Computer addiction in adolescents. Dependence on computer games. Computer addiction: symptoms

With the development of computer technology, a huge number of new problems arise. One of them is computer addiction in adolescents. This is what I want to talk about in this article.

What it is?

It would seem that the child is playing computer games, and what? At home there is peace and quiet. However, modern psychologists say that today more and more children of junior, middle and senior school age become dependent on the computer. What does this mean? In principle, the characteristics of all dependencies are similar. If the addict searches for a dose for days, then the child can wait impatiently for an hour, when he will be allowed by his parents to sit down at the computer. At this time, the child most often does not find a place, can not do anything else, rushes around the house or apartment. It is worth saying that this problem needs to be treated, otherwise there can be negative consequences.

About the term

It should be said that the term "computer addiction" is rather young, it appeared around 1990, when the computer industry began to develop actively. Defines the term that person's condition, in which he simply can not live without this machine, spending all his free time in front of her monitor. However, since then the dependence itself has been transformed and acquired new elements and forms, becoming a problem not of units, but of many people of different ages.

Causes

It may be interesting to find information on why computer addiction in adolescents can arise. So, first of all, this is the usual lack of attention from parents and peers, which the child compensates with the help of such a friend. Now, at a time when various social networks are very popular, this problem has become even more urgent: there the child creates a new image, acquires with friends and lives not a real, but a virtual life. In this case, they do not talk about gambling, but about the Internet dependence of the child. What else can drive a teenager into another world? Insecurity in themselves, in their abilities, perhaps also dissatisfaction with their appearance (especially if there are any deviations). Often children "sit down" on the computer in order not to differ from their peers (here, most often, it is a game dependence, but with the development of social networks this trend is changing). To take all the free time with a computer, a child can, if he has no hobbies or hobbies, and free time needs to be attached somewhere. And, of course, it contributes to the development of various dependencies in the manner of communication in the family, upbringing. If a child can be at the computer for a day not more than two hours (and should be), then he simply will not be able to become Internet dependent.

Major hazards

It is also important to say that computer addiction in adolescents is dangerous, which can lead to serious consequences. First of all, being in a virtual world, a person almost never adequately controls the real time, often is late. A child can constantly skip school, skip classes. A huge problem is the level of aggression that can occur during the computer game. If a teenager does not succeed, there is a storm of emotions, the psyche is gradually destabilized and weakened. This child also transfers to the real world, communicating in this way with his closest environment: parents and friends. Impact on the future may be that in a computer game, sooner or later a teenager always succeeds, if not from the first time, then from n-th exactly. The child can decide that in real life everything is so simple. And this is fraught with consequences and strong disappointment in the adult real life. Also, computer addiction in adolescents also affects the condition of the body. So, the eyesight is exactly disturbed, there can be avitaminosis and other problems associated with malnutrition (a teenager with computer addiction usually does not normally eat, living only snacks). Usually the dependent child does not follow his appearance, does not observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Dependency types

It should be said that the dependence on computer games is different. So, today it is an Internet addiction, when a child can not live without a virtual world, and gambling. In turn, the dependence on computer games is divided by the types of games. So, it's role-playing game players, when a person looks at the game through the eyes of his hero (no less dangerous are those games when the child looks at the hero from the outside); Strategic games that are less dangerous, however, again, are ready to draw the child into their world; Nerol games, such as various puzzles, arcades, flash toys. Especially dangerous in the virtual world are gambling, because often they draw a lot of money from the players.

Potential category

Who can have the problem of computer dependence? So, first of all those children whose parents are often not at home, and the child is simply left to himself. The same applies to the children of wealthy parents who are also often at home alone or with service personnel, whose advice they simply do not listen to. More dependent adolescents among boys (according to statistics, 10 boys are only one dependent girl), as for age, the most dangerous is 12-15 years.

What will entail dependence?

Dependence on computer games can lead to many negative consequences. So, first of all, the child will gradually decrease the circle of communication, which will lead to complete isolation of the teenager in real life with all the ensuing consequences. There may also be irreversible changes in health. So, it is impaired vision, metabolism, possibly obesity of various degrees. Over time, the psyche will be accurately disturbed and destabilized. It is also important to say that all problems of the gambler from adolescence risk to move into adulthood. And this is fraught with huge negative consequences. Also, a child can start stealing, because often the Internet or games require a certain fee. And this is punishable according to the letter of the law.

How does the dependence arise?

Observing the addicts, interesting and at the same time terrible conclusions were made by psychologists. Chemical and computer addiction: their symptoms are almost identical. At such people, for example, at a kind of the desirable purpose pupils sharply narrow. Also, children begin to learn badly, do not follow themselves and their appearance, gain (various degrees of obesity due to malnutrition) or lose weight (they simply forget or are lazy in time to eat), can not do anything else if there is free time. To avoid such a development of events, you need nothing: do not let the baby to the TV to three years of age, and to the computer and that longer, up to about 10 years. It is at this age and there is a predisposition to various kinds of addictions. However, in our time, unfortunately, it is almost impossible to do this.

The mechanism of dependent behavior

Addictive, i.e., dependent behavior is formed in a child by moving away from real life to virtual life either with or without the use of various chemical agents. The very process is based on the fact that the child is moving away from real roles, replacing them with virtual ones, those that are more comfortable or even close in spirit. The game or the Internet, in its essence, compensate the child for what he lacks in real life. So, if a person is weak physically and can not give peers a rebuff, he will have computer game addiction. In adolescents who do not have enough communication in real life, there will be dependence on social networks, where you can try on different roles and masks (there may be a problem of self-identification of the person, which is fraught with consequences), make friends with people who, at first glance, will always understand. However, over time, there may come a disappointment, because often these friends imaginary and special support in a difficult minute they will not wait.

How to avoid dependence?

In order to avoid the dependence of teenagers on computer games, from the Internet, it is necessary to observe fairly simple, but effective rules. So, you need to accurately adjust the time the child is in front of the monitor, and parents are not forbidden to control what the offspring are doing on the Internet. The personal example of adults has a huge impact: if the pope spends all his free time in front of the monitor, it's no wonder that the child will do the same. You also need to plan your family's leisure time correctly: spend more time together in nature. What other methods are acceptable for the prevention of computer addiction in adolescents? It's good to load your child as much as possible: send to mugs, to tutors, to spend more time studying. Then there will not be enough time for games and various dependencies. As a radical way, you can limit the work at the child's computer with the help of various programs that are aimed at this.

Nuances

After identifying signs of computer addiction in adolescents, parents should immediately take action. So, it's good to go to a psychologist and make a plan of action with him. After all, parents often act wrong, wanting their child only good. For example, it is not recommended to sharply prohibit computer games, this will lead to nothing good. It's best to do everything consistently, slowly reducing the time spent in front of the monitor. It is also necessary to control which games suited your child's taste. After all, not all of them are bad, there are also useful ones that develop intellect and have even an educational component. And not all the time spent in front of a computer monitor can be called a dependency, because a child can simply learn by using the Internet.

Treatment

An important aspect is the treatment of computer addiction in adolescents. It should be said that it will be accompanied by "breaking", which, by the way, can be quite painful not only for the child, but also for adults. Parents will have to withstand several attacks from the offspring: they can be not only verbal, but they can also reach the hands of assault. The child can also start persuading parents to play at least half an hour, promising anything. Do not go for a reason, because so do drug addicts, never keeping their word. The position of the parents should be clear and unshakable. At this time, parents will also have a hard time, because you will need to become for your child an entertaining element, so that the child at least for a while forgot about his hobby. More communication and joint work - that's one of the elements of treatment for dependence. It is also necessary to change the daily routine, the habituation to which will not be so fast. Often parents can drop their hands if they do not see any improvement. However, this business is not worth throwing, because sooner or later improvement will come, you just have to wait. Well, if you can not do anything yourself, treatment of computer addiction in adolescents is best done with the help of specialists.

Close people

Whatever the causes of computer addiction in a child, the nearest environment should help to cope with it. So, the most important role is played, of course, by parents who have to give all their strengths in order to get the child into the real world. However, this case needs to involve also friends, classmates and companions of the child, so that at this time he understood that he is not alone, that, in addition to virtual, he also has a real, no less interesting life. And that everything turned out, you need to organize interesting meetings, exits to nature, trips and holidays. But the most important rule, how to cope with dependence, is its recognition. The close environment of the child should show the teenager that he is ill, that he has problems, the child must understand this, and only then the treatment will be adequate, and the results will be visible.