Put your time to good use

THE dangers of too much online gaming are becoming well known, with concerns ranging from sore thumbs to poor school results although now the emphasis is on mental health.

The WHO (World Health Organisation) has now included it as an addictive disorder in the draft version of the 2018 International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

The idea that it is a medical issue is difficult to comprehend for many of us over 30.

Older citizens have their own “time wasters” like crosswords, card games, sudoku, and these are not talked of as being addictive – although another example, the pokies (one-armed bandit) is a different matter altogether.

There seems to be many young people who spend much of their time online, with Facebook friends they’ve never met, YouTube cute cats and Instagram photos that don’t seem real. But the issue is, can they stop?

A medically defined addiction needs to be treated in the way of most addictions: recognising the problem, stopping the action, finding the underlying cause, and repairing relationships with family and friends. This is far more difficult than just switching off the device.

There needs to be an emphasis on a better use of time – study, sport and volunteering would be better options for themselves and others.

There also needs to be some control over the inclusion of game components designed to get young people playing and keeping them playing.

Turn off, go outside and get some sunlight – it’s actually nice. — Dennis Fitzgerald, via e-mail