First clinical case of Fortnite addiction opens debate over time limit in video games

Video game addiction is a real problem, as has been shown the case of a young man in Spain who had to be hospitalized for a case of Fornite addiction. This was reported by a research team made up of members of the Provincial Hospital of Castellón (province in which the case occurred), Jaume I University and the General University Hospital, through a published study in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

According to the group of doctors, the minor had to be hospitalized for more than 60 days after brutally abusing his time playing the famous battle royale or survival genre title.

According to the study, in addition to the risks to his physical health, the young man involved in the case also had several symptoms that were harmful to his mind. In the midst of his addiction, the patient began to exhibit various asocial behaviors such as isolation at home, total apathy for their environment, rejection of the need for social or human interaction, specific and rigorous selection of their tastes; most based on moments of loneliness.

Likewise, he showed clear changes in the normal processes of daily life, in addition to the constant interruption of sleep hours.

Corn, Why was this excessive urge to play Fortnite at risk for mental health? The study carried out in Spain ensures that, in this case, the video game addiction arose as a defense to the pain caused by the death of a close relative of the minor, in addition to the pressure generated by optimal and effective compliance. within their educational environment. That is to say, the mourning and the excess of schoolwork were what triggered the mental shock of the patient; the emotional distress you were feeling might be temporarily relieved by gambling.

While there is no standard on how much time minors should or should not spend in front of a screen, whether playing video games, interacting with the cell phone, or watching television, the organization Healthy Children, part of the American Academy of Pediatrics, dares to set clear limits between certain age groups:

From 18 to 24 months (two years): It should have a screen time of up to 11 hours, with a minimum of 13 hours of sleep.

From 3 to 5 years old: screen time should be at most 11.5 hours, same as daily sleep time.

From 6 to 12 years : You shouldn’t spend more than 12.5 hours in front of video games or other digital interactions, while your break should be at least 10.5 hours.

From 13 to 18 years old: Adolescents and young people could spend a maximum of 14 hours in front of a screen, to fulfill their obligations and to be able to rest at least 9 hours a day.

To avoid at all costs a disturbance of presence in the face of the use of video games, and thus take extreme measures against addiction to them, the doctor Claire McCarthy, pediatrician in primary medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Care at Harvard Medical University, provided the following tips for overcoming any social or family disorder derived from excessive use of video games:

1. Check if there is an important activity in the child’s daily life (education or outdoor recreation) that can be displaced by video games.

2. Be extremely careful with how minors use the consoles and games you play the most. Violent video games can negatively affect them. Also make sure they don’t have access to sexually-themed video games.

3. Place consoles in common areas, like living room or dining roomThis not only allows you to control the time they spend playing, but the type of content they access.

4. Play with them. Children learn by example and do best when they have company. Teach her how long it is wise to be in front of a screen by showing it.

5. Finally, perhaps the most important point. Early childhood education must begin at an early age. Don’t “walk away” from children by lending them your cell phone or console. Spend quality time with them and teach them that the best way to learn is to experience the real world.

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