Internet Gaming Disorder
Nicholas Panara
The Power of the Internet Games
The internet has rapidly become a huge part of modern lives. Some people cannot go a day without going online in some way or form. "Gamers" are the best example of this. Whether they are playing on a phone, console, or computer, they can game for hours.
Too Much Love Can Kill You
Over time the "Gamers" lose themselves in the games they play. Instead of experiencing the real world, they become lost in the virtual world of the games they play. DSM-5 calls this addiction to the internet a "new phenomenon" because of how the internet has become apart of every individual's daily lives.
What We Know.
The specifics of Internet Gaming Disorder is still in the genesis of research. But the disorder has been compared to many other internet addiction disorders. It is also very similar to what happens when someone is addicted to drugs. The internet and the games are the addicts drugs.
Symptoms
- Excessive time using the internet
- difficulty cutting down on internet time
- lack of sleep
- fatigue
- poor grades
- poor job performance
- apathy
- racing thoughts
Treatment
There are currently no drug treatments for the disorder since it is so new. There are some forms of physical treatments. Video-game-addiction.org is currently providing support for children and adolescents that currently suffer from different video game addictions. They recommend sending the child to a summer camp or wilderness program that gets the child out of his normal environment and forces them to experience reality.
Prevalance
This disorder is most prevalent in young adolescent males between the ages of 12 and 20. In 15 to 19 year-old, the prevalence for females was 4.5%, and in males 8.4%. (Psych Congress Network)
Death?
A teen died after gaming for 40 hours. Chuang was playing Diablo 3 for almost 2 days. He had not eaten for the entire time. He was playing at an internet cafe in Taiwan. The long hours in the sedentary position created cardiovascular problems. When he stood up, he took a few steps then collapsed. Chuang was pronounced dead short after arriving at a local hospital.
Works Cited
Almig. (2007, August 3). Sonic Lan House [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/ almig/3330958414/in/ photolist-65m2Tu-5pTBG6-a4PjDH-a4Sc3w-4GiPbs-5pb16J-59NVdv-7aAUqN-5XZPDW-7cLwnY-aFb9tN-8YHZS7-4YuQCt- 65tyxM-3FP1DG-68CwEw-ntG3Da-65xSyE-5UePgp-65vwST-dDeQU9-61D7sA-8XTMVt-65AuUE-eoFSuc-ay2bfr-4rBUES-ay2 b4g-6wtt5c-ak9NP-7aAYwy-3FKNL2-7axdM6-7ax73a-7aAWGQ-27aSQX-7aAZ3m-7aAZwf-7axc3a-3JGYph-7axac6-94Fnwq- 9Y8fLG-4QaMq1-7ax7yv-7axdi8-7ax9Bp-7aB1Qd-7aAWgN-7aAVR7 Bojrab, C. (n.d.). Internet Gaming Disorder and DSM-5. Retrieved from Psych Congress Network website: http://www.psychcongress.com/blogs/chris-bojrab-md/internet-gaming-disorder-and-dsm-5 Internet Addiction Disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Internet_addiction_disorder#Causes_and_effects Internet Gaming Disorder. (2013, May). Retrieved December 4, 2014, from American Psychiatric Association DSM-5 Development website: http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/ Internet%20Gaming%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf Kolko, B. (2004, June 2). [Game cafe in Almaty, Kazakhstan]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/ photos/85547276@N00/319362714/in/ photolist-udPpG-7ATWt7-4sVVmT-jKHNX-udPpE-5QnJDs-7cLvLh-duiDem-dud3Ax-5QVC4n-5QVC4r-mSVqW-baVdrv-6yvg JU-5NFi7L-67XuWJ-gwgrd-eKJzVB-8JdakB-7wne8L-b9no4Z-76TMTr-3YpL8G-65DExN-dHKeBW-5zkZUL-5UuXjP-4qm5S4-8 CrXP8-jkc2fF-tmJ6c-8UfvaS-65vQmD-65xRZw-65C5vL-82b8NZ-jkdhHa-4J44Fu-cwiuhf-aBP4Xr-bDTst2-Q2tYs-9XiG5U -e38Zue-jkdgXn-jkgihy-jkdkND-3FGqbk-jkdZGL-dud32v Mental Disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2014, from http://www.minddisorders.com/Flu-Inv/ Internet-addiction-disorder.html Reynolds, E. (2012, July 18). Teenager collapses and dies after playing online computer game for 40 HOURS straight. Retrieved December 10, 2014, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ article-2175410/Teenager-dies-playing-game-40-HOURS-straight-eating.html Sarkis, S. (2014, July 18). Internet Gaming Disorders in DSM-5. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from Psychology Today website: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201407/ internet-gaming-disorder-in-dsm-5 Video Game Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2014, from http://www.video-game-addiction.org/ video-game-addiction-treatment.html