It is important to recognize the dangers of gaming addiction and establish measures to prevent and counter the problem.
The National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center conducted a survey on people aged 10 to 29.
About 4,400 people who played video games in the last 12 months were asked about their current situations: 60% said that they spent one hour or more daily playing games on weekdays, while 18% spent three hours or more and 2.8% spent six hours or more.
The longer the time respondents spent playing games, the more likely it was that it had a negative effect on their daily lives, according to the survey. Of the respondents who said their "academic performance or work efficiency decreased" as a result of playing video games, 5% played for less than one hour, while 30% played for six hours or more.
Among those who spent six hours or more playing games, 40% said that they continued to play even if they had such ailments as headaches or sleeping disorders.
Many people enjoy playing games in moderation. The problem is when people become so deeply occupied with gaming that it has a serious psychological and physical impact on them.
There are not a few cases in which people refuse to go to school and isolate themselves in their rooms for many years, or have even spent 1 million yen over a short period of time on game usage fees, according to the survey. It is obvious that such behavior goes beyond the scope of entertainment.
In May, the World Health Organization labeled gaming addiction as an illness, similar to that of alcohol and gambling addictions. The move was based on such criteria as gamers being unable to control how long and how often they play games, and gaming being a major part of their lives for at least one year.
Treatment is centered around expert counseling, through which addicts are advised to change their living environments and find goals other than gaming that they can work toward. The treatment takes time.
There are currently about 40 medical institutions nationwide that specialize in the treatment of gaming addiction. The compilation of unified guidelines on such treatment is an urgent task going forward. It is vital that the central government and relevant academic societies work closely toward that purpose.
It is also necessary to study brain functions linked to addiction and to develop effective treatments.
From the next fiscal year, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry plans to add gaming addiction to training programs on alcohol, drug and gambling addiction for people involved in regional health care, including doctors. To enable people who have concerns about their addiction and their families to consult with experts, it is hoped that the system will be prepared and improved.
The spread of smartphones is behind an increase in the number of gaming addicts. In the survey, 80% of respondents said that they had played games on smartphones.
Smartphones can be used anywhere and at any time. Many highly stimulating games are available that provide players with a sense of excitement and realism. Such characteristics can be said to make children become obsessively drawn to such games. The dangers of gaming addiction must be taught at schools, among other places.
All of society must recognize that gaming addiction is a problem and countermeasures must be implemented.
-- This article appeared in the print version of The Yomiuri Shimbun on Dec. 3, 2019.
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