Tue, Nov 25, 2008 | 11:03 GMT
Social problems to blame for 90% of gaming “addiction”
Keith Bakker of the Smith & Jones Centre in Amsterdam – a unit that treats videogaming addiction in young people – has told the BBC that he’s changing his methods as 90 percent of those that come to the clinic are wanting nothing more than a bit of a hug.
“These kids come in showing some kind of symptoms that are similar to other addictions and chemical dependencies,” he said.
“But the more we work with these kids the less I believe we can call this addiction. What many of these kids need is their parents and their school teachers – this is a social problem.”
Using traditional abstinence-based treatment models the clinic has had very high success rates treating people who also show other addictive behaviours such as drug-taking and heavy drinking.
But Bakker believes that this kind of cross-addiction affects only 10 percent of gamers.
More through there.
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Posted in: Stuff, The Netherlands
Tags: keith bakker, Smith & Jones Centre
4 comments
#1
Doomsayer
25/11/08, 10:45 am
Well well well, this shouldnt be much of a problem at all. If you are a game addicted good lookin girl – come here and get your hugs
#2
fj
25/11/08, 11:45 am
Never mind this “Keith Bakker”, I want to hear Mel and Griff’s opinion.
#3
Esha
25/11/08, 1:06 pm
I can buy that, this is the era of bad parenting.
I wonder if Blerk’s kids have problems like this? I doubt that they do as he seems to spend a good amount of time with them, going by what he’s said. So that’s something parents should take note of, I’d imagine.
I’ve seen so many parents who put their own social life, their career, and even their vanity above the needs of their children. So do I believe that at least a chunk of today’s problem youth could be helped with but a hug and some attention?
Honestly. Yes. Yes I do.
Of course, it helps that I’ve actually had some hands-on experience with kids. So I’m not entirely going with a gut feeling here, because the more kids are attended to when they’re younger, the better they turn out.
#4
Blerk
25/11/08, 1:15 pm
My kids are too young to have issues. Besides which, I have enough issues for all of us.