Preventing the negative consequences of 'gaming addiction'

Heartbreaking stories

In early June 2024, the Ha Dong District Police (Hanoi City) temporarily detained suspect Nguyen Huy Hoang (born in 1997), from Nam Dan District (Nghe An Province), for further investigation into a "theft of property" case. Initially, Hoang confessed that due to his gaming addiction and lack of money for daily expenses, he conceived the idea of ​​stealing property.

Taking advantage of the homeowner's carelessness, Hoang stole 8 mobile phones and 3 laptops, and the suspect was arrested while attempting to sell them.

Previously, in May 2024, the Vinh City Police also successfully cracked a case, arresting 14 individuals specializing in property theft, seizing 10 motorbikes and over 200 million VND in cash. All the suspects were aged 14-20 and resided in Vinh City, Hung Nguyen, and Con Cuong. They contacted each other via social media to commit theft. Initially, the suspects confessed that they committed theft because they lacked money to top up their game accounts.

Furthermore, many heartbreaking cases related to gaming addiction have left many people deeply disturbed.

For example, in early March 2023, the People's Court of Nghe An province sentenced defendant Lang Kim The Vinh (residing in Que Phong) to 18 years in prison for the crime of "murder." Notably, at the time of the crime, the defendant was only 17 years old and a 11th-grade student. Vinh was considered an intelligent student with good academic performance. The victim was NA, a female classmate from the same locality as Vinh.

During the investigation, Vinh underwent a psychiatric evaluation. The results showed that, before, during, and after committing the crime, and at the time of the evaluation, Vinh suffered from paranoid disorder, leading to impaired cognitive abilities and behavioral control. It is known that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Vinh was isolated at home for an extended period, becoming addicted to electronic devices and developing a gaming addiction. His family noticed unusual behavior but were unable to seek medical attention before the tragic incident occurred.

Similarly, a shocking case occurred four years ago behind a production forest in Lang Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district.

In mid-June 2020, Dao Ngoc Hoang (born in 2003), residing in Quynh Luu district, invited V.D. (5 years old), who lived in the same village, to play. There, Hoang conceived the idea of ​​kidnapping the child for ransom. Hoang tied the child's hands and feet and left the victim in the forest to die.

Through the investigation, investigators stated that Hoang was a problematic student with a video game addiction. Hoang confessed that he used tape to tie up the victim because he had learned it from video games and movies he had watched. For his crime, Hoang paid a heavy price with a 15-year prison sentence at the young age of 17.

These heartbreaking stories are just a few of the many incidents related to online games today.

Many unpredictable consequences

In reality, during the summer, students are on school break, parents are busy working, and there is a lack of supervision, so children tend to use electronic devices more, specifically becoming addicted.online gamePlaying games in moderation can offer many benefits such as entertainment and relaxation. However, excessive gaming, leading to addiction, can cause serious consequences, especially for school-aged children.

Visiting an online gaming cafe in Ben Thuy ward (Vinh City) at lunchtime, despite the hot weather, the place was bustling with people playing games, almost filling all the machines. It's known that during the summer, when students are on vacation, the number of customers is always high. During peak hours from 11 am to 9 pm, there are often not enough machines to serve all the "customers." For only 8-10 thousand dong, each player gets a machine to use for an hour with a stable internet connection and hundreds of different games. Therefore, it attracts mostly customers aged 11-16.

Currently, the trend of playing esports, also known as electronic sports, is attracting the attention of millions of people through online tournaments or live streaming for viewers. Popular games include: League of Legends, Dota 2, Counter-Strike, etc. This forces players to compete against each other in online video games in a professional sporting format. These video games are designed with multiple levels and eye-catching graphics, making players eager to overcome challenges and able to play for hours without getting bored.

According to Dr. Phan Bá Thu, Head of the Geriatrics and Pediatrics Department (Nghe An Psychiatric Hospital), recently, the department has been receiving and treating many young people with mental disorders due to gaming addiction. The age range of the patients admitted to the hospital is 14-24 years old.

"Most of the children who come here are in the severe stage, with quite clear symptoms such as behavioral disorders (screaming, self-harm...), paranoia, hallucinations... even suicidal thoughts or a tendency towards violence towards others," Dr. Thu shared.

It is known that teenagers, due to the unstable and vulnerable structure of their cerebral cortex, develop many mental disorders when they become overly engrossed in or abuse online games, especially violent ones. The most easily recognizable sign of mental disorder is insomnia or very little sleep, as most of their time is spent immersed in games. In addition, children will lose interest in and concern for the world around them and engage in many activities that are inappropriate for real life.

Through this, the doctor also shared that many families find it difficult to accept that their children suffer from mental illnesses, so they are hesitant and hide the fact that they haven't taken their children for timely examination and treatment. This leads to severe impacts on the children's health and mental well-being, causing significant consequences later on.

Currently, there is a growing trend of teenagers being hospitalized due to mental disorders related to video games during the summer, especially in cases lacking parental supervision. Furthermore, the development and acceptance of esports games has led to a loosening of vigilance among teenagers and many parents, thus increasing the rate of game addiction.

Therefore, Dr. Phan Bá Thu advises families to establish a balanced daily routine for their children, limiting their exposure to electronic devices. Prioritize physical activities or participation in age-appropriate life skills courses. Furthermore, parents need to spend more time talking and confiding in their children to better understand their psychology and desires. In addition, if a child shows signs of mental disorder due to gaming addiction, parents should take them to specialized medical facilities for timely examination and treatment to avoid unforeseen consequences.