Video games can be a fun, engaging way to keep your child entertained. However, extreme usage can affect your child’s mental and physical health and even develop into an addiction.
But are there any particular games that are more hazardous than others? The team at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere has revealed the most addictive games based on player reviews.
https://delamere.com/blog/
The study analysed video games targeted at children ages 12 and under. At the top of the list was ‘Rocket League’, with 14.53% of reviews with the term ‘addictive’ mentioned.
‘Stardew Valley’, a Simulation Role Playing Game, came in at third place with a score of 6.67%, making ‘Rocket League’ almost twice as addictive, according to our findings.
Similar to ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, this game offers the chance to grow vegetables, build a farm, and even date people from the town, making it an ideal game for escapism. ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’, however, was placed at number 16, with a ranking of 1.58%.
Catherine Carney Psychiatrist at Delamere says;
“Like adults, children enjoy having the ability, knowledge and skill to do something successfully, as well as having the autonomy to figure out how to complete challenges on their own.
“Video games provide the perfect opportunity for children to experience both, by completing tasks and making their own decisions that will help them progress onto the next level. As more challenges are completed without help, the desire to want to continue gaming grows.
“The feeling of pleasure that comes with completing these challenges is caused by the chemical dopamine in the brain. Dopamine plays a huge role in people becoming addicted to gaming, so just like how you wouldn’t let your children eat huge amounts of sweets because it makes them feel good, it is important that time spent gaming is limited so that the feeling of pleasure that is experienced when gaming is also limited.”
5 Signs and Symptoms of Gaming Addiction to Look Out for
- Gamer’s Thumb – This is a nickname for a condition called de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, which refers to when the tendons in your thumb become irritated or almost inflamed by so much movement. It can sometimes take 4-6 weeks for your thumbs to return to normal.
- Sleep-deprived and irritable behaviour – If somebody is gaming while they should be sleeping, they will start to show signs of sleep deprivation and a change in their mood.
- Letting go of other hobbies – People that slip into gaming addiction will often neglect other things in their lives that usually make them happy, such as socialising with family and friends, sports or other hobbies.
- Issues at school – Gaming addiction can also lead to distraction. Those suffering from addiction will often wait for the school day to finish to be able to play the game, resulting in them making mistakes that they wouldn’t have made previously.
- Neglecting personal hygiene – Another symptom of gaming addiction can include neglecting personal hygiene such as avoiding showers or not changing clothes for days on end so they can spend more time gaming.
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