Reducing video game use in kids and teens

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Reducing video game use in kids and teens

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Some of the steps, if your child is getting into a progressive or more using video games or internet. First of all, start early. Prevention can help prevent a lot of problems down the road. Limiting the amount of time is probably the number one thing. When children learn early that there is only a small amount of time and not two, three, four hours that they can spend on it, that is the greatest preventor of addiction. As children get older and they start to use more, you've got to limit the number of games. So they want this new game and that new game, and, "My friend's have this game. I want to get this game." You have to set a limit to the time they spend and the number of games that they get. Beyond that, and this is where I draw a clear distinction, don't get into the violent video games; especially, early on in their childhood. When they are 5, 6, or 7, and they are already shooting up monsters. It just begins a more intensive need for violent video games. That is where the addiction really starts to happen, when they get into these high intensity games. You've got to set limits on time, the number of games, and the violent video games. There is no good that can come from that.

See Rick Meeves, PhD, LMFT 's video on Reducing video game use in kids and teens...

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Rick Meeves, PhD, LMFT

Clinical Director of CRC

Dr. Rick Meeves has spent the last 16 years working with adolescents and their families. He currently serves as the Director of Adolescent Clinical Services for CRC Health Group, the nation’s largest provider of addiction treatment and related behavioral health services.  Rick has helped families deal with the rapidly expanding access to video and electronic media. As a practitioner he has seen teens lock themselves in their rooms, playing video games for days on end. He has also seen teens who became addicted to online gambling. Rick has seen parents who have accepted this behavior as some acceptable alternative to staying out all night or using drugs or alcohol. He has helped families re-establish healthy patterns and use of electronic gaming and has established healthy patterns with his own boys.

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Transcription: 
Some of the steps, if your child is getting into a progressive or more using video games or internet. First of all, start early. Prevention can help prevent a lot of problems down the road. Limiting the amount of time is probably the number one thing. When children learn early that there is only a small amount of time and not two, three, four hours that they can spend on it, that is the greatest preventor of addiction. As children get older and they start to use more, you've got to limit the number of games. So they want this new game and that new game, and, "My friend's have this game. I want to get this game." You have to set a limit to the time they spend and the number of games that they get. Beyond that, and this is where I draw a clear distinction, don't get into the violent video games; especially, early on in their childhood. When they are 5, 6, or 7, and they are already shooting up monsters. It just begins a more intensive need for violent video games. That is where the addiction really starts to happen, when they get into these high intensity games. You've got to set limits on time, the number of games, and the violent video games. There is no good that can come from that.