Children should not be trapped in video games: experts



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ANKARA

The technological revolution has changed many traditional practices over the years with many breakthroughs, and children's games are no exception.

With children now having easy access to the latest gaming technology, their parents are afraid to become addicted to gaming because they spend hours on mobile devices, computers and consoles.

These concerns prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to include gambling disorders in its list of behavioral and mental health problems in 2018.

Gambling disorder is defined as "the increasing priority given to gambling over other activities to the extent that gambling takes precedence over other interests and daily activities," according to WHO.

"Gambling disorders are one of the most common psychiatric problems," said Ercan Dalbudak, an badociate professor of psychiatry at Anadolu Agency.

Dalbudak said that children would fall into the trap of gambling when they would like to play games, continue to "compulsively play despite the negative consequences" and could not control their behavior.

Insisting that it is not best to introduce children to screens at an early age, he said that it would be best to limit their contact with the screens until they reach the screen. at the age of three years.

Adolescents are the main group at risk

"Gambling addiction causes problems such as the isolation of social life, declining academic success and workplace problems," said Dalbudak, adding that teens aged 10 to 21 were the main group at risk.

His clients are mainly parents of teenagers who complain about their children's excessive gambling habits, especially gambling, he said.

"Gambling disorders are common among those who have attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, high impulsivity or a tendency to depression or anxiety," he added.

While it is not possible to completely avoid screen exposure in today's world, families should keep mobile phones, tablets and computers out of reach of their children and prevent them from taking their children. tablet in their bedroom, he said.

Acting on the question of whether it is possible to combat gambling addiction, he said that there were ways to diagnose risky situations from an early age, to spend time with children, find activities that are age-appropriate and intelligent, and help them socialize.

Stressing that parents should determine and limit the time spent in front of a screen, he said that they should define the applicable rules.

"Parents should first set rules for themselves and obey them. They should avoid spending time on their screens in front of their children, "Dalbudak suggested.

Contacted by Anadolu Agency, a mother of a nine year old boy is complaining of his excessive gambling habit.

"When we tell him that his playing time with the tablet is over, he immediately gets angry and gets nervous and gives us the" sad face ". He refuses to do everything we ask of him, "she said under cover of anonymity.

She added that her son was shy and communicated less with people than with his peers.

"He has difficulty playing other games than digital games with his friends, he is easily bored, and this is not something that is limited to my son but is common to his children. They do not know how to play outside. "

She added that she encourages him to talk and be socially active with others in real life.

Traditional vs artificial

Bilal Sambur, a professor at Yildirim Beyazit University in Ankara, explains that exploring the world through observation and interaction with others has turned into an artificial experiment using tablets and mobile phones.

"Until children reach the age of 14 or 15, their use of digital devices must be minimized as much as possible," Sambur said.

He urged families to make rules that allow children to socialize with real people. The addition of time and continuity is an important indicator of gambling addiction.

"If playing a game becomes a standard and ongoing habit among kids, it's also another hint of gambling addiction."

By rejecting the misconception that some games are beneficial to children, they can play these games as much as they wish, Sambur said: "It's a great illusion. Children could be addicted to all games. "

"Tablets, computers are not babysitters"

"In some games, there are missions such as kidnapping, stealing and growing through drug trafficking, and it is determined as a rule of the game that the level can only be exceeded if a number of drugs are bought or sold, "said Deniz Unay, an Istanbul-based social media specialist.

He said that it was trying to justify some elements of society that threatened by creating perceptions through games.

Pointing out that limiting or prohibiting virtual platforms is never a solution, Unay suggested that people of all ages be educated and informed about these issues.

"I'm warning families here. Tablets, mobile phones and computers are not the guardians of your children. We must take care of our children. If we leave them vulnerable in an unfamiliar environment, the damage they suffer is directly our fault. "


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