Teen kills mum over game; psychologists say gaming addiction is at an alarming high

According to psychologists, there has been a considerable rise in incidents of gaming addiction among teens, particularly during and after the lockdown, as mobile phone usage has increased

The shocking incident of a 16-year-old from Lucknow who killed his mother for not letting him play PUBG has brought to light the addiction of online gaming. According to psychologists, there has been a considerable rise in incidents of gaming addiction among teens, particularly during and after the lockdown, as mobile phone usage has increased. Psychologist Neelam Mishra says, “We get plenty of cases on a daily basis, especially from young parents, who have given mobiles to kids from a young age to keep them distracted, play games or even study. Partially, Covid-19 is also to blame for such negative consequences.” She adds that the Lucknow case is a classic example of Internet Gaming Disorder.

Several of the games include a battlefield or gambling which can also have an impact or behaviour

As per reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has held a meeting with online gaming platforms to develop a national framework to effectively regulate them without slowing down their growth.

Psychologist Pulkit Sharma says, “There’s no harm in playing online games. But it is problematic when there’s no control.” He points out that since several of the games include a battlefield or gambling, “the more time you spend on it, [the more] you start relating it to the real world. Your thoughts and emotions start to generate (incite) violence”.

The addiction can also lead to financial stress. “There was a time in my life when I had a blurry line between gaming and gambling, which is when I realised I have become an addict. I lost a lot of money and even friends,” says IT engineer Pankaj Arora, 28.

Twinkle Makker, 32, an advertising professional, rues, “It’s risky to hand over phones to kids, but what can working parents do? We have guilt but also cannot stay without being connected. We can only limit screen time and keep a track of apps on the phone.”