How to prevent your teen from getting addicted to video games

It is easy for teenagers to get addicted to video games because it is an activity that most of them like to indulge in. When teenagers get addicted to video games, you may notice that they will spend less time doing other things and more hours in front of their screens.

Here are some tips to help you prevent them from getting addicted to video games

Establish boundaries on screen time

If you don’t want your teen to get addicted to video games, then you might need to set some boundaries to control their screen time. When school is actively in session, you can reduce their exposure to video games to the barest minimum so that they can focus on their academics.

Some parents might restrict their teens from accessing these video games until the weekend when they are permitted to use them for a few hours.

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Provide an alternative to healthy hobbies

One of the best ways to kill a developing addictive habit is to replace it with a healthy one. If you notice that your teenager spends too much time playing video games, you can suggest some interesting and productive hobbies to them.

For instance, you can enroll them in a music or art class, or any engaging activity that will make them spend more time playing video games.

Use video games as a reward

Another strategy you can use to prevent video game addiction in teens is to use gaming as a reward. This means that when they abide by the rules or meet a particular target, you can allow them to play video games for a period.

Talk to their teachers and the school management

You can also discuss with the school management to help you keep an eye on your child. Some teenagers might sneak in some of their gadgets to school so that they can play their favorite video games when no one is watching.

When all eyes are on them, they might not be able to play video games.

Signs of video gaming addiction in teens

One of the common activities among teenagers is video games. With the various devices, teenagers can play their favorite games at any place and time. However, video gaming addiction might begin to set in when they start to neglect other vital activities because they want to play video games.

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If you are not sure whether your teenager is struggling with video gaming addiction, here are some tips to help you observe better.

Reduced performance in school activities

One of the easiest ways to know that your teen is addicted to video games is when there is a drop in their performance at school.

They might record abysmal scores in tests and assignments because they didn’t dedicate enough time to school tasks. Additionally, they might not really be involved in regular school activities because they are more focused on their video games.

Isolation

When a teen is addicted to video games, it might be hard for them to sustain good relationship with other people. They will prefer to stay in the comfort of their rooms and play their video games, instead of spending time with family and friends.

Conflicts

One of the major causes of conflicts between addicted teenagers and their loved ones is when they are quizzed about the number of hours they spend on video games.

Some of them might lie or argue with their parents or caregivers which might strain the relationship between both parties.

A decline in personal hygiene

Another way to know when a teenager is struggling with video gaming addiction is when they don’t pay good attention to their hygiene. They might go for some days without practicing the basic self-care habits that would make them look good.

When you notice that your teenager does not invest more time into essential tasks, it is a pointer that they might be addicted, but they don’t even know what they are facing.

You can help your teenager get help by talking to them and taking them to an addiction treatment center.