Globalisation
has contributed to major advancements in technology and seamlessly connects
people across the globe. However, the Internet has also led to the
creation of online games and a new problem increasingly evident in society;
gaming addiction. Gaming addiction is defined as “the excessive or
compulsive use of computer and video games in a way that multiple areas of
their lives are
damaged, such as school, social, family, occupational, psychology and health
(lowa State University, 2011).” A study on Singapore youths have shown that one
out of ten (10%) gaming youths are addicted (lowa State University, 2011). With the growing concern of
gaming addiction among teens in Singapore, the government and parents should collectively monitor the behaviour of youths and actively promote campaigns to fight addiction.
Gaming
addiction can result in serious health problems with gamers sacrificing sleep
just to earn more hours for game play. Common medical problems that arise from
game addiction include “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,
dry eyes, backaches, severe headaches, eating irregularities, such as skipping
meals, failure to attend to personal hygiene, and sleep disturbance (Illinois
Institute for Addiction Recovery, n.d).” In the social context, game
addicts spend more time in seclusion and less with family and friends (Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, n.d).
The addiction can place stress and tension on family relationships
and impede one’s ability to sort priorities such as education and
family. An unhealthy emotional connection to the game character and over-reliance on-line friendships may be formed.
To ameliorate these problems, the Singapore government should actively promote
campaigns to educate young parents of the negative social and health impacts
tied to excessive gaming. A game addict can become “far too immersed in the
virtual world, and as a result, not realize he or she has a problem (Chua &
Poon, 2010).” They do
not realize the addiction problem that is adversely affecting their lives and
that of their families. Thus, family members of youth gamers need to be more proactive and
immediately seek medical help from professionals if addiction symptoms surface.
To tackle heavy addicts, the government can introduce gaming rehabilitation,
similar to drugs and smoking rehabilitation common in countries such as the
United States. Gamers often find it hard to quit on their own and require the
support and help from others. The rehabilitation program will allow addicts to
render support to each other and rid the bad habit.
Early childhood education
is extremely important in the prevention of gaming addiction. Parents should
not simply tell the child to stop playing games, but rather, encourage and help
the child find other healthier pastimes to replace gaming habit (Chua &
Poon, 2010). By engaging in outdoor leisure activities, the child not only
benefits from a healthier lifestyle but also significantly decreases the risk
of gaming addiction. Parents also should establish rules and limit the child’s
Internet usage to 2-3 hours a day to avoid spending excessive time on games.
Additionally, similar to
sexual education in secondary schools, gaming education can be introduced to
inform students about the risks of excessive gaming. Teachers can pay more
attention to students’ schoolwork performance and stay vigilant to spot
possible addiction symptoms as early as they may surface.
In conclusion, gaming
addiction is a growing problem in Singapore, with one out of ten youths affected.
It results in negative social and medical problems. However, through government
initiatives, proper education and emotional support from parents, gaming
addiction can be reduced and controlled.
References:
Chua,
H. H., & Poon, C. H. (2010). Stress may turn youngsters into video game
addicts. The Straits Times. p.a6 Retrieved
October 15, 2013, from http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/news/1012/PDF/STRESS-st-9dec-pA6.pdf
Cornett,
S (2004). The Usability of Massively Multiplayer Online
Roleplaying Games: Designing for New Users. Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405-7104. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://ocw.metu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/2512/mod_resource/content/0/ceit706_2/10/Cornett_Usability.pdf
Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery (n.d.). What is
Video-game addiction? Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.addictionrecov.org/addictions/?AID=45
Iowa State University
(2011, January 19). Risks, consequences of video game addiction identified in
new study. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved October 14, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119120550.htm
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