Do video games make teens dependent?

(Update from February 8 at 9:56 a.m.). This February 3, 2021, during a visit to the Maison des Adolescents de Blois, Brigitte Macron expressed concern about the‘Addiction to video games which concerns many adolescents. “”Fortnite, it’s terrible … When they are on games like that, how to do them to stop?“Asked the First Lady.”You have to be particularly attentive to them at the moment. Adolescence is already an age that is not simple … with this crisis, it’s even more complicated“added Brigitte Macron according to The New Republic. A position that did not really like the gamers, which denounce a unfair criticism of Fortnite While French youth is faced with many other much more serious problems, they believe. Some psychologists also consider that this video game is an overly easy scapegoat. “”Is it the video game that leads to school failure, or the school failure that leads the teenager to overinvest the video game?“, wonders Niels Weber, psychotherapist and specialist in screens, in The world. However, this remark is not without foundation, since WHO recently recognized addiction to video games as a pathology.

However, addiction to video games has been officially recognized as a pathology by theWorld Health Organization May 25, 2019. The “Video game disorder” So joined the 11th international classification of diseases, which had not been updated since 1990. This new disease “is characterized by a loss of control over the game, an increased priority granted to the gameto the point that it takes precedence over other centers of interest and daily activities, and by the pursuit or the growing practice of the game despite harmful repercussions “, specifies the WHO. What limits to set to her child? We take stock with Dr. Bruno Rocher, psychiatrist specializing in addictology. And Dr. Georges Picherot, pediatrician and representative of the French Pediatric Society at the National Observatory for Child Protection*.

Difficult to differentiate between normal use and potentially problematic, even addictive practice (called Disorder Gaming According to the official English name)? “”This question is currently being debated by specialists, even if it is less following the decision taken by the WHO“Explains Dr. Rocher. However, practice can be considered problematic, if the player brings together all these behaviors:

• If the practice of your child’s video games or your teenager has consequences for him or for you. That’s to say, “If there is real individual or family suffering related to the use of video games“, Specifies Dr. Rocher. And add that”It is not only the player who determines whether his practice is excessive or not, the point of view of those around them is extremely important.“”
• If he plays for a long time : “The WHO has set this duration at 12 months, a duration which gives a certain massivity to the problem. We are not talking about a use that will last a weekend or just for school holidays, but a practice that is long -term. From that moment, we can consider that the use is excessive“Explains the specialist.
• If The game obsesses him And takes a central place in his daily life. In other words, “As soon as he has a free moment, he plays or if he is occupied with something else, his mind focuses on the parts he has already played or those to come“.
• If there are A negative impact on individual developmentphysical and social of the child. In other words, the game is problematic when it has negative consequences on its family, school or social investment.
• S‘He can’t stop playing In a sustainable way, despite your warnings and knowledge of the problematic nature of the game. “He made attempts to stop, but these are ineffective in the long term“, Specifies the expert.

In short, it is necessary to make the difference between excessive and addiction times, a complex phenomenon which depends on multiple factors and which must be characterized medically. Rest assured, overconsumption of video games is frequent, but real addiction remains rare. However, it is better to favor a serene and regulated practice than excessive long -term consumption which would require consulting a specialist.

“”Young people are often attracted by video games that exceed the limits of reality, such as violent games; fighting gamesthe survival horror, action or war games and this is not worrying in itself“Explains Dr. Picherot. But these video games, particularly those in the” first person “(when the player embodies the character he controls) trivialize violence?”There are still no studies on the subject. For the moment, we are on unlisted aspects and very debated“, Specifies Dr. Rocher immediately.”Concretely, We do not yet know if the use of a violent game will tip the scale of the functioning of an individual towards negative behaviors (more violent attitudes towards others, black ideas, cynical behaviors …) or if it is an outlet capable of eating internal violence“. In short, violence could either be contained in some young people or on the contrary unbridled.

“Most players manage to find resources in them to control themselves and control their aggressiveness”

But why is it so complicated to assess the consequences that the excessive practice of a violent video game could have? “”It is in fact very difficult to standardize populations and extremely hard to compare, for example, the impact on an 18 -year -old teenager morally fragile or evolving in an unbalanced educational environment and that on a 9 -year -old child without emotional deficiency“The context in which the child or the teenager plays is therefore particularly influencing. In other words, “”Each player manages his impulses and his tensions differently : When some young people, more vulnerable to violence and whose video games are potentially recreational times, easily succumb to impulsivity, most manage to find resources in them to control and control their aggressiveness “, reassures the pediatrician. In addition, the duration of play is an equally important parameter: “a priori, Playing an hour in a violent game does not seem problematic or worrying. On the other hand, spending 4-5 hours in front of a screen is tiring for the brain and inevitably impacts the brain capacity to regulate its tensions or its impulses“, Specifies Dr. Rocher.”Looking at violent images is therefore not necessarily associated with violent behavior. On the other hand, violent games are exciting and that necessarily impacts the quality of the child’s sleep, especially if he plays just before sleeping. Finally, the blue light emitted by the screens can decrease melatonin production, the hormone regulating sleep“, Building Dr. Picherot. So, it is better to avoid playing in the evening, he advises.

Network game, strategy: understand what attracts him

You must already try to understand what motivates a child or a teenager to spend a lot of time in front of video games. Is it the game strategy that interests him? Is it the fact that‘He plays in a network, with other friends ? Does he feel more relaxed after playing? Does he play because he is bored? Ask him questions and above all, “”Take an interest in his practiceas you would for any of his hobbies“, insists Dr. Picherot. So why not do a game with him or watch him play a quarter of an hour? This moment – valuing for the child – will be conducive to an exchange and can reassure you on his motivations.”Even if most young people know how to distinguish between play and reality, this is an opportunity to Recall the differences between the true and the virtual And above all, to discuss with him dangers, the importance of respect and underline the seriousness of violent behavior“He adds.

Do not demonize Fortnite

Above all, “Do not demonize video games“, recommends Dr Picherot. They must also be perceived as Strategy and reflection games. They can promote logic and sense of observation. Fornite For example, teaching the child to build shelters, to make weapons or traps from different resources. Then he must manage them and set up a strategy to fight other players and gain ground. So there is a real challenge.

Avoid frustrating your child

Concretely, do not turn off his console or computer in the middle of a game, but “Determine rules together (one hour of stopping, which games can it play and when (only on weekends, 30 minutes after homework, a little more during the holidays) …) as you will for family life, by car, outside or for any activity“, Specifies the pediatrician. For example,” after this level or in 10 minutes, you stop playing “. And if he does only his head and he continues, stop the game. Regarding screen time,”One hour screen per day (all screens combined) is more than enough for children aged 3-4, and two hours maximum for children from 5 years “recommends the pediatrician.

Difficult to assess the minimum age of a game. To give you an idea, refer to the PEGI signage, a European system which estimates the minimum age of using a video game and not according to its level of difficulty. These squares affixed to the boxes of video games give parents points for parents and help them decide whether or not they have to buy a particular product.

This pictogram, presenting a closed fist, present on certain games, means that the game contains scenes of violence. If the game is classified PEGI 7, the scenes of violence cannot be realistic or detailed. If the game is classified PEGI 12, it can contain violence in an imaginary environment or non -realistic violence compared to characters with a human figure, while if it is classified PEGI 16 or 18, it contains more and more realistic scenes of violence. Finally, the Pédagojeux site – which brings together associative actors, specialists in the protection of minors and the family, public institutions and video game players – helps you manage this digital activity. How ? By providing you with several practical sheets (video games and age, video games and sleep …) that answer the most common questions.

*Interviews collected in October 2018.