Computer addiction in children: signs, causes and consequences

Article:

The life of modern society is such that children almost from birth learn to press buttons on the keyboard and operate the mouse.
Soon we will probably see strollers for babies with built-in tablets on sale. A cell phone, computer or tablet is such a convenient thing to distract a child! The baby pesters his mother, he wants to talk or play, but his mother is busy. And to neutralize the child, she gives him... a cell phone: Here, play. In this way, it seems to her, she kills two birds with one stone: she gets half an hour of free time and the child seems to develop, become familiar with technology and learn to respond to its signals. Both of them cannot help but like this. The first seeds of addiction fell on fertile soil.

At an early age, children, with the direct participation of their parents, still form the habit of entertaining themselves with the help of computer games and graphics programs. The child is forming a stable connection - he wanted to have fun - he took the phone/iPhone/tablet/laptop. He is no longer interested in any other classic children's entertainment. Every evening two words will be heard in the house: Let me play!

Having bought a computer for their child, many parents at first cannot get enough of it: he sits at home, does not make friends with bad kids, and is always under supervision.

About 30 years ago it was scientifically proven that a child’s brain develops through his hands. Our body is designed in such a way that in infancy, signals received from the hands, especially from the fingers, stimulate brain development. By replacing finger games with driving a finger along the plane of the monitor, parents close the path to development for their children.

The earlier a child starts using a computer, the higher the chance of becoming addicted. At the same time, it is important what the child plays, what games. Psychologists say that if children under 7 years old are introduced to a computer, it will be through educational games that teach reading and counting. It is highly undesirable for young children to play aggressive games or simply wander aimlessly from page to page, or better yet, if they do not sit down at a computer or tablet at all. And if you decide to admit him to technology, then do not forget that a computer game cannot replace classic educational and educational games with real objects - cubes, pyramids, books and pencils. A child needs touch to understand this world. The computer does not provide such an opportunity.

The term “ computer gaming addiction ” appeared back in 1990. Computer addiction is a disease associated with addiction to all kinds of gambling.

For a long time, scientists have been trying to figure out: is computer addiction in children a disease or a social problem? At first, computer gaming addiction developed in adults. Then computer addiction appeared in children. This is a serious emotional dependence, and sometimes even a mature person is not able to cope with it on his own.

There are several types of computer addiction:

Gaming , in which a person voraciously plays group games online or individually. The player gives up everything: study, work, family, his whole life moves to the plane of the monitor, where serious passions boil, battles take place and new worlds are conquered.
Network addiction, in which a person cannot do without so-called Internet communication on forums or social networks. This type of addiction often affects lonely, timid people in real life with low self-esteem, who find it difficult to make acquaintances in “real life.” But online they go all out, anonymity allows them to open up and show their best qualities, to acquire a lot of chatting friends or fans of their work.
An addiction that manifests itself in the form of endless aimless wandering from site to site, the so-called surfing by analogy with a sport when an athlete overcomes wave after wave. This is perhaps the most cunning type of addiction. A person thinks that if he doesn’t play from morning to evening, doesn’t hang out with his classmates, then everything is fine with him. But in fact, he kills time by continuously absorbing information that will never be useful to him, looking through all sorts of “interesting facts” and the most beautiful places in the world.

The horror is that computer addiction spares no one, and almost anyone can become its victim, a 25-year-old girl or a 50-year-old man. This world of virtual adventures is so interesting and attractive. But the worst tragedies happen when children become victims of computer addiction.

The experts' conclusions are not reassuring. Anyone who spends more than two hours a day playing video games is at risk of becoming addicted to a computer game. How to avoid being enslaved by modern technology? Are there ways to prevent or overcome computer illness?

The danger of computer addiction

It probably seems to you, dear parents and teachers, that there is nothing worse than drug and alcohol addiction among all its other types. And by and large, you are right. However, computer addiction is no less dangerous. Computer addiction develops much faster than any other traditional addiction: smoking, drugs, alcohol, gambling. It is clear that, as such, this addiction does not pose a threat to the life and physical health of the addict himself and those around him, but is this really so?

A few facts

On their own, only about 20% of children can outgrow this problem.
A child can be at the computer no more than 1 hour a day. Teenager - up to 2-3 hours with breaks.
In Finland, people with a diagnosis of computer addiction are not accepted into the army.
Spending a long time in front of a monitor can cause visual impairment, posture, decreased immunity, headaches, apathy, irritability, fatigue, and insomnia. An adult feels “squeezed out and empty” after several hours of working at the computer, what can we say about a child.

Examination of persons with computer gambling addiction

Before drawing up a treatment plan for computer gaming addiction, the doctor conducts a diagnosis. First, he talks with the client to find out how far the situation has gone and what problems dominate.

It is customary to talk about the presence of a problem if the following symptoms are pronounced:

when the patient talks about the game or the principles of Internet surfing, his mood improves significantly;
it is impossible to captivate the patient with anything other than PC - he is not interested in anything else;
when a person plays online games, he does not notice what is happening around him at all;
if you start telling a patient about the dangers of sitting at a computer for a long time, he begins to get angry and conflict;
the addict cannot decide on his own what time he will leave the PC;
while surfing the Internet, the addict forgets about his responsibilities and physiological needs (if he is not disturbed, he may not eat or drink for a whole day, not take a shower for a whole week, etc.);
When communicating with others, the client is ready to talk only about computer topics.

Another feature of gambling addiction is the frequent use of stimulants. As you know, games are boring. To cheer up without turning off the computer, the addict often drinks strong coffee or tea, and various harmful stimulating drinks.

Signs of computer addiction in children

The child loses interest in other activities.
The child tends to spend all his free time on the computer or TV.
Communication with other children begins to be reduced only to computer games.
There is a gradual loss of contact with parents.
The child strives less and less to communicate with others, communication becomes superficial.
Answers questions formally and avoids confidential conversations.
The child begins to deceive and strives to get what he wants by any means.
The child hides how much time he actually spent on the computer or TV.
He reacts nervously to any restrictions associated with a computer, TV, tablet or phone, is very worried, gets angry, is rude, and may cry.
Loses control over screen time.
The child begins to eat near the computer.
The child starts asking for cartoons or a computer in the morning.
The child comes home from school and the first thing he does is sit in front of the TK or turn on the computer.
An incomprehensible emotional upsurge, which abruptly gives way to a bad mood. Taking a closer look, you will understand that all this is connected with virtual successes and failures in the game.
An inveterate computer geek can be recognized immediately. He is turned inward, does not notice or ignores external events, and does not adapt well to real life. Even the beauties of nature are perceived with less delight, since the possibilities of computer graphics are limitless, and marvelous, fantastically beautiful landscapes that do not exist in reality appear on the monitor screen.

Is my child addicted or not? How to Know When to Worry

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether a child is just playing enthusiastically or is already addicted and cannot stop. In this case, you need to watch him for some time.

It is important to pay attention to the following points:

Mood

A child with addiction is often irritable, angry, and has poor control over his emotions, especially when it comes to computer games. However, he quickly calms down when given the opportunity to play. Here it is important to clarify that anger at a mother who snatched a gadget out of her hands is a natural reaction for a healthy teenager . The immature psyche works slowly, therefore, in order to avoid conflict and prepare the child for the end of the game, warn him in advance that time is coming to an end (“5 minutes left”). If after this time the child parted with the toy calmly enough, there is no problem.

Time in game

Gamers often simply cannot limit themselves to this pleasure. They are ready to give up food in favor of playing, go to bed poorly, and skip classes to sit at the computer or gadget. It happens that parents themselves provoke such a situation, initially denying their child the right to play. If the daily schedule has a clear time allotted for entertainment, the child is less worried about the game, he knows for sure that he will get what he wants on time and no one will punish him.

Financial expenses

The child begins to insist on the need to invest money in the game, in improving the technical characteristics of the phone or computer. He doesn't have enough pocket money. Theft from home is possible.

Communication with peers

The interests of a dependent child are greatly narrowed. With friends, all conversations ultimately come down to games. The gambler begins to reduce the number of walks with friends, under various pretexts being left alone with the game.

If your child is easily distracted from the game, calmly parts with the gadget, leads an active social life, and has no problems sleeping - everything is fine. Games are entertainment, one of thousands of possible ones. And it is unreasonable to scold a child for wanting to entertain himself.

How harmful is a computer to your health?

Of course, parents' concerns about their children's health are understandable.

A real risk factor may be eye strain. And yet, communicating with a computer is no more harmful than sitting for a long time in front of a TV screen. Don't forget about basic prevention - take breaks from classes and do eye exercises, and visit an ophthalmologist from time to time. And pay attention to the technical characteristics of your monitor screen (consult before purchase).

Of course, it is necessary to teach the child to control his posture so that postural disorders do not occur. But this is not a specific requirement at all - you need to sit correctly at a regular table. Both a sedentary lifestyle and excess weight are not limited to computer users.

So, when working at a computer, you need to follow the usual hygiene requirements : choose comfortable furniture, monitor the physical well-being and state of the child’s nervous system, and avoid overload.

Is it possible to divide games into dangerous and non-dangerous?

In fact, it is impossible to name specific game genres that are 100% addictive. Any game made with sufficient quality, thought out, and color can attract a child’s attention and make him return to the screen again and again.

Unfortunately, game developers are forced to create attractive worlds with secret levels, interesting plots, and bonus systems, otherwise people will stop buying their products. And not all players become addicted.

If you consider the applications individually, you can find for each a set of key skills necessary for successful completion.

At the moment there are many classifications of games. We will consider one of the simplest, directly related to psychological aspects. Games are divided into six genres:

Actions

Aimed at the player's physical skills, success depends on reaction speed, good coordination of vision and motor skills. For these games, the characteristics of the computer or phone on which they are installed are very important, since human actions depend on the quality of drawing details.

A typical task for a player in this genre is to collect all the necessary items, defeat all the “monsters,” and find a way out of the location. Some games involve active teamwork. All this develops the ability to quickly make decisions, think strategically, calculate moves in advance, and also allows you to shed excess aggression. However, at the same time, action games are easily addictive and cause rapid fatigue of the nervous system. It is advisable to limit the time spent in such games in order to give the psyche a chance to rest and the body to stretch not only its fingers.

Simulator

An excellent opportunity for a child to try himself in different situations. For example, there you can manage an airplane or your own restaurant. The main thing to remember here is that the simulator does not provide a 100% representation of reality, but only shows part of life.

Strategies

Games that require high-quality thought processes. As a rule, the player is offered the role of the leader of a state, company or group, and a certain goal to which he must lead the people entrusted to him.

Periodic fascination with this genre develops strategic thinking, the ability to see a situation broadly and from different points of view, make ambiguous decisions, and think for the future. Here breaks are necessary to give the brain a break, otherwise the likelihood of making a mistake increases.

Role-playing games

They give the teenager the opportunity to become someone else. Not “the humble boy Petya,” but “the last descendant of the king of the elves,” for example. A very popular genre among children, especially those who are unsure of themselves.

These games, by the way, are found not only in the virtual world, but also in the real one. People dress up as their favorite characters and gather at various games and festivals to live a more colorful and unusual life.

If you notice that your child has begun to become heavily immersed in role-playing games, look at how eventful his real life is. Perhaps he lacks strong positive impressions. Since each character in the game has a different set of special characteristics, pay attention to what features your child chooses. Help him develop these qualities in real life.

Adventures (quest)

A light genre where the player, in the form of a character, goes through a certain journey, overcomes obstacles, and solves problems. Very often, such games are based on the plots of books and films. Reaction speed and strategic thinking are not important here - observation and logic are much more important. The player is offered puzzles, solving which he gets the opportunity to move on. These games can be played by the whole family. They are fun and useful. The main thing is to take a break on time.

Puzzles

Games without a special plot. The levels are built on the same rules and consist of solving logical problems with a gradual increase in complexity. The player requires concentration, logical thinking, a little strategy and intuition. In moderate doses, puzzles help develop a child's mental abilities.

Thus, there are no absolutely bad or absolutely good games - everything is good in moderation and on time. The main rule for both children and adults is to play for fun and at a strictly designated time. The risk of addiction is greatly reduced if a person leads an active, busy life, and the game acts as a pleasant seasoning to it.

But what to do if a problem does arise?

No amount of persuasion, persuasion, or threats will have any effect. Most likely, you will provoke aggression towards yourself, and the gambler himself will plunge even deeper into the fictional world, since in the real world “no one understands” it. Addiction to computer games among teenagers is dangerous because the person is in a difficult period of life. The time when he should look for his place in society, begin to build relationships with the opposite sex and peers, turns out to be missed. In the future, this will cause psychological problems of a different kind.

The manifestation of symptoms of computer addiction should alert parents and force them to contact specialists who can advise them on how to cope with computer addiction in children.

Features of treatment of Internet addiction in adolescents in our clinic

Treatment methods are selected based on the severity of the disease. Thus, severe forms of Internet addiction in adolescents require drug treatment in combination with psychotherapy. To get rid of bad habits, it must be supported by the strong-willed qualities and motivation of the patients themselves. But since most young people do not have them, the process becomes significantly more difficult.

In such conditions, specialists from the Marshak Clinic provide comprehensive psychological support and carry out fundamental work with the patient’s relatives. Treatment of Internet addiction in adolescents is strictly individual.

To schedule a consultation, call us or request a call back on the website.

Diagnosis of computer addiction

As with most mental illnesses, it is those around them who are the first to notice changes in the patient’s character and behavior. Convincing the gambling addict himself that he is sick is very difficult. The first step in treating a patient is to become aware of his pathological dependence on the computer. It is very important to put the patient in a positive mood for a visit to a psychotherapist; sometimes some excuse can be used for this in the form of psychological testing or vocational guidance.

An important stage in the successful treatment of computer addiction is to identify the reasons that prompted a person to escape from reality.

How to help a teenager cope with computer addiction?

“The daughter spends the night on social networks, and in the morning it is impossible to wake her up for school,” “the child plays computer games for hours and is not interested in anything else”—such complaints can often be heard from the parents of modern teenagers.

According to surveys, most teenagers spend an average of 3-4 hours a day on the Internet: they watch movies and videos online, communicate with peers, “wander” through various sites and play online games[1].

The attachment of modern teenagers to virtual communication is illustrated by an experiment conducted in St. Petersburg. Of the 70 teenagers who were given the task of trying to live for a certain time without a computer or mobile phone, only 3 (!) people were able to last 8 hours without any means of communication. Others aborted the experience because they experienced anxiety, fear, fever, dizziness, and other unpleasant sensations. All symptoms disappeared as soon as they had the opportunity to pick up a mobile phone or turn on a computer [2].

Scientists claim that communication on the Internet is most popular between the ages of 15 and 25[3]. The popularity of the Internet among teenagers and young adults can be explained by the fact that during adolescence, communication with peers becomes of great importance. The Internet, which offers virtually unlimited opportunities for communication, is becoming the main means of communication for many teenagers.

Virtual communication can become especially attractive for those children who, for one reason or another, are unable to establish good relationships with others in “live” communication. By escaping into computer reality, a teenager seeks to escape from problems and satisfy needs that he cannot satisfy in real life: to feel that there are things that he is good at, to feel that he is connected with other people. Videos provide special opportunities for teenagers - games in which virtual reality allows them to experiment with their identity (they can be more relaxed than in the real world or participate in the game as a leader). Online games and social networks allow you to experience an illusory sense of belonging to a group and build a virtual semblance of personal relationships. A vicious circle arises: the more time the child spends at the computer, the more difficulties appear in real life, from which he wants to escape into the virtual world.

What is Internet addiction?

Psychologists describe Internet addiction as the inability to stop using the Internet, loss of interest in other ways of spending time, irritability and aggressiveness when unable to access the Internet. Internet addiction specialist and psychologist Kimberly Young lists the following signs of this disorder:

- a feeling of complete absorption by the Internet;

- inability to keep track of time;

- More and more time is spent on the Internet;

— unsuccessful attempts to reduce the amount of time spent at the computer;

- problems with other people (in the family, school, among friends), distance from them:

- the desire to hide from others the amount of time spent on the Internet;

- a sharp change in mood for the better when accessing the Internet [4].

According to Russian psychologists, symptoms of Internet addiction are observed in approximately 13% of Russian teenagers[5]. One of its most common types is gaming addiction (uncontrollable attraction to online games). Another type is excessive addiction to social networks.

Internet addiction has a negative impact on studies, relationships with peers and in the family. In addition, Internet addicted teenagers gradually lose the skills necessary for “live” communication. It becomes difficult for them to understand and predict people’s behavior and understand their emotions.

In his book “Intellectual Stroke. How to remain human in the world of robots and not lose yourself." K. Nikolaev and Sh. Abdullaeva describe the following experiment:

“Employees at the University of California at Los Angeles compared two groups of schoolchildren. 51 people spent five days at a summer science camp where the use of electronic devices was prohibited, and 54 people from the same school lived at home, in a familiar environment, with all gadgets.

Before and after the experiment, both groups were shown videos and photographs with happy, sad, angry and scared faces, and were asked to name the emotions that the characters were experiencing. In the first test tasks conducted before visiting the camp, all participants made an average of 14 errors. But after taking a break from gadgets, this figure dropped to 9 among the experiment participants. The researchers came to the conclusion that the lack of real communication provokes the loss of necessary social skills, because it is impossible to learn non-verbal communication from the screen [6]».

Teenagers who primarily communicate via the Internet lose sensitivity to the nuances and shades of human relationships. This leads to them feeling even more insecure and tense when communicating with their peers and often trying to avoid them as much as possible.

Preventing Internet Addiction

What can parents do to help prevent their teen from developing internet addiction? First of all, it is necessary to work on building warm, friendly relationships with children. Children who know that their parents are interested in their lives, are ready to listen and support them in difficult times, will most likely try to cope with life's adversities, and not run away from troubles in the virtual world.

The pattern of behavior that they observe in the family also has a great influence on children. If teenagers see that their parents themselves use the Internet no more than necessary and enjoy “live” communication, they can (most often unconsciously) follow the example of their parents when building their own relationships with peers.

Psychologists believe that teenagers need to feel like they belong to a team, feel competent and successful in some activity, and have close, trusting relationships with someone. Parents can help their child satisfy these needs outside of virtual reality if they help the child develop interests and hobbies, help him find a group of peers with similar interests (for example, offer the teenager the most suitable club, sports section, workshop, summer camp), support his desire to find new friends (they will provide the child with the opportunity to bring friends home or provide assistance in organizing an interesting joint event with peers).

Children who have good relationships with their parents, feel supported by them, and have many interests and friends in real life are likely to be able to resist the temptations of virtual reality more successfully.

How to help a teenager cope with Internet addiction

It is impossible to propose a universal way to solve this problem. It all depends on the child’s characteristics, family relationships, how strong the Internet addiction is, etc. It is possible to describe only some principles that are useful for parents to focus on when communicating with a teenager.

A child will more easily accept prohibitions and restrictions if he is sure that his parents treat him well and are sincerely concerned about him. Otherwise, parental prohibitions may be perceived by the child as an encroachment on his independence, encounter the child’s active resistance, simply out of the principle of “out of spite.”

The woman contacted the helpline due to difficulties with her teenage daughter. The girl did not like the school she attended; she had difficult relationships with her classmates, among whom she felt like a “black sheep” and teachers. The girl’s mother was especially upset that the child spent all his nights on the Internet (perhaps seeing this as an “outlet” against the backdrop of the difficulties of real life). The parents wanted the child to receive a good education and tried to get her to perform well, but neither punishment nor attempts to limit the time spent on the computer led to anything. The child still found ways to access the Internet outside the home or through a mobile phone.

During a conversation with a psychologist, a different way of behavior was found, aimed at gradually building a warmer, more trusting relationship with the girl and helping to improve her emotional state. It was about trying to talk openly with her daughter about the existing difficulties, discussing with her the possibilities of moving to a school that was more suitable for her, and inviting her to invite several girls with whom she communicated mainly on social networks. The woman who called the helpline noted that she would like to continue working with a psychologist to improve her relationship with her daughter, not over the phone, but in person.

To help a child get rid of computer addiction, it is necessary not only to prohibit the teenager from spending too much time on the computer, but also to help him in solving psychological problems: finding himself, forming a stable self-esteem, developing relationships with others in the real world. This will help the teenager replace the computer with something no less interesting in real life.

The American psychologist Kimberly Young mentioned above suggested that parents of children who are overly interested in computers should be guided by the following rules:

Limit the time spent at the computer. The parent, and not the children themselves, should decide how much time they will spend at the computer.

The reason for contacting the helpline was difficulties in interacting with her 14-year-old son, who, in the mother’s opinion, spends too much time on the Internet (communicating on social networks and playing games). The woman noted that despite a good relationship with her son, she is not satisfied that her son spends almost all his free time on the Internet, is often late for school and pays almost no attention to his studies (he studies mostly with C grades). She added that for a long time she tried to talk to the boy and convey her concerns to her, but despite the fact that the child verbally agreed with the mother’s arguments, the son’s behavior did not change. At some point, using technical means, she limited the ability to access the Internet for several hours. Initially, this caused an aggressive reaction, but after that the son accepted the restrictions. It turned out that after the child’s access to the Internet was limited, many positive changes occurred: the boy did not remember about the Internet, began to study more actively, behaved calmer, read more fiction, went to bed on time, stopped being late for school , even his relationship with his mother became more friendly.

Give your child a break every twenty minutes to rest his eyes and muscles. Such a break will remind the child of the existence of the real world outside the monitor.
Encourage children to play educational games rather than just entertaining ones.
Offer your child another activity through which he could gain the respect of others (for example, sports, playing musical instruments, or board games).
Help your child cope with difficulties at school. It is never possible to accurately determine whether poor grades are a consequence of excessive computer use, or, on the contrary, a child uses the computer to escape from school problems[7].

To solve the problem of Internet addiction, it is necessary to develop your own individual approach for each teenager, which would take into account the individual characteristics of the child, his interests, relationships with parents, the situation in the family as a whole, and how strong the Internet addiction is. Often for this it makes sense to consult a psychologist who is not involved in the family situation and can see it from the outside, more neutrally. The consultants of the Children's Helpline can help you better understand the existing difficulties and draw up a plan to help a teenager overcome Internet addiction.

You can get 24-hour, free and anonymous help by phone on the Children's Helpline 8 800 2000 122.

The line is staffed by professional psychologists who will provide psychological support, help outline the necessary steps to solve the problem of Internet addiction, and if a telephone consultation is not enough, they will provide detailed information on how you can get face-to-face qualified psychological and psychiatric help.

[1] Fedorov A.F., Vlasova I.A. Problems of gaming computer Internet addiction among adolescents // Young scientist. - 2013. - No. 5. - pp. 785-787.

[2] Nikolaev K., Abdullaeva Sh. Intellectual stroke. How to remain human in the world of robots and not lose yourself. M.: publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2021. p. 13.

[3] Berdibayeva S. et al. Psychological Prevention of older Adolescents' Interpersonal Relationships, Who are Prone to Internet Addiction //Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. – 2021. – T. 217. – P. 984-989.

[4] Young KS Diagnosis - Internet addiction. World Online. 2000. No. 2, 24-29

[5] Malygin V.L., Antonenko A.A., Vovchenko E.I., Iskandirova A.B. Features of emotional and social intelligence among Internet-addicted adolescents. [Electronic resource] // Medical psychology in Russia: electronic. scientific magazine 2011. N 5. URL: https:// medpsy.ru (date of access: 05/26/2016).

[6] Nikolaev K., Abdullaeva Sh. Intellectual stroke. How to remain human in the world of robots and not lose yourself. M.: publishing house "Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2021. p. 51 – 52..

[7] Young K. Understanding online gaming addiction and treatment issues for adolescents //The American Journal of Family Therapy. – 2009. – T. 37. – No. 5. – pp. 355-372.

Ivan Geronimus,

psychologist DTD

Causes of computer addiction

Lack or lack of communication and warm emotional relationships in the family. When parents (or other close relatives) do not devote the child the time necessary to daily express sincere participation in the child’s life, are not interested in the state of the child’s mental world, ask little about his thoughts and feelings, about what really worries and worries the child, do not hear him . Of course, for this reason, not only addiction to computer games and entertainment can develop, but also other types of addiction, as well as various forms of behavioral deviations.
The child has no serious hobbies , interests, hobbies, or attachments not related to the computer. For example, there once was a 13-year-old teenager. He wasn’t particularly interested in anything, he didn’t like to read, he wasn’t very keen on going for walks either, he didn’t particularly strive to help around the house, and he showed little zeal for studying - so, he would watch TV and “don’t care about the ceiling.” And so, this young lazy guy gets a computer! The teenager understands that he can, while sitting at home, without bothering himself with unnecessary stress, become a cool bandit (in the game), find someone to talk to with whom it is not difficult to stop communicating at any time, get (download) an essay for which previously one would have had to go to the library . Such a rosy prospect “pins” the child to the monitor screen. Again, it is not a fact that computer addiction will necessarily arise, but... the prerequisite is significant.
The child’s inability to establish desirable contacts with others, lack of friends. Let's say a child (teenager) is too shy and cannot overcome his shyness. Either the presence of a visible physical defect, external ugliness repels peers from communicating with him, or the child has developed character traits that prevent the establishment of friendly attachments: isolation, malice, excessive greed, vindictiveness, resentment, aggressiveness.
General unluckiness of the child . This reason is similar to the previous one. For example, a child does not do well at school, does not get along with kids, and the relationship with parents does not shine. If this state of affairs does not suit the child, he may well become dependent on computer games, where he is the main character, he is at the pinnacle of success, he is the winner, the ruler, the first destroyer (or creator). On the Internet, such a child can create an image for himself that is opposite to the real one: a different name, a different appearance, a different, more “advantageous” self-presentation.
The tendency of teenagers to quickly “absorb” everything new and interesting.
The child’s desire to be “like everyone else” of his peers, to follow their hobbies, to keep up.

Factors influencing the development of computer addiction

Almost every adult periodically works at a computer, spends time on social networks, and uses gadgets for relaxation (music, TV series, communication). Why is this pastime safe for some, while others develop computer addiction ?

Psychologists have described several prerequisites for the emergence of Internet addiction:

Closedness and inability to build meaningful relationships with people. The Internet allows you to compensate for a lack of self-confidence and creates the illusion of live communication and support.
Lack of personal victories and low self-esteem. Computer games set specific, easily achievable goals for users. Upon completion of the next company or level, a person feels deep satisfaction with himself, it seems to him that he has achieved success.
Poor emotional sphere. The lack of hobbies and a meager life of events leads to the fact that a person is forced to “get” the missing emotions from the virtual world.
Inability to express true desires and preferences. Often found in children and adolescents with authoritarian parents. They cannot express themselves freely due to fear of rejection. But on the Internet there are no boundaries, children can be whoever they want and behave accordingly. In such a situation, there is a high risk of developing computer addiction .
Mental disorders: for example, a tendency to depression, high levels of anxiety, various social phobias.

How to understand that the usual passion for gadgets is becoming pathological? It is enough to know the main symptoms of network addiction and cyber addiction.

Tips for preventing the development of computer addiction in children and adolescents

Since the root cause of a child leaving the real world is dissatisfaction with the existing reality, it is necessary first of all to find out what prompted the child to go “to the computer.”
It is wrong to criticize a child who spends too much time on the computer.
If you see signs of computer addiction in a child, do not aggravate the situation, take him to a psychotherapist.
You can try to understand the essence of the game by sharing the child’s interests; this will bring the child closer to his parents and increase the degree of trust in them.
It is recommended to limit children's access to violent games and films.
The child's time at the computer must be limited. It is unacceptable for children to play for several hours. Children of primary school age - no more than half an hour, senior school age - no more than an hour a day for games.
The computer should be installed in a place where you can see what your child is doing. If you periodically enter the room and check, it will look like total control, and in response to your steps, the child will soon learn to quickly “slam” the forbidden pages. And if you can find a place for your computer where you can casually, without attracting attention to yourself, see which page is open, it will be unobtrusive, but at the same time effective.
It is still better for a child not to buy a separate computer. Let him play on his father's. Then at any time you will have a good reason to say “enough” - dad needs a computer.
When depriving your child of the desired amount of time on the Internet, always offer an alternative. Don't let him suffer from boredom. It needs to be involved in some activities. This is, first of all, housework, hobby groups, and sports clubs. A very effective method is to send him to a computer class, where he will learn to work on a computer for real, and not just chase bunnies across the screen. Let him master Photoshop, let him learn how to create websites, typesetting printing - by the age of 18 he will already have a profession, and he will stop treating the computer solely as a means of entertainment.
Raise your child's self-esteem. Find your child an activity in which he will be successful and will stand out from his peers. For example, this is some rare sport, fencing, for example. Or a quilling circle. His award certificates, successful crafts, and medals must be displayed on display so that family guests can see his successes.
Encourage your child's friendships with other children. Invite his friends to visit and let him go to visit friends.
Parents will have to familiarize themselves with the games that are popular with their children. Children often think that their parents forbid them to play because they do not understand how exciting it is. In this case, the opinion of a parent who knows the game will be much more significant than the opinion of a parent who “hasn’t read it, but I condemn it.”

Is treatment for computer addiction possible? How to get rid of the symptoms of computer addiction? Of course it is possible. But this is a long and complex process, the success of which depends on many factors. How to treat the symptoms of computer addiction largely depends on the individual characteristics of the person. Treating any addiction is a difficult process that requires the participation of both the addicted person and those around him. Most likely, it will take time for someone suffering from computer gaming addiction to begin to feel the taste of life again. In this respect, computer addiction is similar to drug addiction. It is also important to remember: if the void left in a person’s life after a complete or partial cessation of gaming is not filled, the likelihood of relapse is high. Treatment of computer addiction, like treatment of any other addiction, requires further psychological support for the patient. In severe cases, computer addiction is treated by a psychiatrist.

So, in principle, any child and teenager can become addicted to a computer, but the chances are reduced if:

there is an atmosphere of friendliness, peace, comfort and trust in the family;
the child has varied interests and hobbies;
the child knows how to establish positive relationships with others;
the child knows how to set at least the smallest goals for himself.

It is important to know:

It is impossible to abruptly take away or prohibit computer games for a child who has already become involved. This should be done consistently; it is better to prepare together with a psychologist.

You can take various tests online to assess your child's and your computer addiction.

Not all games have a bad effect on the psyche; some contribute to the development of cognitive and moral qualities. Here, what games are chosen becomes crucial.

Prevention of computer gaming addiction

A complete abandonment of online life will not help. In today's society, most people are forced to check social media regularly. It has also been proven that computer games in moderation have a beneficial effect on the human psyche:

Relieves stress;
Improve cognitive skills;
Increases overall life satisfaction.

The main thing is to ensure that the use of gadgets does not develop into computer addiction . This can be done in various ways:

Limit the amount of time your child can spend on the computer. For example, at 8-10 years old - 30 minutes, at 14 - no more than an hour a day, and so on.
Live a fulfilling life. Do not reduce all communication with friends to regular correspondence on social networks. Get out of the house, meet nice people, find a hobby.
Lead a healthy lifestyle (and teach your children to do it). Regular walks, proper nutrition, and moderate physical activity strengthen the nervous system and help cope with stress. You will not have the desire to “escape” into an illusory network reality.
Build harmonious relationships with others (and make sure your children have friends). Social isolation is one of the main reasons for the development of computer addiction at any age.
When faced with strong emotions (the death or illness of a loved one, violence, job loss, moving, a difficult breakup), do not try to cope with them on your own. Make an appointment with a psychologist or psychotherapist. A specialist will help you live through your emotions constructively, without destructive decisions.

If you think you need professional help, take the 45-day express program at the I Am Independent Clinic. It is designed for those who want to lead a decent life. It explains the basic principles of a sober life, and is suitable not only for alcoholics and drug addicts, but also for gambling addicts and people suffering from computer addiction. Call us on our toll-free hotline 8.

Prevention of computer game addiction

The formation of a child’s computer addiction is often associated with the characteristics of upbringing and family relationships. After all, we are talking about our future, too, how strong our health will be, and how cloudless and happy our old age will be. Therefore, the quality of raising children, based on personal example, mutual respect and trust, must be placed first in the value system.

That's why:

The personal example of parents is important. If you allow your child to play some time a day, then you yourself should not spend more time on the computer.
The child must have a passion, a hobby that is not related to the computer.
Support your child’s communication with peers: their games in the fresh air, common hobbies (without a computer).
Everything must be planned so that there is no free minute left. These are joint activities, street games, holidays, trips to museums, theaters, parks, travel, communication with interesting interlocutors, etc.
Use the computer as a reward, for effective parenting, as encouragement.
It is important to clearly control the games your child plays. You should know what kind of game it is and monitor any deviations in the child's behavior after he has played the game. Irritability, agitation, and insomnia may occur. All this indicates that either the playing time has been exceeded, or the game is not suitable for the child.
Give preference to educational games and websites. Discuss with your child the games that you think would be more beneficial for him to play.
Install special network filters and specialized software that allows you to control and limit your child’s communication with the computer.

No mother would allow her child to use drugs, so why are the computer and television used as a means to keep the child occupied so as not to interfere with the parents in their important matters? The child’s psyche is formed in interaction with adults; what this interaction will be like is decided by everyone in their place. But joint trips to the theaters, outdoors with a tent and a fire, as well as skiing, skating and just walking in the fresh air have not caused harm to a single person. During such leisure time, children develop respect for their parents and the meaning of words about the dangers of sitting at a computer for many hours is easier for them to understand. Classes in clubs, sports clubs based on interests, helping the old and weak, a selection of good feature films and animated films help the child see all the beauty and diversity of the living world around him and compare it with the virtual one. And the computer can be used for peaceful, educational and creative purposes. The main thing is to captivate the child!

Prevention

However, the best way to deal with any addiction is not to take things to extremes. So it is with gaming addictions. If a child is actively developing, full of creative energy, participates in sports events, communicates a lot with peers, feels support from loved ones, he simply has no time and no need to hide in the world of games. Therefore, support your children, talk to them, help them fill their lives with meaning, cultivate self-confidence in them, because parents are the main people in the life of any child.

Test for children's Internet addiction (S.A. Kulakov, 2004)

Answers are given on a five-point scale: 1 - very rarely, 2 - sometimes, 3 - often, 4 - very often, 5 - always.

How often does your child violate the time limits you set for using the Internet?
How often does your child neglect his chores in order to spend more time online?
How often does your child prefer to spend time online instead of spending it with family?
How often does your child form new relationships with online friends?
How often do you complain about the amount of time your child spends online?
How often does your child's schooling suffer due to the amount of time your child spends online?
How often does your child check email before doing something else?
How often does your child prefer communicating online to communicating with others?
How often does your child resist or be secretive when asked about what they are doing online?
How often have you found your child getting online against your will?
How often does your child spend time in his room playing on the computer?
How often does your child receive strange calls from his new online “friends”?
How often does your child snap, scream, or act irritated when disturbed about being online?
How often does your child look more tired and tired than when you didn't have the Internet?
How often does your child seem preoccupied with thoughts of getting back online when they are offline?
How often does your child swear and get angry when you get angry about their time online?
How often does your child prefer being online to his previous favorite activities, hobbies, or interests of others?
How often does your child get angry and aggressive when you impose a limit on the time he spends online?
How often does your child prefer to spend time online instead of going out with friends?
How often do you feel depressed, low in mood, nervous when you are offline, and when you return online, all this disappears?

With a score of 50-79, parents need to consider the serious impact of the Internet on the life of your child and the entire family. With a score of 80 or higher, the child is highly likely to have Internet addiction and needs the help of a specialist.

Causes of Internet addiction

The pathological condition in childhood and adolescence is diagnosed under the influence of certain factors. The World Wide Web provides the opportunity to collect and store information. This arouses interest in it among many users. The first reason for Internet addiction is that parents give their child unlimited access to the computer. They believe that there is nothing wrong with this, and even find advantages. Parents say that the child is constantly supervised at home, which cannot but please them.

During adolescence, the formation of the psyche is observed, which is characterized by vulnerability. This is why children become addicted to the Internet. The problem of addiction among teenagers was acute during the development of information technology, as it aroused strong interest. In the modern world, teenagers study and spend their leisure time using computer technology and can involuntarily become addicted to the Internet.

Children who have certain complexes are at risk. Internet addiction is most often diagnosed in children with low communication abilities. If a child is shy and introverted, then it is difficult for him to communicate with peers in the real world. When communicating on the Internet, he becomes more relaxed because he feels protected. This leads to the development of Internet addiction.

The Impact of Internet Addiction

The pathological process should not be ignored, as it can lead to serious consequences. With Internet addiction, teenagers cannot control real time. they are constantly late and miss school. This leads to a decrease in mental and intellectual development. If a child experiences failure in games, this leads to constant aggression and weakens his psyche. The teenager transfers all the negativity into the real world, which leads to a deterioration in relationships with parents and peers. Internet addiction leads to child disappointment in real life

With pathology, negative consequences arise not only for mental, but also for physical health. Internet addiction leads to insomnia. Constant use of the keyboard and computer mouse leads to the appearance of carpal tunnel syndrome - pain in the wrist. The child complains of weakness and quickly gets tired even when performing usual duties.

With Internet addiction, patients complain of headaches. The child refuses to eat, which leads to weight loss. Since he does not consume healthy foods, this leads to a decrease in immunity. Adolescents often experience viral and bacterial diseases. With Internet addiction, patients lead a sedentary lifestyle, which causes spinal diseases. In particularly severe cases, the development of hemorrhoids is diagnosed.

Internet addiction is a severe pathological process that leads to serious complications. That is why it is recommended to treat it when the first signs appear.

Internet addiction of schoolchildren

School-age children's interest in the Internet is increasing. Primary school students are just beginning to learn how the World Wide Web works, so they are interested in spending time here. Children of middle and high school age receive assignments in class in the form of writing reports, essays, etc. The search for information in the modern world is carried out not in the library, but on the Internet. While doing homework, the child is distracted by advertising and goes to other sites that are interesting to him.

If a child is interested in a website or an Internet game, he will definitely go online the next day. The disadvantage of Internet addiction is that spending time for a child is always interesting. That is why he visits the Internet every day. The amount of time spent online is regularly increasing.

Internet addiction of youth

On the modern Internet there are many social networks that are very interesting for young people. Here they share their photos, videos, and correspond with peers. Almost every young person regularly visits the network to watch news. If the amount of time a person spends online regularly increases, this leads to Internet addiction.

When on social networks or on certain Internet sites, young people are completely isolated from the outside world. They refuse to spend time with friends in reality. Young people lose the ability to self-control. Such people become inattentive and forgetful. The pathological process is accompanied by withdrawal syndrome. If a person cannot sit down at a computer monitor, then he may cry or become withdrawn and aggressive.

Internet addiction in teenagers

During adolescence, personality formation occurs. The child tries to show himself in the best light. He uses social networks to show photos and videos from his life. Insecure teenagers with low self-esteem try to protect themselves from the real world and therefore begin to live in virtual reality.

In adolescence, with prolonged Internet addiction, the appearance of physical symptoms is noted. Patients often complain of headaches and dry eyes. The pathological process is accompanied by pain in the back. Since a teenager forgets about eating, this leads to weight loss. Addiction is accompanied by back pain and sleep disturbances.

Internet addiction in children

Children of early and middle school age are beginning to develop an interest in computer games. They cause excitement, which leads to a competitive effect. If in real life a child is not successful, but in the game he often manages to win, then this leads to the development of Internet addiction.

It is very easy to notice the pathological process in children. They spend almost all their time at the computer. The child refuses to learn his homework or does his homework hastily. With a pathological condition, most children do not perform their household duties.