Sihai network

The prevalence of game addiction in China is 27.5%. Internet addiction varies from person to person.

original title: report: the prevalence of game addiction in China is 27.5%, and adolescents aged 12 to 16 become high-risk groups

During the summer vacation, many students choose online games as a way to relax. However, according to the latest definition of the World Health Organization, the 'game barrier' caused by long-term addiction to online games is a disease. Many senior gamers joked that they were 'terminally ill' according to the diseases listed by the World Health Organization. So, can professional wards help patients with play disorders' get rid of addiction '?

The prevalence of game addiction exceeded 27%

In May this year, the World Health Assembly adopted the 11th revision of the international classification of diseases, which included 'play disorder' as a new disease into the disease unit of 'disorder caused by addictive behavior'.

According to the 43rd statistical report on China's Internet Development released by China Internet Network Information Center, as of December 2018, the number of online game users in China had reached 484 million. Among them, adolescents aged 12 to 16 are at high risk of Internet addiction. Research shows that the prevalence of game addiction is about 27.5%.

For some teenagers with poor discrimination and self-control, game addiction is becoming their 'growing trouble'. Some parents hope that medical institutions will 'get rid of addiction' for their children.

Not long ago, on the basis of establishing the addiction medical center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital expanded its beds and added a behavioral addiction ward, which is the first time that a domestic public hospital has explored the establishment of such a ward. In fact, around the world, many medical institutions are actively exploring how to prevent and treat game barriers.

In 2018, the Internet Disorder Center, the first public Internet addiction treatment clinic in the UK, was opened in West London. The clinic is the first government funded Internet addiction relief agency in the UK, which aims to help adults, teenagers and children solve the problem of addiction to violent games and so on; In Japan, many patients with game addiction will choose to go to the psychiatric department. The usual treatment is one-to-one psychological counseling; The American medical community has a long history of research on game addiction. The restart rehabilitation center in autumn City, Washington, established in July 2009, is the first institution in the United States specializing in the treatment of addiction to various scientific and technological products.

'Internet addicts' vary from person to person

Can professional wards help patients with play disorders' get rid of addiction '? The key to the problem lies in the identification of 'game obstacles'. Lu Lin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of the Sixth Hospital of Peking University, said that playing games does not mean that it is a game disorder or mental problem. Game barriers have strict definitions and standards.

According to who, the main manifestations of game barriers include: loss of control over the beginning, frequency, duration, end and occasion of game behavior; Games take precedence over other life interests and daily activities; Although the game has had negative consequences, it still continues to play and even increases the intensity of the game. The above three basic characteristics shall last for at least 12 months.

Previously, some institutions used extreme means such as closure and corporal punishment to treat the case of 'Internet addicted teenagers', which has aroused great controversy. Sun Jiashan, associate researcher of the Chinese Academy of Arts, said that the 11th revision of the international classification of diseases will officially enter into force on January 1, 2022. Prior to this, concepts such as' game barriers' were still in the stage of open scientific demonstration. They were not informal or even illegal 'death free gold medals' in the name of treating' Internet addiction 'of young people.

In fact, the reasons for teenagers' game addiction vary from person to person. Lu Lin analyzed that the reduction of outdoor activities, no other interests and hobbies, less communication with parents and classmates and other factors have led to mobile phones becoming an important 'companion' for children. Experts pointed out that solving the problem of teenagers' game addiction requires the joint participation of the whole society such as families, schools and the government, rather than blindly pushing children to medical institutions and shirking and evading their responsibilities under the pretext of 'game addiction'.

Multi control to prevent addiction

The World Health Organization has made it clear that it hopes to continuously promote the treatment research related to play disorders and collect accurate statistical data such as the number of patients, so as to better help the disease treatment of various countries and regions. At present, exploring a systematic treatment system for play disorders is an urgent problem to be solved all over the world.

To solve the problem of online game addiction, the efforts of the medical community alone are not enough. Recently, the State Council issued the healthy China action (2019-2030). Among them, in terms of health promotion actions in primary and secondary schools, online games are specifically mentioned. It is clear in the document that the total amount of online games should be regulated, the number of online operations of new online games should be controlled, the research and development of excellent online game works integrating knowledge, education, originality, skills and interest should be encouraged, the age appropriate prompt system in line with national conditions should be explored, and measures should be taken to limit the use time of minors.

Industry insiders pointed out that the family is the 'first line of Defense' to prevent teenagers' game addiction. Parents should set an example and not indulge in online games; We should pay attention to strengthening communication with children and not allow children to be accompanied by 'electronic nanny' because of busy work; We should also try to establish rules with children and cultivate children's rational time management ability. When children have problems, we must reflect on the defects in family education, try our best to understand the children's inner sense of lack, sympathize, understand and patiently help them.

In addition, schools should let children realize the harm of game addiction to life and learning through various ways, and guide teenagers to surf the Internet correctly and moderately for leisure and entertainment; Game enterprises should actively fulfill their social responsibilities, develop games beneficial to teenagers' physical and mental health, set game rules through technical means, and limit the types and duration of teenagers' games; Government departments should play a regulatory role and purify the online game space. At the same time, we will resolutely crack down on and ban some illegal institutions that seek benefits under the guise of "treating Internet addiction".