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If you are worried that your children play too much computer games you will not be alone. This is something that a lot of parents seem to have concerns about. Thankfully there are many reasons why you should not be overly worried about your children playing computer games even though we would all agree that too much of anything is not good. Hopefully by the end of this article I will have helped to ease some of your concerns.

- Computer games can actually provide kids with skills such as improved eye hand coordination. Allowing children to develop an interest in computers will give them a head start in life and allowing them to play fun yet educational computer games is a great way to do this.

- One of the biggest problems that many parents have with computer games is that they feel it discourages their children from being active but it does not have to be this way. In fact there are now plenty of games that encourage movement and people even use them to get physically fit. If you are worried about your child’s lack of activity then you should have a look at getting these games for them to play.

- Another misconception that many parents have is that computer games are a waste of time. This is one industry where there is a lot of money to be made and your child could develop skills which could help him or her to make a good living in the future; game testing is one such job. These days there is also a great opportunity to make money writing about gaming online and a lot of people are making a living doing just this.

It is understandable that parents worry that their kids play too much computer games, but as you can see there are good reasons why this shouldn’t be so much of a worry.

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Although video game addiction is not yet an official psychiatric diagnosis, it is still reasonable to conclude that some players spend far too much time engaged with online computer games and that this can have serious consequences for their lives in the “real world.”

In an attempt to define the symptoms of video game addiction, researchers initially examined the diagnostic criteria for other more well-known obsessive behaviors.

For example, in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Pathological Gambling is classified as an impulse-control disorder and includes symptoms such as a preoccupation with gambling, the need to spend more and more time gambling, irritability when one must cut down or stop gambling, involvement in illegal activity to finance the habit, and reliance on others to provide money to get out of desperate financial situations.

It was a good start to clarify the signs of excessive play by using mostly objective criteria. However, adapting existing symptoms of one disorder to fit another condition has significant drawbacks. For example, a video game addict is unlikely to be involved in illegal activities to finance his or her habit, and it is not clear that the concept of a “high” that comes from larger bets while gambling can be adapted to fit video game addiction.

As such, researchers and mental health professionals have started to propose different ways to classify video game addiction symptoms that rely less on adapting the criteria for other disorders.

One such system proposes that the symptoms of video game addiction can be broken down into four categories – psychological symptoms, physical symptoms, behavioral symptoms, and relational symptoms.

With this classification system in mind, below is a list of ten psychological symptoms of video game addiction. Again, because video game addiction is not an official psychiatric condition, keep in mind that is not an official list of diagnostic symptoms. However it is based on current research on this issue and clinical work with individuals who have sought help for excessive gaming.

1. Feelings of guilt, regret, and that one has wasted his or her time after playing for much longer than originally intended

2. Feelings of irritability, depression, frustration, or lethargy when unable to play for more than a few days

3. Strong feelings of guilt when one does not join their online team for a prearranged mission or quest

4. Frequently experiencing a distorted sense of time, such as the perception that only an hour has passed while in fact the person has been playing for three or four hours

5. Frequent justification of use that would be considered excessive by most others (“I just use it to relax, what is the problem with this?”)

6. A significant loss of interest in activities or hobbies that the gamer once enjoyed

7. Experiencing a sense of contentment, peace, and calmness when one is gaming that does not exist otherwise

8. Often thinking about one’s next gaming session when involved in other activities or people (for example, at school, with friends, while working, etc.)

9. Frequently downplaying the negative effects of excessive gaming (“At least I’m not addicted to drugs or alcohol”)

10. Significantly decreased interest in academic and / or work-related success.

Dr. Brent Conrad is a clinical psychologist and author who specializes in treating internet, computer and video game addiction. He is committed to providing honest, helpful, and straight-forward advice on how to overcome online addictions. Much more on video game addiction symptoms is available at his professional website.

As part of our ongoing research into video gaming, we scour the internet constantly for what we consider to be helpful websites. On of those that has interested us is the Canadian site, Media Awareness Network. This substantial site brings togethr masses of information about children’s media usage and it also has a great blog, to which its users are welcome to contribute. The site looks at video gaming in a dispassionate manner but does give useful advice. In particular, great tips about Managing Video Game Playing in the Home are given and can be seen by clicking on this link. One of the key tips, which, of course, corresponds with our own view, is that parents need to control the amount of time that their children spend on gaming, including to“Establish rules for how much time per day your kids can play games, and stick to them. Many homes have “not until homework is completed” or “only on the weekend” rules.” This is genuinely an invaluable site to visit for any parent or educationalist who wants a better insight into the entire issue of children’s access to and use of media.

It is believed that in excess of 80% of children between the ages of five and sixteen are able to access a games console. Around one half of every household has at least one games console inside. An in-depth report on the BBC Mobile Website at Can video gaming cross from innocent fun to addiction?

explores some of the facts behind the fear that our children are becoming addicted to gaming. Indicating that the addictive nature of gaming is “based on research carried out in the 1950s, when scientists discovered that rats which had been trained to feed themselves by pressing a lever, would press it obsessively if the food was delivered randomly………the report went on to quote from the comments of a video games developer on the same point. He said, “People have discovered that this works on humans as well. If you give people a lever or a button to press and give them random rewards, they will press it all the time.”
This results in a vicious circle, based on the achievement rewards provided by the games themselves, that can result in compulsive games playing. Commenting on her son’s gaming addiction, one mother was cited as saying, “…………….we started to really understand from a parental point of view. Gosh, this is dangerous… this is a dangerous tool in our house.”
The report concluded that there is a relative lack of both research into the problem and help for those affected compared to what might be describes as more conventional addictions.
The report certainly provides food for thought and serves to confirm the need for parents to be vigilant in their control of their children’s gaming activities. All those interested in the subject matter of this blog would benefit by reading the entire article.

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We all know as parents that it can be hard to take control of our kid’s gaming. They love it and – if we are honest -it can represent a distraction for them that lets us get on with the stuff that we need to do. That, in itself, isn’t a problem, as long as we can keep ourselves attuned to the length of time that they are spending with the games controller in their hands. The most attentive and considerate of parent can become so preoccupied with their own stuff that they forget that their children are STILL on the games machine long after the agreed time to stop. If you are one of those considerate parents, take a look at our product – costing around 50% less than an average video game – which will put you, as a parent, back in control of your children’s video game activity. Go to
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Thanks from the gamesloX team

For decades parents and the media have worried about the effects of video game violence on children and teens (even when the in-game graphics for blood amounted to little more than pixilated red squares).

Although concerns about the effects of violent video games remain, it is possible that parents today should be more concerned about video game addiction than the portrayal of violence in the games.

Although experts sometimes disagree about the exact percentage of kids who become gaming addicts, most studies estimate the rate to be from five to ten percent of active online gamers.

Because video game addiction is a relatively new phenomenon parents may not have accurate information on the telltale symptoms of unhealthy levels of play, why some video games are more addictive than others, who is most likely to develop problematic gaming habits, and how to address the addiction after it develops.

Although researchers and psychologists are rapidly learning more about predicting, assessing, and treating computer game addiction, there remains a considerable amount of misinformation and confusion about this very real problem of the digital age.

Before attempting to help a child or teen addicted to video games, parents should keep the following ten points in mind.

1. As of this writing, video game addiction, computer addiction, and internet addiction are not psychiatric diagnoses. The possible inclusion of these terms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has been debated for many years, but for now they remain unofficial labels, not clinical disorders.

2. Because there is no official diagnosis of video game addiction, there is no specific period of gaming hours per day that indicates “addiction.” Obviously though, the more a child plays, the more likely it is that his or her unhealthy habits are excessive and need to be changed. In addition to determining the typical number of gaming hours per week, it may be more important for psychologists to assess the extent to which gaming is affecting a child’s academic, social, and relational functioning.

3. Even though the majority of children and teens can play video games without becoming addicted, there are certainly those who play far too much. For these individuals, gaming becomes the number one priority in life and development in the real world is sacrificed for advancement in the virtual world. Whether this is called an “addiction” is largely irrelevant. Excessive, unhealthy levels of play while ignoring school, other activities, and real-world friends is a problem that needs to be addressed.

4. If parents are concerned that their child is playing games too much and ignoring other important activities, they should not assume that this is simply a phase and that the child will “grow out of it.” Although some children and teens do move on from video games, there are others who play even more as the years go by. Hoping that the problem takes care of itself is not a recommended strategy. Excessive gameplay should be addressed as soon as it is clear that it is significantly interfering with other important areas of the child’s life.

5. As a general rule, successful interventions almost always include the removal of any gaming consoles or computers from the child’s room. It is very difficult for parents to regain control of their child’s gaming habits if there is still access to the game in his or her room.

6. If video game addiction has resulted in school grades that are significantly below what a child is capable of, parents must be prepared to put very tight restrictions on games or ban them entirely until grades improve. It is absolutely essential that any threat to restrict access is enforced – actions must always be consistent with words.

7. If parents choose to seek help from a psychologist or mental health professional, it is recommended that they met with him or her before the child’s first appointment. Despite rapidly growing evidence that video game addiction is a real problem that deserves focused interventions, there are mental health professionals who remain very skeptical and will always look for the “underlying issue” instead. Parents should make sure that the psychologist or therapist they choose is at least willing to directly treat excessive video game habits if necessary. Which brings us to the next point…

8. Sometimes there is an underlying issue. Video game addiction can exist independently of other mental health conditions. But excessive play can also cause other psychological and emotional difficulties…and be caused by other psychological issues. For example, a teen that is experiencing low self-esteem or depression may turn to online video games as a way to retreat from problems in the real world. In this scenario, it would be important to address not only the problematic gaming, but also the depressed mood and low self-esteem.

9. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is generally the recommended treatment approach for video game addiction that is not the result of a deeper underlying issue. A therapist treating excessive gaming with CBT will focus on challenging unhealthy and unrealistic thoughts the client may have about gaming (for example, that “everyone plays as much as I do”) and designing clear behavioral interventions to help the parents reduce the total gaming time to acceptable levels.

10. Parents should never give up on their children. Video game addiction can be very strong and extremely reluctant to go away, but it can be successfully treated with the proper information, strategies for reduction, and professional interventions.

Dr. Brent Conrad is a clinical psychologist and author who specializes in internet, computer and video game addiction treatment. He is committed to providing honest, helpful, and straight-forward advice on how to overcome online addictions and live life in the real world. Much more on exactly how to help children addicted to video games is available at his professional website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_Conrad,_Ph.D.

A new study released in Pediatrics reports that one in ten children who play video games are at risk for becoming addicted. This gaming addiction is associated with an increased risk of lower school performance, anxiety, and social phobias.

Investigators are trying to determine whether excessive gaming leads to depression, poor grades, and antisocial behaviour or if socially awkward and depressed children cope by playing games. Researchers questioned over 3,000 children Singaporean children in grades 3, 4, 7, and 8 over a period of two years.

Questionnaires were geared towards understanding a child’s gaming habits, social interactions, decision-making skills, and psychiatric status. Investigators coupled this information with school performance to generate their results.

Kids who averaged 31 hours or more of game play per week were categorized as obsessed or addicted to video games. Children averaged between 20.5 and 22.5 hours of video gaming per week. Nine percent of the children studied were considered addicted to gaming. The percentage of young children addicted to \games in Singapore is very similar to other parts of the world, including the United States (8.5 percent), China (10.3 percent), Australia (8.0 percent), Germany (11.9 percent), and Taiwan (7.5 percent).

In this study, investigators founds that 84% of children who were addicts at the start of the study were still addicts at the study’s conclusion. On the other hand, only 1% of children who were not addicted at the start of the study became addicts by year 2. Sixteen percent of children who were not obsessed with games at the start of the study became addicted within 2 years. Impulsivity, depression, and social phobias appeared to worsen as children became more addicted to video games.

However, when the children stopped playing video games, depression significantly improved. Moreover, once children became addicted, they began playing more violent games. As violent game play increased, aggressive fantasies and behaviours increased. Conversely, children who stopped being obsessed gamers noted a decrease in violent game exposure, aggressive fantasies and behaviours.

While this study suggests that excessive gaming causes depression and other problems in children, more work is needed. Doctors and scientists need to determine what steps are necessary to prevent gaming addiction, depression and anxiety in children and what measures are most effective at helping children who have become addicted and are suffering mentally and socially.

To find out more information about clinical trials or how to join a clinical trial please visit our website.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Aubrey_Clark

Video games are certainly becoming the fast-growing addiction not only in teens but in adults as well. Symptoms and effects of the addiction are almost the same across all ages. How these individuals are lured into the addiction is also just the same. But are video games merely tools of influence or are they really enough to get a player totally brainwashed?
Influence is defined as a power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort. There can be no doubt that video games truly have the power to affect a person. A popular virtual character can be looked up to by a video game player. The environment and theme of the game can be enough to entice individuals to travel the virtual world.
How obvious the effort is can be proven by how easily accessible these games are. How vulnerable people are to influences is never a question. An exciting, new fad; a cool, hip gadget; the latest trend in clothes and accessories- these are everyday things that can influence anybody. People would gladly welcome these influences to make them feel all good and “in”.
Brainwashing on the other hand refers to an intensive, forcible indoctrination, usually political or religious. It is usually done to totally change a person’s convictions and attitudes. Ultimately, with brainwashing, a person’s own beliefs are replaced with those of the brain-washer’s. Now that sure is a very heavy definition.
When we talk about brainwashing, we think of military camps or cults. We can’t help but think about physical and emotional torture. We imagine getting confined and detained against our own will. There is an element of helplessness when a person is being held captive against his own will and imposed upon certain values and beliefs in that current state.
So, how can we exactly tell that we are just under the influence of or that we are already brainwashed?
We start playing because of friends who may already be on it. Or because we have seen cool ads about the said game online or on TV. We fall into a pattern of spending countless hours with the computer or the game console. We start ignoring responsibilities at home, in school, or at work because we would rather play. We dismiss personal relationships with friends and family because they do not understand. We make justifications and create lies to defend the addiction. Our physical health suffers because of sleepless nights and early waking hours.
The video game influence is there. It is evident that there have been effects and changes. These effects and changes are proving to be negative in every way. But was it an influence that cannot be controlled by the individual? Or are all the negative signs there completely ignored, by choice?
A video game addict is definitely not held against his will nor is he powerless to avoid the influence. He is conscious of his every act as he goes from day to day spending time with his beloved game console. Nothing is really outright political or religious with video games. Shaping one’s beliefs and attitudes through them is not at all done by force. But rather the person’s choice that he takes upon what his character is portraying or what the game is promoting.
So, who’s to say that video games can actually brainwash? When we all had our eyes wide open to the dangers and effects of it and we had our free will to make our own decisions. When we willingly embraced the virtual world and took it as our own.
Video games are strong influences. But it can not be hardcore brainwashing the way the military or cults do it. We are not captives or helpless pawns of the virtual world. We may find it surprising that we are in fact, willing preys to video game addiction.
We can in fact control these influences. All we need to do is switch off the console and then never look back. We can stop video games from taking over our lives if we sincerely want to. And if we learn to accept the fact that we are the masters of our own world instead of being just a virtual character in an unreal world.

Read more about Brainwashing and Video Game Addiction at the website: My Video Game Addiction.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristine_Cagayat

There are a multitude of different games consoles on the market at the present time. In turn, this means that there are a multitude of games controllers. There are often arguments about what constitutes the best games controller. Is it the conventional hand-held version, the “wand” style of controller used for the Sony Move or the Nintendo Wii or the “no controller” motion based system operated by Kinect for the Xbox 360?
The answer is, of course, none of these. When we decided upon the subject for this article we weren’t looking at which of the games controllers were the best in helping the player to enjoy the video game experience. Instead, we were looking at the best way of controlling your children’s use of their games consoles. Too many parents these days are allowing their kids to spend almost endless amounts of time on their consoles, often resulting in the type of consequences that are highlighted in other blogs on this site. It is al too easy to forget or overlook the fact that your child has been gaming for hours on end. We all lead busy lives and can get distracted from watching over our children’s gaming experiences. However, as parents we must do all that we can to retain, or take back, control of the game. Our simple to use product, the gamesloX games controller, allows parents to determine when their children have earned the right to use their games console, how long they should remain on it and how they can lose the right to play. Armed with prompts and their own timer/alarm, parents really can become the best games controllers! A simple idea, a simple product, a simple solution to the problem of excessive gaming.
Read more about our product on the gamesloX website.

Oahu is the hottest device going to the music scene since the Walkman over two decades ago. But unlike the Walkman which played one analog music cassette at any given time – and did little else – it can hold a large number of song titles, play them in a order you choose, and all in crystal clear digital sound. Enhance that the capability to play games as well as videos, monitor your calendar, and perform host of other functions, it is no wonder the iPod has become nearly as ubiquitous as the cell phone. Sleek, small, and light-weight, iPod owners take their iPods wherever each goes, and with everything traveling those iPods are sure to pick up their share of nicks and scratches. So that it should come as no surprise that iPod users everywhere are purchasing an iPod cover to protect their investment and maximize their enjoyment.
Prior to runing out to purchase a music player cover, remember, one size does not fit all. There are numerous models of iPods – the iPod, iPod Nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod mini to call just a few – so make sure you purchase an iPod cover that will fit your model. Knowing what model you should fit, all that is left to do is find an iPod cover which will fit YOU.
The good thing about an iPod is that you could personalize you music play lists to match your tastes and personality, therefore it is only appropriate that you could purchase a music player cover that not only protects your iPod but represents your tastes and lifestyle. What style matches you: leather, flashy colors, shiny metallic, or what about a clear iPod cover that doesn’t obscure your iPod in any way? No matter which you like there is an iPod cover to fit your tastes, of course , if your tastes vary with your mood you could have more than one iPod cover and switch them once you please!
It is not just you that can be reflected inside your choice of an iPod cover, it’s your lifestyle as well. If rugged outdoor sports are your lifestyle, then a rugged iPod cover providing you with impact protection is correct up your alley. If you want to listen to your iPod while sitting poolside, sailing down a nice river, as well as while swimming, then the waterproof cover will protect your iPod from disaster.
Whether you merely bought your iPod or else you have had one given that they first hit the industry, it is never past too far to purchase a music player cover which will protect your investment. Actually, even if you have some ugly scratches on your own iPod, a fresh iPod cover makes it look like new again. Remember, regardless of what the style of iPod, your style, or your lifestyle, there is an iPod cover for you.
Check out my other guide on ipod touch 4th generation, ipod classic 80gb and ipod touch apps