The dangers Of Pokémon Go!
It’s hard to believe that Pokémon Go was only released a few months ago. The mobile game has become a phenomenon — and people of all ages are hooked. Everyone seems to being having tons of fun with the app, which has users running around the real world to catch virtual Pokémon. It’s easy to get attached to all the cute animated critters, and that’s the problem: Some people are getting so consumed by the game they’re forgetting about the real world around them. In fact, people across the country have gotten robbed, been involved in traffic accidents and some even walked off of a cliff while playing this game, proving that its hidden dangers cannot be ignored.
Distracted behavior
One of the biggest concerns experts have about the game is that players are making risky decisions to succeed. “There’s the potential danger because people are doing things like looking down at their devices and walking in front of a car,”
Dr. Gregory Jantz, a counselor specializing in behavioral and dependency disorders, tells
J-14. The game becomes all-consuming, which means it’s pulling all of your attention and making the real world — where accidents and incidents can occur — a mere distraction. Accidents can happen for sure, but this game can also lead you to encountering dangerous people. “Good guys and bad guys alike are playing this game,” Dr. Jantz points out.
That leaves potential for things like robbery or abduction.
To avoid putting yourself in jeopardy this way, ask a friend who isn’t playing the game to join you — and be on the lookout for potential dangers — while you do. “I call this person the
Could you be putting yourself in harm’s way by using this app?
watcher,” Dr. Jantz explains. Set up a schedule with your friends so everything’s fair and everyone gets an equal amount of playing time.
Risk of addiction
The amount of time you spend playing the game can become an issue as well. It’d be easy for this fun app to become an addiction. “It meets all the criteria: It’s exciting, it’s got the element of surprise, it’s got competition and it’s highly stimulating,” Dr. Jantz tells us.
All of these things make it hard to put down your phone and focus on other things, like your homework and quality time with family and friends. Setting a timer or keeping a schedule can help you keep your priorities straight.
The addictive quality of the game may also cause you to get impulsive. Like buying a bunch of pokécoins coins to get ahead. “You lose your ability to make good decisions and spend this money on things you think you need,” Dr. Jantz says. If this sounds like you, remove your parent’s credit card info from your account before your make a costly mistake and consider taking a break from the game.
Crossing boundaries
Your decision-making skills are put to the test with this game. Players have crossed lines they probably wouldn’t if they weren’t playing the game — like entering a desolate cemetery or trespassing on people’s private property to collect cute cartoon creatures. “Because they’re so consumed, it doesn’t matter where this is, they have to get whatever it is,” Dr. Jantz explains. Forgetting what’s right and wrong in these situations could lead to disastrous results, like trouble with the law.
We understand that you want to collect as many Pokémon as possible, but you have to pay attention to the real-life consequences this game can have. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time walking around town competing to catch the coolest characters. You just have to keep these precautions in mind and make sure the decisions you’re making are keeping yourself and others safe!