of computer addiction have been developed, focusing on the following areas (L.N. Yuryeva, T.Yu. Bolbot, 2006):

1. Information (publications, helpline, psychological service, social support).
2. Educational (educational programs; training programs for parents, teachers, psychologists, social workers, computer club workers, training programs for students of schools, lyceums and colleges).
3. Providing employment (club work, additional training, temporary employment, etc.).
4. Correction of family relationships (formation of relationships that contribute to the full upbringing of the child, common interests of all family members, emotional support, psychological protection, etc.).

Secondary prevention is based on identifying a risk group and is aimed at preventing the development of computer addiction and restoring personal and social status in these individuals.

Recognize and neutralize

If parents are aware of the presence of at least one of the above problems, they need to try to correct the situation as quickly as possible. Then the chances of protecting a teenager from addiction will increase significantly. And saving it is always easier than pulling it out later. Therefore, you need to act immediately before it is too late.

How can you understand that trouble has come? What are the signs of computer addiction? There are many of them, and not all of them are always present. A few are enough to suspect something is wrong. Actually, the first sign is the feeling of the parents themselves that their child is wasting a lot of useful time at the computer. This is already a wake-up call.

What else can be classified as “symptoms” of addiction?

A teenager literally wakes up and goes to sleep with a computer: when he wakes up, the first thing he does is turn on the computer, and does not go to wash or have breakfast, he spends all his free time with it, and before going to bed, the child also cannot be torn away from the mouse and keyboard.
Does not notice the passage of time spent playing games, in reality loses the sense of time, and may be late everywhere.
Loses interest in any joys of life: outdoor games, communication with peers, sports, hobbies.
Slipping in academic performance.
Loses face-to-face communication skills, which leads to problems in relationships with teachers, peers, and parents.
Becomes withdrawn, aggressive, conflictual.
He falls into euphoria when he finds himself at the computer, and any attempts to tear the teenager away from the screen enrage him, he becomes embittered, and behaves aggressively.
He became sloppy both in clothes and in everyday life.
Not wanting to be interrupted, he even wants to eat at the computer.
Health has deteriorated (possible fatigue, insomnia, red eyes, headaches, blurred vision, even scoliosis).

In fact, no matter how provocatively and rudely a teenager behaves, he deserves sympathy: the more he runs away from the problems that surround him in real life, the more of these problems he appears. Therefore, the sooner parents begin to act, the greater the chances of success.

How to replace a computer

Remember your childhood, without computers and various gadgets. It didn’t even have TVs, because there weren’t really any children’s programs. Live communication remained. It was everywhere - on the street, in circles, sections. Now your child, sitting at the computer or on the phone, is losing precious minutes of his childhood or youth.

How to distract a child from the computer? How to get rid of computer addiction in children?

When answering these questions, you, adults, must clearly understand and try to organize your child’s free time and leisure time so that you don’t have to force him away from the computer. This could be a joint skiing, biking, fishing trip, or into the forest.

It is necessary to offer the child a variety of activities so that he has the opportunity to choose what he likes: sports associations, clubs, music or art school.

And it’s even better to get a pet that your baby will look after, walk with, and communicate with. You can give your child work assignments or pick up useful chores around the house.

It is necessary to encourage the baby’s friendship with other children, invite them to visit and let them visit. This will instill confidence that real friends are in the real and not the virtual world and will save the child from gaming addiction to computer games.

Encourage your teen to take a computer class. There he will be given the basics of computer work, taught how to create websites and programs.

Using the accumulated experience, it will be possible to seriously engage in the creation of a new product using information technology. In short, the benefits of computer can be used wisely for the future.

Stages of psychological assistance

The help of a psychologist in the treatment of computer addiction in adolescents is essential for successful therapy. Psychological assistance takes place in several stages. Let's take a closer look at them.

The main task is to make the teenager himself realize the problem and admit the presence of addiction, possibly with the help of a psychologist.
It is useless to put pressure on a child, scold, lecture, or use emotional blackmail. This will only make the problem worse. The desire to be treated must come from the patient himself, then there will be no internal resistance, and the therapy will be successful.
The help of loved ones at the stage of psychotherapeutic treatment, when the underlying causes of addiction are determined, consists of emotional support. Realizing the true cause of the problem can be psychologically difficult, and it is important to know that parents and friends love and are always ready to help. The doctor also guides and supports the patient.
When changes occur and computer games are abandoned, it is important to help the child fill the void that has arisen and find a new hobby in life. Let it be a sports section, a modern dance studio or a theater workshop. Ideally, a teenager would find not only a hobby, but also new friends and communication. At this stage, the doctor must constantly pay attention to successes, record them, and encourage the patient.

With the help of a qualified specialist who will find an approach to the teenager and competently structure treatment, as well as with the support of loved ones, the prognosis for getting rid of computer addiction is favorable.

Causes

The reasons why children and adolescents develop computer addiction can be very different. But experts name four main, most common ones.

Family problems

Firstly, computer addiction most often affects those children whose parents are constantly busy and do not pay due attention to them due to their eternal time pressure. Moreover, it can be dictated not only by work, but also by some purely personal interests. For example, mom divorced dad and is trying to get married again. Or both parents love to travel, but do not take the child with them, avoiding unnecessary hassle and leaving him with the grandmother. Or they are too sociable and all their free time is spent on friends, joint holidays and parties.

Secondly, this happens if emotional closeness with parents is disrupted. The latter are so tired after work and household chores that they are not even interested in how the child is doing, what his day was like, or what emotions he is experiencing. So he has no choice but to seek support in games and from virtual interlocutors.

Lack of hobbies

If life from childhood is not filled with anything (no hobbies, hobbies, attachments), still the potential energy present in everyone will seek a way out. It’s not for nothing that psychologists advise starting from elementary school to think about sections and clubs. Sports, theater arts, drawing, beadwork, scientific interests - all this directs me in the right, healthy direction. In such a situation, computer games are nothing more than entertaining, and communication on social networks does not go beyond the norm. When life is not filled with anything, the child begins to fill it with what is in sight - computers and gadgets.

Communication problems

One of the most common causes of children's computer addiction is social maladjustment. If a child does not have good relationships with peers and adults, he replaces the need for communication with the possibility of virtual communication. There can be a huge number of reasons why he does not get along in real society: internal complexes, physical disabilities, complex character, bad upbringing, etc. For example, outcasts and autists suffer from computer addiction in 75% of cases. In class they are constantly humiliated, they are outsiders and losers, but in the game they are cool heroes saving the Universe.

General failures

There are people who are pathologically always lucky in everything. They find themselves in the right place at the right time. And there is a completely opposite group: despite all efforts, they fail at every step, lose, and experience failure. There is also a similar trend among children. The teacher disliked him, someone else was accepted into the football team or the Olympics, the most difficult options on the test come across, friends betray him, etc. Each time, stumbling over such difficulties, the child gives up, stops fighting and puts up with his stigma of being a loser in life. real life. But he compensates for it in games and online communication. They insulted him - he immediately trolled someone on the Internet just as cruelly, writing an unpleasant comment.

In addition to these main reasons for children's computer addiction, there are others:

curiosity, the tendency of childhood to absorb everything new and interesting into oneself, like a sponge;
the desire to be like everyone else: everyone plays World of Tanks or World of Warcraft - and I will; everyone has accounts on Instagram and Facebook - and I need to create one;
copying the behavior of parents, who themselves are constantly “hanging out” on gadgets and challenging each other for a place at the computer.

Risk groups include:

whose parents are constantly busy;
teenagers from 12 to 15 years old;
boys: firstly, they develop a greater dependence on computer games than girls; secondly, they experience the age crisis more difficult.

In fact, the causes of computer addiction can be more diverse. Both chance (I came to visit a friend, saw him “hanging out” playing a game, and also got carried away) and mental characteristics (a tendency to fantasize, autism, social phobias) can play a role here.

What it is?

From the point of view of medical science, any addiction is a disorder of brain activity, motivation, memory, as well as systems associated with them. This manifests itself in violations of a person’s physical and psychological state, his social and spiritual life. Addiction is characterized by a pathological desire to possess the object that caused it.

A dependent person is not able to abstain, control his behavior, his cravings are painful, everyday problems, relationships with living people fade into the background, his emotional reactions become unhealthy.

From this point of view, computer addiction is a special, deformed emotional attachment of a person to various types of pastime at the computer. This can be games (both bloody and very harmless), communication on social networks, wandering the Internet, endless watching of videos, etc. That is, a person becomes addicted to computer games, social networks, video content...

A dependent person strives to spend as much time as possible at the computer, overcoming circumstances that interfere with this, whenever possible. And everything that interferes with this becomes hated: work, study, household chores... But if all these factors disappear, the person will be completely sucked into the virtual world. That's what's scary.

Everything that happens to such a person unfolds precisely in virtual spaces: grief - he will discuss it with regulars of social networks or the gaming community, joy - too. The absence of events is generally a great reason to spend time doing something you love. A person loses time that could be spent more usefully, but he begins to understand the very concept of benefit as receiving pleasure from communicating with a computer or from gaming achievements. Gradually, a person’s presence in the real world is reduced to the biological existence of a body that does not benefit either its loved ones or society in general. He simply adjusts his life to the opportunity to sit down at the computer.

According to statistics, about 12% of all people who use a computer are addicted. And the worst thing is that they will not be able to cope with this on their own.

How to help a teenager cope with computer addiction in 3 simple steps

For a child, a computer is a source of pleasure and a means of satisfying needs that cannot be satisfied in reality.

Therefore, what parents should do:

Find out what exactly their growing child is missing. Have a confidential conversation.

If there is no trust between the teenager and the parents, this problem will have to be resolved first. The recommendations given in the article “The child has a transitional age” will help you. What do parents need to know?

There is no need to guess what your son or daughter is missing, you definitely need to ask about it! Although attentive, observing, analyzing the child’s behavior, parents will already understand what is missing from the reactions that the child gives when immersed in the computer.

During the conversation, questions should be asked gently, but seriously, until the essence becomes clear. As a result, a feeling or need that is desired by the child should be voiced.

For example:

– Why do you play this game so much?

- I like her!

–

- Everyone plays it! There you can gather as a team and defeat your enemies!

– Do you like playing in a team?

-Yes.

-Do you like winning?

Possible consequences

Computer addiction causes the following problems in children:

myopia;
worsening sleep;
eye fatigue syndrome;
tunnel syndrome (pain in the wrists);
gastritis;
metabolic disease;
decrease in the body's defenses;
poor posture;
back pain.

If a child is immersed in the world of virtual adventures, all his emotions and feelings are taken away by the game. Schoolchildren who spend a lot of time at the computer experience chronic fatigue. The habit of giving up walks for the sake of a tablet makes a young gambling addict vulnerable to viral infections.

Symptoms of computer addiction

Computer addiction is a set of symptoms and problems, mainly social, somatic, and psychological. This depends on many factors typical of those who sit at the computer for days:

suffer from a lack of sense of time - a person thinks that everything will pass over time, that he is sitting in front of the computer for only a few minutes, but in fact several hours have already passed;
has anxiety disorders - poor health does not manifest itself only when a person is in the virtual world;
experiences excessive excitement - excitement appears when he is in front of the computer and nervousness when he cannot do this;
focuses thoughts only on what may currently be happening on the network;
suffers from insomnia - difficulty falling asleep, and when you manage to fall asleep, your dreams concern only the computer, the Internet and virtual life;
there may be nervous tics - imitation of movements of fingers on the keyboard and hands along the movement of the mouse;
has speech impairments in real life, speaks in slang that is only used online. Lack of control over this behavior;
limited in social contacts in real life.

Extreme cases of computer addiction may include:

deterioration of vision,
muscle spasms,
muscle atrophy.

Power over a young body

It’s especially scary when computer addiction occurs in teenagers (most often it’s a gaming addiction). After all, firstly, they do not notice the presence of a problem, and secondly, they gradually lose the ability to behave adequately in real life: computer addiction in adolescents leads to the fact that in reality they continue to think in the same virtual game categories.

And there are many lives, the possibility of a reboot, there is no physical pain, you can always buy yourself health or the necessary elixir; success or the transition to a new level - and, accordingly, the degree of one’s own coolness - depend on how quickly and skillfully he deals with a certain number of enemies or overcomes a certain number of obstacles. The concept of death is replaced by other concepts (end of the game, rollback to the beginning of the round, loss of one attempt out of many).

Parents should notice that something is wrong, because the main help will initially come from them. Dependence does not form at lightning speed. Therefore, by carefully observing your child, analyzing the intra-family situation, the behavior of your daughter or son, you can stop the process in time before it reaches the stage of a mental disorder and the teenager requires treatment for computer addiction from a psychiatrist.

Never throw it in your child’s face that he is abnormal and that he needs to see a psychiatrist. The last thing a teenager would want in this life is to feel like a psycho.