Girl, 9, addicted to violent video game
THE parents of a 9-year-old girl who became addicted to playing online video game Fortnite told of their horror at learning she had been secretly staying up all night on her Xbox.
The primary school pupil became so immersed in the violent online world she would wet herself rather than take a break to go to the toilet.
In a stark illustration of how the hugely popular kill-or-be-killed game is affecting children, her parents said teachers raised the alarm after their daughter began falling asleep in class.
The family enlisted the help of an addiction expert, who said he believed many more parents were unaware that their children were hooked on gaming right under their noses.
“Young children’s brains are being pitted against the most compulsive game that Silicon Valley can put together, and it’s no contest,” said Steve Pope. “Fortnite creates a mental itch that constantly needs scratching, it becomes a compulsion. I believe we have a secret epidemic out there.”
Experts have warned game developers are using behavioural scientists to identify triggers that make children feel compelled to keep playing, including the element of competition with friends.
While alarms over video games are nothing new, the risk of playing online has prompted the World Health Organisation to define a condition known as Gaming Disorder. Symptoms include prioritising gaming over other activities and being unable to stop. – Daily Mail