How will schoolchildren be treated for computer addiction. Computer addiction in teenagers: you will learn how to treat it

Dependence on computer games is one of the forms of psychological dependence, which manifests itself in a person in an obsessive passion for computer games. Such dependence is one of the forms of addictive human behavior, a way of avoiding the existing reality by transforming one's psycho-emotional behavior and requires competent correction.

Causes

Computer addiction has become epidemic in children. The average student spends at the computer from 2 to 6 hours. About 70% of American children spend their free time playing games with plots of cruelty and violence. In these games, killing is the goal and the main element of the game. Children confuse virtual reality with the real one, which is why more and more minors in America open fire with guns and pistols at school.

Any addiction or mania is the result of deep psychological problems. With the help of computer games, a person tries to get away from the disturbing life situation or replace some missing element in your life (the attention of loved ones, social status, the absence of a loved one).

Possible causes of computer addiction:

• Various mental disorders (psychopathy). Pathological character traits of a person, lack of sociability, complexes and modesty often lead a person to Internet addiction. Some patients with the help of a computer realize their childhood fears and fantasies;
• Lack of communication. This problem is relevant for children and adolescents whose parents are constantly busy earning money;
• Intra-family conflicts. To get away from family scandals, some people are immersed in the virtual world, which further aggravates the situation and leads to divorce;
• social phobias. A person is afraid of real society, interpersonal relationships. Computer games allow you to get away from reality, to feel strong and significant. A computer for a person becomes an interlocutor, life partner and sexual partner.

Symptoms

The pathophysiological mechanisms of the formation of computer addiction and gambling addiction are the same. They are based on the stimulation of various pleasure centers in the brain. Both teenagers and independent adults fall into dependence on computer games.

This pathological condition manifests itself in the form of a feeling of euphoria and psycho-emotional upsurge during immersion in the virtual world. The patient cannot plan his time spent at the computer. In order to overcome sleep and stimulate mental activity, he begins to use caffeinated drinks and other psychostimulants. For some adult gamers, beer and various fast foods become the main product of “food”. A person who is mostly immersed in the virtual world does not follow the rules of personal hygiene: he forgets to brush his teeth, comb, take a shower. He eats poorly, sleeps and leads a sedentary lifestyle.

If the computer is broken, the patient is in a frustrated state, may be aggressive with loved ones and people around him. Such a person begins to spend all his money on updating programs, computer consoles, new games. He does not think about his personal life, about work or study, his world narrows down to completing the next mission in the game.

As addiction progresses, a person cannot give up computer games, although he is well aware of their futility. He constantly leaves the existing reality and plunges into the virtual world, takes on the role of a certain
character and lives his "computer" life.

The patient communicates with other people on various computer topics. Gambling addiction leads to an overload of the central nervous system, excitatory impulses constantly enter the human brain.

After some time, the patient has a decrease in mood, general well-being, social activity, increased anxiety and impaired adaptation in society. As computer addiction develops, adults develop dissatisfaction with themselves, the meaning of life is lost, and deep depression develops.

In adults with gambling addiction, libido decreases, various disorders in the sexual sphere occur. "Dependent" people, as a rule, have an unsettled personal life, are closed, taciturn.

Manifestations in adolescents and children

Computer addiction in adolescents, as a rule, is severe. They become angry and aggressive if their parents ask them to get away from the computer even for a minute. Signs of gambling addiction in children are the fact that they begin to skip school, lie to parents and teachers. Some underage patients beg or steal money to spend on their favorite computer game.

Computer games cause cruelty in children, because there you have to shoot and kill, and for this you are supposed to be rewarded in the form of points, bonuses and gifts. The immature psyche of a child is overloaded with game effects. In the mind of a modern child, virtual reality is no different from real life.

Computer addiction in adolescents adversely affects their health and academic performance. The child begins to drink and eat without leaving the computer monitor. At school, all his thoughts and desires are directed towards the anticipation of playing at home.

Adolescents with gambling abandon friends, begin to eat unhealthy foods, and abandon their studies. Many juvenile patients become aggressive, prone to violence. Some scientists argue that computer addiction in children leads to dementia.

Consequences

Dependence on computer games adversely affects human health. Over time, his eyesight deteriorates, problems with the spine and joints appear. Many "addicts" suffer from headaches and insomnia. As a result of sitting at a computer for a long time, a person develops weakness, increased fatigue, and a decrease in appetite. Sitting at a computer for a long time leads to the development cardiovascular disease: angina pectoris and coronary heart disease.

Long-term use of drinks containing caffeine and other stimulants leads to exhaustion of the nervous system, arterial hypertension. Given that "dependent" people do not eat well, they develop gastritis and gastroduodenitis, a tendency to constipation.

Computer games in children develop those parts of the brain that are responsible for vision and movement. Gambling stops the development of the frontal lobes, which are responsible for training memory, learning, emotions.

Children who are addicted to computer games spend little time outdoors and do not go in for sports. Most often, these children have a pale appearance, "bruises" under the eyes, a poorly developed musculoskeletal system.

Diagnostic criteria

Before applying for a qualified medical care you need to make sure that your family member has a computer addiction, and not just an excessive passion for video games. There are a number of criteria based on which you can differentiate the problem:

• The patient does not want to be distracted from the game and reacts aggressively to such requests;
• Lack of critical attitude to their behavior;
• The patient neglects his social responsibilities (study, work), does not participate in family affairs and his social activity is sharply reduced;
• The patient loses interest in the world around him, and experiences an emotional upsurge only during a computer game;
• Disregard for the norms of personal hygiene, behavior in society;

Apart from deviant behavior the patient has sleep disturbance, headaches, discomfort in the back. Also, due to the prolonged forced position of the hand, the development of carpal tunnel syndrome is possible.

If these criteria are met, the patient can be diagnosed with addiction to computer games.

Therapy Methods

You can't think of computer addiction as
completely independent disease. It is a consequence of more serious psychological problems. Therefore, it is important for a specialist to identify the root cause of the disease and deal with it.

To treat the consequences of computer addiction, psychotherapy, drug methods, and hypnosis are used. It is important to take a holistic approach.

With this dependence, psychiatrists use autogenic training, behavioral, family psychotherapy, psychosynthesis. Psychotherapy is aimed at correcting intra-family relations, eliminating various psychological attitudes of a person (isolation and lack of sociability), treating children's fears and sexual problems in adults.

Gestalt therapy methods are successfully used in adults. This is due to the fact that the passion for computer games is a way to get away from a previously unresolved problem. And these methods suggest how to "close the gestalt" i.e. resolve the situation.

Symptomatic drug therapy is aimed at treating insomnia, irritability, increased anxiety and depression. Adult patients with gambling addiction are prescribed herbal sedatives to reduce the excitability of the nervous system. These can be herbal tinctures, but most often doctors prescribe tranquilizers or antipsychotics. Sleeping pills are used to normalize sleep cycles.

Mandatory drugs in the treatment of computer addiction are antidepressants. They relieve psycho-emotional stress, normalize mood and improve overall well-being.

It is important to establish proper nutrition, which takes into account the already formed problems with digestion. The patient is additionally prescribed a course of vitamins and restorative medicines.

Stages of psychological assistance

Specialized assistance has a certain staging. This structure has been identified as the most effective in the treatment of computer addiction.

At the first stage, it is important to help the patient overcome internal resistance to treatment. This is a key point, without which further therapy loses its meaning. The patient must be aware of the problem, as well as the need for outside help to resolve it.

The second stage is aimed at determining the depth of the problem. The patient, together with the attending physician, must identify all the pitfalls that may interfere with social rehabilitation. The doctor's tactics in this case are supportive and guiding.

Slide. Today, one of the popular activities of a teenager in his free time is computer games and “hang-out” on the Internet. It must be recognized that the computer is our present and future. The undoubted advantages of modern computerization are the development in children of the most important operations of thinking: generalization and classification, improvement of memory and attention. Computer games develop both children's intelligence and hand-eye coordination. The Internet offers an educational and rewarding experience, makes the content of the learned material meaningful and vivid, which not only speeds up memorization, but also makes it meaningful and long-term. Many parents are familiar with the problem of how to seat a student for homework. And on the computer, serious studies are carried out with pleasure, they acquire an element of the game. Working on it teaches children new more easy way receiving and processing information. Thus, the interest that computer lessons cause underlies the formation of cognitive motivation, a multitude of intellectual skills. But parents must understand that everything should be within reasonable limits, otherwise the “pluses” will begin to turn into “minuses”.

In Russia, more and more people talk about negative impact computer games on the child's psyche. Uncontrolled use of the Internet and excessive passion for computer games can lead to computer and gaming addiction, a complete disruption of social ties, which is expressed in the fact that children do not know how and are afraid to communicate with each other, they separate themselves from the real world and go into their own - virtual. In the virtual computer world, you can easily become anyone. To do this, you do not need to make a lot of effort, you do not need to follow the rules of adults, you do not need to hide aggression. You only need to "download" the game. And if the computer is connected to the Internet, then the possibilities become completely limitless. Unfortunately, there are also problems... On the one hand, the virtual world provides great opportunities, today it has turned out to be, in fact, the main source of information.

Slide. But, the informational impact of the Internet can cause irreparable harm to the child, because in a computer network it is impossible to track the quality and content of information that comes in and is updated every second. Parents should be aware that there are sites dedicated to pornography, pyrotechnics, suicide, discussion of the effects of certain drugs. Modern children often visit unwanted sites, get involved in communication with strangers when using a computer at home in the absence of their parents.

Especially if the relationship with the parents is alienated, and the child feels lonely, he, without hesitation, trusts any intruder who appears to him as a supportive and sympathetic interlocutor. Unfortunately, a real meeting with such a "well-wisher" can end in tragedy.

Addiction to activities related to the use of a computer, leading to a sharp reduction in all other activities, limiting communication with other people.

It is most commonly seen in children and adolescents, especially boys.

Of primary importance is not the time spent at the computer itself, but the concentration around the computer of all the interests of the child, the rejection of other activities.

Slide. Computer addiction is a pathological addiction of a person to work or spend time at the computer.

Excessive fascination with the computer can have negative consequences for both physical and mental health.

Typically, computer addiction in children occurs at the age of 10-16. And this is not surprising - the teenage psyche is not yet stable enough. However, medical statistics are disappointing - among gamers, you can increasingly meet younger schoolchildren and even preschool children. How to recognize computer addiction in children?

Slide. It is possible to refute or confirm the presence of this disease in a child only after consulting a psychologist. However, even at home, parents can pay attention to obvious symptoms of addiction.

The child sits at the monitor for more than three hours a day, not taking into account homework.

A teenager needs a computer to run in the background. Therefore, the child turns it on immediately after waking up, returning from class.

Any attempt by adults to limit screen time often ends in quarrels, scandals, and sharp conflicts with a teenager.

Schoolchildren have a sharp decrease in the number of social contacts, since communication takes place in instant messengers, social networks.

Children are not able to occupy themselves in the absence of gadgets. Board games, books and other entertainment are simply not interesting to them.

Often the child neglects household chores, lessons in favor of another game session.

Almost all interaction with peers comes down to discussing novelties in the gaming industry, computer technology.

The most obvious consequence of constantly being in front of a monitor is visual impairment. According to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, "computer vision syndrome" is widespread among today's teenagers, the symptoms of which include pain in the eyes, tearing and constant headaches.

Slide. However, there are many more health problems due to the computer. Computer addiction in children can cause:

obesity, because children, staring at the screen, do not walk, do not play, but mechanically eat what is on their plate;

weakened immunity, which means susceptibility to colds and infectious diseases;

problems with memory, concentration, and, as a result, learning difficulties;

insomnia;

Slide. The main types of computer addiction in children

Before discussing ways to solve a problem, you need to understand what kind of addiction a child has. According to experts, there are three main types of unhealthy computer addiction.

Game addiction in children (cyberaddiction) is manifested in an unhealthy craving for computer toys.

online surfing, or an irresistible need for a constant stream of information, makes a person endlessly surf the Net.

Slide. Computer addiction

Cyber ​​addiction (eng. addiction - addiction, addiction, cyber - abbreviated words cybernetic) - addiction to computer games

In 2012, the term "cybernetic gambling addiction" was officially introduced into the world medical practice.

The only classification of computer games developed by a psychologist that we have today is Shmelev's classification, created by him in 1988. However, this is more a genre than a psychological classification of computer games; in addition, we are forced to note that it is not complete even as a genre - it lacks games of the "strategy" type, which are currently very widespread.

Slide. It looks like this:

I. Role-playing computer games.

3. Leadership games.

1. Arcade.

2. Puzzles.

3. Games for speed of reaction.

Slide. I. Role-playing computer games . Their main feature is the greatest influence on the psyche of the player, the greatest depth of "entry" into the game, as well as the motivation of game activity, based on the needs of accepting the role and avoiding reality. Here, three subtypes are distinguished mainly by the nature of their influence on the player, the strength of "dragging" into the game, and the degree of "depth" of psychological dependence.

1. Games with a view "from the eyes" of "their" computer hero. This type of games is characterized by the greatest force of "pulling" or "entry" into the game. The specificity here is that the view "from the eyes" provokes the player to complete identification with the computer character, to full entry into the role. After a few minutes of play (time varies depending on individual psychological characteristics and the gaming experience of the player) a person begins to lose touch with real life, completely concentrating on the game, transferring himself to the virtual world. The player can take the virtual world quite seriously and considers the actions of his hero to be his own. A person has a motivational involvement in the plot of the game.

2. Games with an outside view of "their" computer hero. This type of game is characterized by a lower force of entering the role compared to the previous one. The player sees "himself" from the outside, controlling the actions of this hero. Identification of oneself with a computer character is less pronounced, as a result of which motivational involvement and emotional manifestations are also less pronounced in comparison with games with an “out of sight” view. If, in the case of the latter, a person in the critical seconds of his hero’s life can turn pale and fidget in a chair, trying to dodge blows or shots of computer “enemies”, then in the case of a view from the outside, external manifestations are more moderate, however, failures or death of “oneself ” in the guise of a computer hero is experienced by the player no less strongly.

3. Leadership games. The type is so named because in these games the player is given the right to direct the activities of computer characters subordinate to him. In this case, the player can act as a leader of the most varied specifications: the commander of a special forces detachment, the commander in chief of the armies, the head of state, even the “god” who directs the historical process. At the same time, a person does not see his computer hero on the screen, but invents a role for himself. This is the only class of role-playing games where the role is not given specifically, but is imagined by the player. As a result, the "depth of immersion" in the game and its role will be significant only for people with a good imagination. However, motivational involvement in game process and the mechanism of formation of psychological dependence on the game are no less strong than in the case of other role-playing games. Emphasizing the preferences of the player playing games of this type can be used in diagnostics, considering it as a compensation for the need for dominance and power.

II. Not role-playing computer games. The reason for singling out this type is that the player does not take on the role of a computer character, as a result of which psychological mechanisms addiction formation and the influence of games on a person's personality have their own specifics and are generally less strong. Motivation of gaming activity is based on the excitement of "passing" and (or) scoring points. There are several subtypes:

1. Arcade games. This type coincides with the similar one in the genre classification. Such games are also called "platform", because, due to the low demands on computer resources, they are widely distributed on game consoles. The plot is usually weak and linear. All the player needs to do is to move quickly, shoot and collect various prizes by controlling a computer character or a vehicle. These games in most cases are very harmless in terms of influence on the personality of the player, because. psychological dependence on them is most often of a short-term nature.

2. Puzzles. This type of games includes computer versions of various board games(chess, checkers, backgammon, etc.), as well as various kinds of puzzles implemented in the form of computer programs. Motivation based on excitement is associated here with the desire to beat the computer, to prove one's superiority over the machine.

3. Games for speed of reaction. This includes all games in which the player needs to show dexterity and speed of reaction. The difference from arcades is that they have no plot at all and, as a rule, are completely abstract, not connected in any way with real life. Motivation based on excitement, the need to “pass” the game, score large quantity points, can form a completely stable psychological dependence of a person on this type of game.

4. Traditional gambling. We use the word "traditional" in the name, since you cannot simply name the type " gambling”, because Almost all non-role-playing computer games are inherently gambling. This includes computer card games, roulettes, simulators of slot machines, in a word - computer versions of the casino gaming repertoire. The psychological aspects of the formation of dependence on these computer games and their real counterparts are very similar and, therefore, we will not focus on this.

Slide. The most dangerous game ever!!!

(according to The Youth Care Foundation, Sweden)

World of Warcraft (11.5 million users)

grand theft Auto 4, Manhunt, Postal, DOOM,series Mortal Kombat

Lineage 2 Resident Evil 4 Condemned Clive Barker's Jericho

Slide. Why is computer addiction formed?

The first and necessary condition for the formation of any addiction is a feeling of inner anxiety and a feeling of dissatisfaction. There are two ways to get out of a state of anxiety: a person either becomes aggressive or seeks to "leave". And you can go into alcoholism, drug addiction, religious sects, and finally, into the game ... In a computer game, a person can simultaneously “splash out” his aggression on virtual characters and hide from a bleak reality for him. But where does the heightened anxiety and dissatisfaction come from? Often the reason is problems in the family, misunderstanding between parents and the child, "abandonment" of children, excessive demands that adults place on the child.

The second condition for the formation of gambling addiction is pleasure. During the game there is an adrenaline rush. And if he also wins, the body produces hormones of joy - endorphins. You want to experience this feeling again and again, and for this you need to repeat the game. This is how addiction occurs. Therefore, it is children who lack positive emotions in their lives that most often become victims of a computer.

Moreover, computer addiction is formed very quickly (one and a half to two months is enough!) And in the future it has a huge impact on the development of a personality, especially a child's.

Causes of computer addiction:

lack of warm trusting relationship, understanding in the family;

inability to get along with others, lack of friends;

lack of hobbies, hobbies not related to the computer;

general failure of the child.

Prevention of computer addiction:

creating a warm relationship with your own child;

joint pastime and interest in his life and leisure;

limiting the time spent in front of the computer;

child's passion for sports, books, art.

It is important to know!!! A severe form of computer addiction is treated by a psychiatrist!!!

In all cases, these are people who are maniacally dependent on the virtual world.

According to experts, gambling addiction is just as detrimental as alcoholism or drug addiction, and leads to profound personality changes - self-isolation, mental imbalance, pathological forgetfulness and untidiness, indifference to loved ones. The sick person experiences an irresistible desire to stay in virtual reality as long as possible, forgetting about everything.

In the game, the child gains power over the world, turning into any fairy-tale character or movie character. While playing, he can replay some plot with one movement of the computer mouse, go back, remake part of the game. This is especially sucking for children who in real life understand their failure.

In addition, one cannot ignore the fact that almost all teenage games are built on aggression and murder. In many, there is total homicide - permitted murder.

But role-playing game not just entertainment. In this kind of games, behavior patterns are quickly assimilated. Therefore, in a number of countries, children under 18 are prohibited from playing some particularly aggressive computer games, as they can inspire an undeveloped personality to implement aggressive impulses in real life.

The danger to the psyche is fraught with the Internet. You can enter the World Wide Web under any name, come up with any biography, image. In some mentally unstable adolescents, in connection with this, problems of self-identification arise. In computer addicts, there is an alienation of the "I", a split personality begins. The second pathology - children begin to feverishly scour the sites, pointlessly downloading information. For them, an end in itself is "sitting on the Internet."

The only, at the moment, proven way to prevent a teenager from “sit down” on computer games is to involve him in processes that are not related to virtual reality. Show a growing person a lot of existing exciting activities: sports sections, hobby groups, tourism, dancing, etc., which allow you to experience the thrill and fulfill yourself, but at the same time train the body and normalize the psychological state.

You always need to remember that a computer can become a friend, help in trouble, find like-minded people, or maybe add a huge number of problems, lead to loneliness, becoming a sworn enemy.

Slide. Teen addiction to social media

More and more teenagers are getting addicted. You have probably been told such an expression as: “The VKontakte site is like refrigerators, you know that it is empty, but you still look ten times.” It is the same with schoolchildren, at first they show curiosity, then it is completely impossible to unstick them from the computer.
Among young people there is such a game like “Who has more friends?”. After all, their number sometimes reaches five thousand. Why do they have so many friends? Theoretically, the circle of acquaintances of any person does not exceed two hundred people, and the closest friends are about 5-10. We simply cannot remember more than five hundred people. Having 2000 people as friends, a person still feels lonely

Teenagers spend parental money to give virtual gifts to their "friends". But everything is possible on a social network:
- think over the phrases that you will write to "friends";
- upload your best photos;
- talk about an event that actually did not happen, but you really want it to happen;
- create your own virtual world.
Frequent visits to social networks for a completely unformed psyche of a teenager can adversely affect his health. The student will communicate less with his real friends, and will also withdraw into himself. If a child has complexes, then they will begin to develop at a high speed.
The danger of social networks is anonymity and the ability to hide your identity, trying on various roles at will. Teenagers play the role of who they would like to be, moving away from reality and living on the network someone else's, completely unlike reality, life. In some cases, this leads to a split personality and a loss of a sense of reality.

Slide. Signs of internet addiction in teenagers:

Decreased academic performance, systematic absenteeism,

Frequent unreasonable mood swings, from sluggish to elated, from listless-depressed to elated-euphoric.

Painful and inadequate reaction to criticism, comments, advice.

Growing opposition to parents, relatives, old friends.

Significant emotional withdrawal.

Deterioration of memory and attention.

Attacks of depression, fear, anxiety, the appearance of phobias.

Limited communication with friends, parents, relatives, a significant change in the social circle.

Leaving cases in which there was interest, abandoning hobbies.

Loss of valuables or money from the house, the appearance of other people's things, monetary debts.

Resourcefulness, deceit, untidiness, slovenliness, previously uncharacteristic

Slide. There are four degrees of Internet addiction in children and adolescents.

1. The child spends less than 7 hours a week at the computer, his online activities are varied, he willingly tells what he is doing. He turns off the computer himself, “weaning” from the Internet and the need to interrupt (for lessons, conversation, etc.) perceives calmly, there are no problems with sleep and appetite. Studying is normal, dressed as always, the room is in order.

2. The child is at the computer up to 15 hours a week, the activity is varied, but one-way (games, social networks, etc.), does not tell about everything. The computer turns off after a reminder, the need to interrupt perceives differently, including negatively. Sometimes he overeats at the computer or forgets to eat, occasionally there are nightmares. Studying is normal, he can dress inaccurately, litter the room.

3. The child stays at the computer up to 22 hours a week, the activity is narrowly focused (3-4 chats, social networks or games), reluctantly talks about it. The computer turns off after several reminders, breaks are perceived negatively. Appetite is noticeably reduced or increased, sleep is disturbed - sleeps a little, then a lot, screams and rushes about in a dream. Study suffers, clothes are often sloppy, the room is a mess. The circle of communication and interests is somewhat changing.

4. The child sits at the computer for more than 3 hours a day, every day, without stopping, preferring 1-2 games or social networks or random surfing. The computer tries not to turn off at all, constantly checks mail and instant messengers, and reacts aggressively to requests to interrupt or tell what it is doing. Appetite and sleep are severely disturbed, academic performance has fallen sharply, clothes and room are in disarray, social circles and interests have changed.

The first and second stages require almost no intervention - this is a natural interest necessary for life in modern world. It is enough to talk with children about their hobbies and unobtrusively track what they are doing, what they write about in social networks, what they play. Good way raise parental authority - beat the child in his game or support a flash mob on a social network.

The third stage indicates the need for serious intervention, consultations with a psychologist. It is necessary to “pull out the electrode”, providing the child with a full life in reality - strong impressions, friendly company, a useful activity. Let him climb rope ladders and climbing walls, learn to fence or ride a horse, play KVN, in extreme cases, use computer skills to design or write programs. Agree on a time limit at the computer with the right once a week or once a month to play enough.

The fourth stage, unfortunately, without the intervention of professionals can end sadly. To determine the severity of the disease, the scope of intervention and treatment, contact those specialists to whom you will be referred by a school psychologist, a doctor from a polyclinic or a private clinic.

Slide. 3) Internet surfing called visits to web pages. Reading the news, watching movies, playing Online Games, people surf in virtual space. To surf, you need to install a browser on your computer. This is a special program that provides the ability to connect to web sites and listen, read and view the information contained in them. Thanks to it, you can also navigate to other nodes by clicking on hyperlinks.
The web document that opens may contain other links. As a result, the user "floats" on the ocean of information. Therefore, the name "surfing" is used.

The modern rhythm of life makes many people spend most of the day on the Internet, and children are no exception: lessons, extracurricular projects, additional education. However, if children and adolescents used computers only for educational purposes, then this would hardly be considered a psychological problem. But dependence on a computer and the Internet is a serious threat to the health of the younger generation.

Computer addiction (Internet addiction) is an addictive, deviant behavior in which a person loses touch with reality, plunging into computer games or virtual chats. More often, they talk about Internet addiction, meaning aimless pastime on the Internet (correspondence, games, switching from one news item to another), but sometimes using the Internet for self-development becomes an addiction and an option for escaping reality.

The term "internet addiction" was introduced by the American psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg in 1995. The author interpreted Internet addiction as a habit that "has a detrimental effect on the domestic, educational, social, work, family, financial and (and) psychological sphere of activity."

Computer addiction is formed in the same way as nicotine or alcohol addiction, despite the fact that the chemical itself is not present. It would seem that this is pure, but it activates the same brain receptors in the pleasure departments, causing chemical processes similar to drug addiction.

There are three types of child and adolescent computer addiction:

1. Game addiction. This includes both computer games and online games.
2. Dependence on social networks. It involves the replacement of real communication with virtual, addiction to social networks, chats, forums, online dating.
3. Web surfing, that is, aimlessly wandering around sites: moving from one link to another, chaotic absorption of information, or cognitive activity in the field of programming and telecommunications or other professional field.

Risks

Computer addiction is dangerous in the following manifestations:

• disturbed sense of reality;
• disturbed and sense of time, up to the complete loss of this understanding (in the last stages of addiction, people can forget about food, sleep and other needs for several days);
• loss of self-control and, the ability to manage their actions;
• loss of critical ;
• decreased activity and performance;
• problems with sleep and the sleep-wake cycle.

Some scientists note that the computer penetrates, which often provokes an existential crisis, cognitive and emotional disturbances. The virtual world has its own characteristics, which often affects the worldview and the system, revision of views on oneself and the world.

Causes of Addiction

Computer addiction has become much younger - it is found among today's preschoolers. Parents condone this without knowing it. It's so easy to distract a child with a tablet or entertain a cartoon.

In adolescents, computer addiction, as a rule, indicates problems with socialization and self-realization. Teen goes online

• due to problems in relationships with peers;
• family difficulties;
• learning difficulties;
• when you don't accept yourself.

Games allow you to simply disconnect from the whole world, getting into another reality, and Internet communication compensates for problems in real communication. In addition, both in games and on the Internet, you can create the desired image yourself: a strong and courageous or even cruel hero, popular, smart and well-read, erudite and creative, etc.

Thus, dependence on virtual worlds arises when the real world does not suit. When it is not interesting or painful to be in it. However, there is another reason - the inability to cope with the desire to receive new information, to open new horizons. The Internet really removes all boundaries and creates the illusion that the whole world is in our hands; shows a large platform of opportunities and interests. Although this reason is more characteristic of the adult population (read about computer addiction in adults).

What attracts a teenager

A computer game or other activity on the Internet attracts a teenager because it creates a secluded corner, a world that no one has access to, especially parents. In addition, a computer game and virtual space:

• abstracts from reality and gives a sense of the realism of what is happening;
• removes any responsibility;
• gives multiple chances to correct mistakes or pass a new life;
• allows you to make any decisions without fear of their consequences.

Signs of Addiction

Do not panic if the child's behavior has not changed, school performance does not suffer, the mood is stable and characteristic of him. Probably, he is forced to spend a lot of time at the computer, but he does not suffer from addiction.

It is worth starting to worry under the following conditions:

• A child or teenager spends more time on the computer than before and more than 6 hours a week.
• The child prefers virtual communication to real communication, and to walks - playing on the computer, skips school to stay at home and sit at the computer.
• The child's habits have changed, sleep disturbances and a change or loss of appetite are noted.
• There are mood swings (from despondency to euphoria), inadequate and aggressive reactions to requests, especially to everything related to the computer.
• There is growing emotional detachment and reaction of the opposition towards not only parents, but also friends.
• Outside the computer and virtual communication, the child cannot relax, feels anxiety, thinks about what awaits him on the network, strives to check the page.
• The child does not share what he does on the Internet or what he plays. Sets multiple passwords, hides its activity, cleans history.
• There is a phenomenon of personification or animation of a computer, up to conversations with it.

In addition, there is a deterioration in attention and memory, a sharp change in the circle of friends, a rejection of previous hobbies and activities, unreasonable and, fluctuations in states from lethargy to excitement.

Addiction Prevention

It is always better to prevent a problem than to fix it, so early years The child's parents are obliged to engage in the prevention of computer addiction. What does this imply:

1. Acquaintance of the child with a computer and the Internet, conversations about the risks and features of use, increasing media literacy. You can find a detailed memo for the child in the article.
2. Avoiding restrictions on the use of computers and the Internet. It is better to conclude a kind of contract for use with the child, to establish a system of rewards and sanctions.
3. Creating an attractive, healthy and interesting real environment for the child. Listen to his interests, identify, organize a joint active.
4. Interaction. Do not ignore the child's appeals, discuss his problems, help find a way out of difficult situations. Communicate the value and importance of solving problems, not avoiding them. Demonstrate this by personal example. Give understanding, love and support. Often this is why children go to forums and chats.
5. Comprehensive development. Organize extracurricular activities for the child in those circles and sections that are interesting to him and to which he has a penchant.

It is important to remember that the more pleasant the real world is for a child, the more the environment corresponds to his needs and individual personal characteristics, the less the risk of developing computer addiction. But there is no point in completely ignoring technological progress, you need to learn how to intelligently combine real and virtual life.

How to fight

If it is too late to engage in prevention, the rehabilitation of the child is necessary, then it is worth contacting a psychologist. The fact is that independent manipulations such as punishments or attitudes " parental control' don't solve problems. The child will simply learn to look for Internet access elsewhere, perhaps run away from home.

The problem of computer addiction cannot be solved if the social environment is not safe for the child, not interesting (does not correspond to his age, abilities, needs, interests), if there are unfavorable relations between parents and children and if the child experiences difficulties in relationships with peers. Thus, computer dependence is eliminated only due to the child's enjoyment and satisfaction from real life. But this question requires a strictly individual consideration of the situation.

Ekaterina Morozova

Reading time: 9 minutes

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The problem of computer addiction in our children today beats all records. What teenagers, what kids - children are instantly immersed in virtual reality, crowding out ordinary life. Given the harm that the "virtual" causes to health, and especially to the psyche of the child, the time of using a PC should be strictly limited by parents. The information that the child receives from the monitor screen is also subject to control. How to deal with such addiction in children?

How to distract a preschooler from the computer - 5 parenting tricks.

For a preschooler, the time allowed for playing at the computer is limited 15 minutes (nonstop). "Monitor time" (same as TV) - only o in strictly metered "portions". With the replacement of the real world by the virtual one, there is also a replacement of values: the need for live communication, for enjoying life in a natural way, disappears. Ability is lost meditate, health deteriorates, character deteriorates.
What to do, and how to distract your preschooler from the monitor?

• Clean up computer and get only at a strictly defined time by mom. Put restrictions on access to "adult" sites, and control games for their benefit to the child.
• Communicate with the child. No computer can replace communication with mom and dad. Despite the work, employment, problems and undercooked borscht - be close to the child. Of course, it's great when you can relax and take care of yourself by handing your child a laptop - "on, just don't interfere", but over time, the child will simply no longer need parents, because the virtual world will drag him with all its depth and "brightness" of impressions.
• Play with your child. Of course, in a strictly allotted time, but together. Look in advance for a game that will be useful for the development of the child, and spend time with benefit.
• Hide your computer for a couple of days and take this time with picnics in nature with the search for a hidden “treasure”, interesting entertainment in the city and home evenings with “Lego”, watching good films, creating kites, etc. Show your child that the world without a computer is much more interesting.
• Take the baby to the "circle". Choose a circle in which the baby will run every day, forgetting not only about the PC, but also about you. Daily communication with peers and a teacher, new knowledge and positive emotions will gradually replace the computer from the life of a child.

Do not speak to the kid - "this game is bad, close the laptop!". speak - "bunny, let me show you more interesting game". Or “baby, why don’t we blind a hare to my father’s parish?” Be smarter. A ban will always provoke protest. There is no need to drag the child away from the computer by the ears - just replace the computer with yourself.

How to drag a child of a primary school student away from the computer - we show miracles of ingenuity and initiative

To "treat" addiction elementary school student advice will remain the same. True, given older age , you can supplement them with a few recommendations:

• Start a few daily traditions. For example, during a meal - no TV and computer phones at the table. Be sure to cook a family dinner together - with serving, interesting dishes and creating a pleasant atmosphere. Let the child take part in this. It is enough to captivate him, and there - consider that for 2-3 hours in the evening you won the child from the Internet. After dinner - a walk. You can collect leaves for a herbarium, sculpt snowmen, play football, rollerblade, ride bicycles or draw landscapes from nature. The main thing is to evoke positive emotions in the child. Positive “adrenaline” is like a drug.
• Show your child “on the fingers” how much time he is wasting. Write it down on paper, draw a diagram - “this is how much you have been sitting at the laptop this year, but you could already learn to play the guitar (become a champion in some kind of sport, grow a garden, etc.). confirm your readiness to help the child with your actions - enroll him in the sports section, buy a guitar, donate a camera and learn the art of photography together, dig out a wood burner on the mezzanine, etc.
• Take the child out of the city as often as possible. Look for interesting and safe ways recreation - catamarans, mountain paths, horseback riding, traveling, cycling from city to city with overnight stays in tents, etc. Show your child the offline reality - exciting, interesting, with a lot of impressions and memories.
• Every child has a dream. "Mom, I want to be an artist!" "Go ahead," answer mom and buys felt-tip pens for her son. But you can give your child a real chance - to try their hand at this business. Arrange a child in an art school or hire a teacher, invest in paints, brushes and easels, achieve regular classes. Yes, you will spend a lot of time, but the child will sit over the canvas together with the computer, and there is no need to talk about the benefits of this event. If in a year the child gets tired of these arts - look for a new dream, and again into battle!
• Radical method: turn off the Internet in the house. Leave the modem to yourself, but turn it on only at times when the child is busy with his own business. And the internet is banned. Instead, everything listed above.

And remember that personal example always and in everythingeffective educational conversation, shouting and radical methods. No matter how much you want to “sit in VK”, “like” new photos of a girlfriend or download a brand new melodrama, leave computer “sessions” for yourself in the late evening, when the child is already sleeping. By example prove that life is beautiful even without online.

How to wean a teenager from a computer - important tips for parents to prevent computer addiction in children

Fighting computer addiction in a teenage child is the most difficult:

• Firstly, You can’t turn off the Internet anymore and you can’t hide your laptop.
• Secondly, study today also involves tasks on a PC .
• Third, distract the child adolescence constructor and playing snowballs is impossible. How to be?

• Don't ban the internet do not hide the computer on the cabinet - let the child be an adult. But control the process. Block all unreliable sites, install filters for viruses and for access to those resources where the teenager has nothing to do due to the still unstable psyche and exposure to outside influences. Make sure that the time on the PC is used to good use - learning new programs, mastering Photoshop, drawing, creating music, etc. Send your child to courses so that at home he would like to practice his skills, and not spend hours on social networks.
• Sports, sections, etc. The pleasure that a child receives from sports, dancing and other outdoor activities cannot be compared with the joy of the next “like” or “game” of shooting games. Likes to shoot on the Internet? Take him to the appropriate section - let him shoot at the shooting range or paintball. Want to box? Give it to boxing. Daughter dreams of dancing? Buy her a costume and send her wherever she wants. Is your child shy about communicating in real life? In the virtual world, is he a brave superhero? Take him to a training where they will help you develop a confident strong person.
• Be your child's friend. At this age, the orderly tone and belt are not helpers. Now the child needs a friend. Listen to your child and participate in his life. Be interested in his desires and problems - it is in them that you will find all the answers to the question "how to distract ...".
• Give your child a gym or fitness membership. , concert tickets or trips to youth holiday camps. Constantly look for ways to keep a teenager engaged in a real interesting thing that will be both useful and emotionally rich. Proceed from what your child lacks, from what exactly he runs to the Internet. It's possible he's just bored. This is the most easy option(it won't be hard to find an alternative). It is much more difficult if the escape from boredom in the "virtual" has grown into a serious addiction. Here you have to work hard, because the moment has already been lost.
• Self-realization. Now is the time to immerse yourself deeply and completely in the area of ​​​​interest that has probably already settled in the child’s head. Before adult life- a little bit. If the child has already found himself, but does not have the opportunity to develop in the chosen direction, give him this opportunity. Support morally and financially.

How do you deal with computer addiction in a child? Share your experience with us!

Child psychologists and psychiatrists are sure that the only currently proven way to prevent computer addiction in a child is to engage in activities that are not associated with frequent use of a computer so that it does not become a substitute for real life. The task of adults is to show a growing person that there is a mass interesting activities, in particular sports, tourism, which not only allow you to experience a variety of thrills, but also train the body and normalize the psychological state.

But, nevertheless, parents continue to sound the alarm. Here is one of the letters:

Everything was fine, but at the end of the year in October my son (a 5th year student) fell ill. Nervous breakdown, computer addiction, now lies in a psychodispensary. There they do not treat, but inject some drugs and kill a person. They took our son home, but we can’t cope with him, he runs away from home.
Now we do not know with her husband how to live on, how to combine work and monitor the sick? This is the first time I've encountered such a disease.

WHAT IS GAMING ADDICTION AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF ONLINE GAMING ON TEENAGERS?

To this day, disputes do not subside in the scientific community: whether online games should be classified as drug addiction or not. Most experts are absolutely in favor, which is not at all surprising. Online games have recently captured the minds of mankind. Users of the famous virtual MMORPG games"World of Warcraft" already has more than 4 million people in the world, and these are only people playing on official servers. As for gamers using pirated servers, there are probably even more of them. But many people play several online games in parallel at once, sitting for hours every day at computer games. What is the danger of this seemingly innocent entertainment?

It is addictive, a person develops a gambling addiction. Players forget about everything: they forget to eat, sleep, about duties to their loved ones, about children. Adult gamers lose their jobs because they find themselves unable to interrupt the game process to go to work, lose families, because the virtual world for them becomes no less real than the real one. But the influence of online games on teenagers is especially detrimental: students are massively expelled from prestigious universities, because they do not come to exams - they have no time, they kill the monster as a whole group, not daring to “let others down”, from excellent students children become losers. For big and quite real money, players acquire virtual items from each other, "necessary" in the game.

To “pump” their virtual hero, they send thousands of money to servers that provide online games. They begin to beg, and then steal funds from their parents for a start. It is very good if a person manages to come to his senses in time and stop this endless gaming marathon. And if not, if he can not get rid of the addiction to computer games? Where will gambling addiction lead him, what will it result in?

Excessive interest in computers gradually undermines physical and intellectual health, destroys the nervous system and, as a result, makes a computer-addicted person not only sick, but also lonely. Modern social media, online computer games, the ability to join any, even the most taboo information in society using the Internet, as if specially created for teenagers, nervous system which has not yet fully strengthened, because children of this age (12-16 years old) are initially characterized by a desire for escapism (some departure from reality), fantasizing, a tendency to wishful thinking, etc.

The computer and the Internet fully satisfy these needs. young man who, with their help, can become anyone in their virtual space. In addition, in adolescence, ideas about morality, good and evil are formed, which, under the influence of the information flow from a computer and TV, can be significantly distorted.

Signs of computer addiction in teenagers

So, the signs of Internet addiction in teenagers are as follows:

The child spends most of the time at the computer, forgetting to be distracted by food and sleep;
Due to hobbies of virtual reality, his school performance is declining;
A teenager prefers virtual communication to real one, leaves the house little, has almost or no friends;
The interests of a teenager are limited only by the passion for the computer. You notice that the teenager has become more irritable, or vice versa, shows indifference to others.

How to get rid of computer gaming addiction?

Instruction

1. To successfully get rid of computer addiction, it is necessary for the person himself to realize that there is a problem. So get ready for a long conversation. Do not lose patience if the child does not make contact. A person suffering from such an addiction sharply increases aggression and rejection of the world around him. So seek help from a psychologist. Or a psychotherapist.

2. It may be easier for a specialist to call a teenager for a frank conversation. For successful treatment, understand why the addiction arose. What do you know about him? Very often a child is immersed in computer games, suffering from loneliness. He has no friends, parents pay little attention. The real world seems to be a continuous negative, and the teenager is looking for salvation in games.

3. Protect your child from stressful situations. This also applies to your communication. Do not demand the impossible, your child is sick and cannot be cured in one day. To bring a teenager back to reality, try to convey to him that there are many positive aspects in this life.

4. Don't neglect psychological help. Classes in training groups will help the teenager to establish communication with peers. Also, after undergoing a course of treatment, self-esteem will increase, and, possibly, new hobbies will appear.

5. Remember, before hanging in front of the monitor, did your child have any hobbies? It would be nice if you gave him the opportunity to continue his favorite activities. It can be any kind of sports, dancing, singing, kayaking or paintball.

6. Never turn off the Internet. If a teenager is not yet ready for treatment, you will provoke an attack of aggression, which can end in failure. There are frequent departures from home and suicide attempts. If a child is already undergoing treatment under the supervision of a psychologist, deprivation of the Internet can provoke a new round of the disease. The teenager will again close in on himself, and it will be more difficult to call him to frankness.