Today’s society has two problems with video games:

• Video games desensitize us to violence and act as triggers for violent outbursts, and
• Video games become prioritized before important functions such as school/work/family

Recently there is a growing popularity of violent games on the market. Even though they have an Electronic Software Rating Board (ESRB) age rating, that does not stop young children from buying them. This happens in two ways:

1. kids buy the games independently from parents (80% of stores do not ask for age verification during purchase of Mature rated games), or
2. parents are oblivious to the violence contained in games and purchase them for their children

Although some studies show that violence may be slightly associated with video games, most individuals are not psychologically affected by it. However, this is not how video games are portrayed in the media. Whenever a violent act is carried out, usually by adolescent, a retrospective inquest into the history of the individual reveals the use of violent video games. Consequently, violent video games become sensationalized in the news and are indirectly blamed for the act. What is not mentioned in these reports, is that most of adolescents at one time or another, played games that have some degree of violence. In turn, video games unjustly become the scapegoat for improper parenting and other life factors that might have conditioned the individual for violence.

However, on this website, we focus primarily on the addiction aspect of video gaming.

In recent years several addiction facilities have opened worldwide for the treatment of video game/computer addiction including:

• China
• Netherlands
• U.S.
• Canada

Other events:

• As a drastic measure, China has introduced 3 hour limits for computer video game usage in order to curb gaming addiction problems.
• Exchange of virtual goods for money

Regardless of these events, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) will not consider Video Game/Internet Addiction a formal diagnosis in their upcoming edition of the DSM, stating that more research is needed in this area.  

Certain medical conditions are associated with excess video game usage. For example:

• Cardiovascular problems
• Increased ADHD symptoms in individuals with ADHD
• A study carried out on adolescent found a link between video games use and a collection of cardiovascular and type II diabetes, termed Metabolic Syndrome. The researchers found that if the duration of gameplay increased from 2 hours to three hours per day, the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome increased by 100%. The study reported that the metabolic syndrome occurs in 7.6% of the general population but that rate increases to 30% when the sample is consisted of video game players is analyzed. Interestingly, increasing physical exercise does not decrease the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome.
• Decreased verbal memory
• Disturbed sleeping patterns
• Certain games cause seizures
• Yet the relationship between video game use and Body Mass Index (BMI) is inconsistent