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Tam is a typical Scots
teenager who fits the category of "Digital Native." With time on his
hands or rather at his fingertips, a bright kid good at science and
maths who, ideally, is destined to go far attracting a high grade salary
and with it personal lifestyle.
Unfortunately, he has kind of placed college or university in limbo. By
spending an inordinate number of hours, whatever the time of day but
especially throughout the night, in a virtual world playing online and
video gaming.
Tam's good at it and often wins. However, like any addiction it has all
but taken over his young life to the point where the 18-year-old hardly
goes out.
He's getting kind of pasty looking and online players have become his
new "pals", as those nearby and at senior school take a back seat.
There's another Tam.
It's an example of computer-speak, wouldn't you just know it. TAM is an
acronym for "technology acceptance model," a process monitoring social
influences and experiences. It's specifically designed to predict users'
ready acceptance of online gaming.
Now, I don't know about you but I read "control" and in a thoroughly
sleekit fashion, behind-the-scenes and unseen. Yet a powerful force,
designed to keep an unsuspecting young person hooked on their games
controller. For as long as possible.
The BBC reported how Epic Games, maker of popular video game "Fortnite",
agreed to pay £427 million ($520m) to resolve claims from US regulators
that it "violated child privacy laws and tricked users into making
purchases".
The States' Federal Trade Commission said the firm duped players with
"deceptive interfaces" that could trigger purchases while the game
loaded and it was also accused of using "privacy-invasive" default
settings.
If that wasn't bad enough a new study reveals market leader Grand Theft
Auto IV is listed as first with 79.54 per cent of storline "missions"
requiring a player to break the law. GTA V is second with 75.36 per cent
and GTA: San Andreas third with 70.93 per cent.
The series has been created by Rockstar Games who have a strong presence
in Edinburgh with it's HQ housed in the former "The Scotsman" Holyrood
building next to the Scottish Parliament.
WHO warning
Gaming experts GTA BOOM of Las Vegas and considered as the complete
resource for all games in the Grand Theft Auto series. Yet this unique
position has not stopped its founder Matt Gibbs from strongly
critisising Rockstar's approach often involving "exaggerated stereotypes
of gand culture.
"The Grand Theft Auto series is a prime example of Rockstar Games'
unapologetic approach to game design. Despite the varying levels of
crime depicted in each title, it's clear that breaking the law is a
central theme of the franchise."
What chance does a young person have when what amounts to sophisticated
highly-technical tricks, led by clickbait, are used against him or her.
The gender ratio of gaming is around 59/41 per cent respectively,
according to Statista ie although society still views it as a
predominantly male pursuit. Not so.
Widespread availability of mobile devices and internet access is
considered to have significantly contributed to what's become known as
"gaming disorder." There appears no let up.
A study by a gaming site called "AskGamblers" (speaks volumes!) analysed
the number of Google searches for technology products on sale with the
outcome is that such is the grip of gaming, the PlayStation 5 (PS5) was
the most searched tech followed, beating the usually unassailable iPhone
13, then Nintendo Switch with XBox Series X fourth and Apple Watch
fifth.
The World Health Organisation has labelled gaming as a "real mental
disorder" placing it in the ICD-11 (International Classification of
Diseases), Scotland's Castle Craig addiction rehabilitation centre
highlights.
WHO describes gaming disorder as "a pattern of gaming behaviour
characterised by impaired control" where gaming takes precedence over
other interests and daily activities and continues to escalate
negatively.
Castle Craig
Castle Craig is a world-renowned residential rehab clinic, situated at
West Linton that has, since established in 1988, helped over 10,000
patients with a majority going on to achieve long-term abstinent
recovery from their addictions.
The team report that, unfortunately, they can be accompanied by
depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, eating disorders and
PTSD. A typical diagnosis involves deterioration in functioning and
day-to-day life like school, family, work, health or social life over 12
months or more.
People at risk from the online peril are urged to request to be
monitored for changes in physical or psychological wellbeing. In the
case of gaming the symptoms include a preoccupation with the pastime and
an inability to control one's time or money spent on video games.
Long-term or severe behaviour can lead to cross-addiction, influencing a
person to turn to alcohol or drugs in order to stay alert and awake or
to deal with stress and insomnia due to extreme gaming.
"The Game Room" offers a chance of some respite by creating a guide on
what it describes as the "hidden benefits" of playing video games, ones
that promote physical activity. Pokemon Go, for example, has been hugely
successful in encouraging people to get outdoors and get their steps in
for the day while Wii Fit and Fitnexx Boxing are two other popular
games.
The gaming expert's Daniel von der Linden urges gaming in moderation to
prevent any negative impacts on daily life: "Set times to ensure you
don't lose track of time and never distanc e yourself from friends and
family for the sake of a few extra hours of gaming."
Game over?
Tam's namesake, Tomer in the States points to the popularity of playing
video games continuing to surge and in recent years parents have sounded
the alarm it can be addictive and with it harmful.
Also 17, Tomer Shaked has written a book entitled Game Over: One Teen’s
Guide to Kicking Video Game Addiction, in which he discusses his
personal struggle to overcome a severe video game habit and provides
practical tips to help others cut the cord.
All proceeds from the young American's Game Over are being donated to
the Jack & Jill Center, a non-profit organisation with a mission "to
strengthen children and families through innovative education,
supportive programming, and community engagement.”
Tomer freely admits gaming consumed a large part of his childhood years
he realises he will never get back. He says video games deprived him of
many irreplaceable experiences and moments, such as time with family and
friends.
Simply put, video games create a disconnect from reality and it’s that
disconnect that becomes an addiction.
It’s common for kids to think grownups are overreacting to such video
game consumption. It makes Tomer's perspective and self-awareness that
much more compelling, and well worth sharing with other young gamers.
He outlines his relationship with gaming, which began innocently enough
as a hobby before it escalated into an unhealthy obsession. It's an
account that will likely sound familiar to many parents and teens
Tomer's book also shares practical advice to help others who want to
break free from gaming’s grip. He says his goal in writing it is to
“inspire and influence" kids and teens to put down the game controller
and live life to the fullest.
It's an important read that will help teenagers and their parents
recognize what video game addiction looks like. It's hoped to reach an
audience prone to video game addiction as well as those who are close to
someone who is deep into gaming.
Tomer, a high school senior and first-time author, struggled with video
game addiction from an early age after receiving his first Xbox and
spent years choosing video games over almost everything else in life.
His addiction lasted until one day, in one moment, he made a radical
change to stop gaming and he hopes he can inspire his generation to step
outside of the game and thrive in the real world.
Like Tam in Glasgow, who has time on his side to follow Tomer's lead... |
