HUNDREDS of teenage gaming addicts are being treated on the NHS.
The National Centre for Gaming Disorders sees children as young as 13 who play video games 14 hours a day, as well as their families who are often on the receiving end of abuse.
GettyChildren as young as 13 are being treated for video game addictions on the NHS[/caption]
Health service data shows 745 people have been referred to the UK’s only gaming clinic since it opened in October 2019.
Some parents have been forced to call the police because their children become so violent when their screen-time is restricted.
Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, of the NHS, said: “From avoiding school or work, engaging in violence, to family breakdowns, the harms to those suffering can be significant.
“The earlier they are identified and treated the more successful the outcomes will be for both the individual but also for the wellbeing of the family members.”
The clinic has seen referrals for patients jump by more than 50 per cent and for family members by 46 per cent from 2021 to 2022.
Certain teens are so addicted they said they would “rather be dead than not game”, according to The Times.
More than 327 patients were seen by the clinic last year alone, with kids hooked on games including Call Of Duty, FIFA and Grand Theft Auto.
The average age of a gamer seen by the clinic is 17, with children aged between 13 and 14 also representing a higher number of the patients seen.
The World Health Organization classified gaming disorders as a mental health condition in 2018.
To be an addict, patients have to meet criteria including prioritising games above everything else in their life and using them to feel good or escape.
They also increase the time and money spent on gaming over time to get the same buzz, and suffer withdrawal if forced to stop.
Signs of addiction also include if playing games causes them to come into conflict in their relationships or if they relapse into problematic behaviours after stopping for a long time.
What are the nine signs of gaming addiction?
Symptoms of gaming disorder include:
Preoccupation with gaming
Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
Continuing to game despite problems
Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming
Source: American Psychiatric Association
Patients at the London-based clinic are given cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) — which involves talking with a therapist — to help learn to control their urges.
Most patients require treatment for around three months, amounting to 12 sessions.
The centre also offers parent workshops, support groups and family therapy.
One parent whose 14-year-old son became addicted to games said the sessions helped with her own mental health.
She said: “I highly recommend it for anybody who thinks they may need support for either themselves or a loved one struggling with a gaming disorder.
“The group sessions helped me feel like I wasn’t alone and by sharing stories with people in similar situations.
“I also didn’t feel judged, instead feeling supported and comfortable in seeking support.”