Online gaming is becoming an addictive problem and a recent study has shown that children who play video games twice a day are less likely to achieve five good GCSE grades.
The National Children’s Bureau Northern Ireland research involved more than 600 teens aged 14-16 from 2012-14 and found that 41% of children who used portable gaming devices at least twice a day achieved at least five GCSE A* to C grades, compared with 77% of those who used them less than once a week.
School staff were particularly concerned about extent of gaming, reporting a number of issues relating to attendance, punctuality and motivation, the BBC said.
The study recommended that additional research is undertaken to establish why prolific gamers do less well at school.
Modern video games are becoming increasingly complex and detailed with greater strategic challenges, so it is not too surprising that some teens would rather play the latest games than hang out with friends or play sport.
The US-based website, Video Gaming Addiction, says an addiction to video or computer games should be treated like any other addiction – smoking, alcohol or recreational drugs. The site says gaming becomes an addiction when it interferes with personal relationships or the pursuit of other goals.
Hypnotherapy is a way to treat and cure addictive behaviour without using invasive medication and the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) says hypnotherapy, using hypnotic techniques, can help to remove addictive habits with precision and a total freedom from side effects.
“The reason why hypnotherapy works so rapidly with bad habits and behaviours is because it works directly with your subconscious, bypassing the critical mind and getting to the root of the issue so that changes can be made that support your goals quickly and efficiently,” the NCH states.
The client is led, by means of the hypnotherapist’s guiding voice, into a state where their body and mind are relaxed and nearly asleep.
To an onlooker it might seem as if the client was totally asleep but in fact, though the client will feel relaxed and awake enough to be aware of what is going on.
Also awake will be those parts of the mind which the therapist is working with to induce beneficial changes. This may mean that the client will be picturing, as in a daydream, the things which are being spoken of and that they may experience the associated pleasant feelings.
If you are worried about a possible gaming addiction, for yourself or your teenage child, it will be worthwhile contacting an NCH hypnotherapist near you by using the NCH directory (click here) and booking an initial session.