Genesis Sanchez

Annie Yaniga

Writing 39c

21 February 2016

AP essay

         People are always warning kids about alcohol and drug addiction and how it is important to get treated when diagnosed with addictive behavior. However, no one is ever warned about video game addiction. People think it is normal for kids to be into their video games when they do not realize that they may be addicted. A recent study from researchers at Iowa State University did a nationwide survey of 1,178 American children and teenagers and found out that one in ten video game players showed signs of addictive behavior. Even though the medical community does not recognize video game addiction as a mental disorder, this study allows us to see that video games are negatively affecting kids. If video game addiction is left untreated, then it will take over the kid’s life which will lead to serious consequences.

In the 1900’s video games were simple and only played during spare time, so video game addiction was not as known back then. The first time games were marketed was in the 1970s when they first introduced playing with cartridges in a game box connected by a wire to the television set. This led to the beginning of a new addiction where children sat in a room, staring at a television set for hours. At first it might have not seemed like a serious problem but soon enough these video games started to consume these kids’ life. They would ignore their responsibilities at school and at home because they would much rather play. According to the Encyclopedia of Children’s health, in 2004 almost every home in the United States with children had some sort of popular gaming system. Slowly, video games started to become an addictive drug to some kids.

         As video games continued to gain popularity, their quality in graphics continued to improve as well. The advancements in video games is what continued to draw kid’s attention and worsened video game addiction. The characters and situations is what appeals kid’s and allows them to escape their everyday routine or problems. Kids always face some sort of stress in their life whether it is at school or at home, so the best way they can ignore their problems is to play video games. They get to be in control of the game and do as they please without worrying about anything else. This is usually why kids turn to video games and get addicted. They are discontent with something in their life that they feel they have no control over so the only thing they can turn to are video games.

         At first video game addiction may not seem like that big of a threat to kids but it does have an effect on their life. There are many things a child could suffer from if they are addicted to video games and the damage could be permanent. For example, the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine recently studied an issue on how media such as video games affect pediatric patients. The pediatrics who studied this case came to the conclusion that exposure to television and video games was a risk factor for overweight kids. The way that television influences their diet is that the more time they spend in front of the television, the more they increase their calorie intake. They studied children for two years on how television and diet go hand in hand. Their results were that for each additional hour they spent in front of the television, they would increase an average of 167 kcal/day (Healio). As a child, being overweight is unhealthy and can make them depressed. Also this problem as a child can carry over to their adulthood and have serious health issues.

         In this figure we can see how kids spending too much playing video games can affect them. The more they played then the average increase was 18.8% for heart rate, 22.3% for systolic blood pressure, 5.8% for diastolic blood pressure, 51.9% for ventilation, 54.8% for respiratory rate, 49% for oxygen consumption, and 52.9% for energy expenditure. These results were gathered by Arlette Perry, PhD, from the exercise and sport sciences department at the University of Miami.

         Apart from it affecting their health, it can also lead to psychological issues that is reflected in their life. According to U.S. News & World Report, children are more likely to become depressed, anxious, have social phobias, and perform badly at school when addicted to video games. This can affect their childhood and stunt their mental and personality growth. It will not only affect them as a child but if it is left untreated then they will continue to suffer through their adulthood.

         As you can see, video game addiction has serious consequences for kids if it is not treated. Video game addiction is just as severe as any other addiction and it can be treated like any addiction as well. However, it is important to keep in mind that video game addiction among children is different because they feel like they have no control over their lives versus an adult who does have control over their and is suffering from addiction. A child is not fully grown so it needs more guidance when it comes to serious problems they face. Therefore, I think the best solution to video game addiction among children is to see a therapist. As I have mentioned before, kids turn to video games when they are unhappy with something in their life and instead of fixing it or getting help they simply turn to video games.

         Some people may not think that therapy would be the best resolution to video game addiction but getting help from someone in a time of need is the best thing one could do. Many researchers that have looked into video game addiction have realized that there is more to it than just being addicted to playing video games. "What we've known from other studies is that video gaming addiction looks similar to other addictions. But what wasn't clear was what comes before what. Gaming might be a secondary problem. It might be that kids who are socially awkward, who aren't doing well in school, get depressed and then lose themselves into games. We haven't really known if gaming is important by itself, or what puts kids at risk for becoming addicted," said Douglas A. Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University. This proves that the root of video game addiction comes from personal problems and the best way to fix these problems are by talking to someone or getting some sort of help.

         Also, I think therapy is the first treatment people should turn to for addiction instead of medication. People who do not look at the cons of medication think it is easier than dragging their child to therapy but that it not the case. Every drug comes with serious risk factors so why risk anything if the problem can be fixed with therapy. For example, antidepressants come with a severe side effect, “antidepressants carry a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black box warning regarding a possible risk of increased suicidal behavior in some individuals under the age of 25.” While some people think medication is the best route to choose, it should be your last resort. It does not only have side effects but kids then become dependent on the drug to feel better and that is not healthy. They will live the rest of their life relying on a drug to feel better or if they stop taking their medication then they could fall into the addiction all over again.

In this figure you can see all the side effects that medication has such as antidepressants. There are all sorts of side effects that people do not look at but are crucial.

         In order for one to fully recover from an addiction then it is important to fix the reason as to why they are addicted so they will not go back to it. Therapy is the best way a child can face their problem and try to fix it without feeling alone. There are different options for therapy such as cognitive therapy where it is used to treat anxiety. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America state that cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches skills and techniques to kids that can help them reduce their anxiety.

         Even seeing a psychologist for a while could help a child out figure out their problems. For instance, if the child is being bullied then talking to someone could help them out. They could let adults know so that they could a put a stop to the bullies and the child can get peace at being at school. Another situation can be if a child’s parents fight too much and they are unaware that it is affecting their child. There are so many personal problems that kids go through and they feel alone. Regardless what they are going through, they can overcome it as long as someone is there for them.

         Overall, it is important to treat video game addiction with therapy because it teaches these kids that they are not alone. As a child they may feel like they have no voice in anything and just have to endure the feelings they are feeling but that is not true. There is always someone that can help them.

In this photo you can see a young girl talking to a therapist and by her posture and facial expression, it is safe to say she feels comfortable. Sometimes all kids need are extra attention so talking to a therapist could fill that void.

            To conclude, video game addiction is a serious addiction that will continue to get even more serious as long as technology continues to advance. As a society and the adults that are responsible for these children, it is our job to make sure that these kids are being raised in the best way possible. That they are both mentally and physically healthy and happy with their life. This is why therapy is the best solution to video game addiction. Once they talk to someone about their problems as to why they are addicted then it can be solved and they will no longer be addicted.

The revision process for this draft was held in class. A peer of mine read my essay and then wrote one sentence for each paragraph on the main idea. This helped me figure out which topic sentences I had to fix so that my essay flowed better. Also I met with Annie and she suggested I do my research and I introduce the root cause earlier on in my essay.