"A New Mexico woman, occupied for weeks with playing online games, was convicted of second-degree murder and child abandonment after allowing her three and a half-year-old daughter to die of malnutrition and dehydration. A Philadelphia man was convicted of third-degree murder for killing his 17-month old daughter in a rage over a broken Xbox. In 2005, one study estimated that 40% of the players of World of Warcraft, were addicted. Unfortunately, the number of these addictions is growing exponentially in most countries. This book addresses the history, symptoms, causes, and available treatment for "video game overuse." It examines numerous case studies and provides resources from several countries including the US, China, South Korea, and the UK. Features: Questions and answers about the medical definition/description of the condition; the source/causes; details of symptoms; available cure/treatment; and societal issues or public opinion such as legal issues, social/psychological ramifi

"WARNING: This video game may impair your judgment. It may cause sleep deprivation, alienation of friends and family, weight loss or gain, neglect of one's basic needs as well as the needs of loved ones and/or dependents, and decreased performance on the job. The distinction between fantasy and reality may become blurred. Play at your own risk. Not responsible for suicide attempts, whether failed or successful. No such warning was included on the latest and greatest release from the Warcraft series of massive multiplayer on-line role-playing games (MMORPGs) World of Warcraft (WoW). So when the author, a college professor, husband, father, and one of the 11.5 million Warcraft subscribers worldwide found himself teetering on the edge of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, he had no one to blame but himself. He had neglected his wife and children and had jeopardized his livelihood, all for the rush of living a life of high adventure in a virtual world. Ultimately, he decided to live, but not f

"Nine out of ten children and adolescents play video games, and some degree of gaming is normal. But excessive playing can negatively impact schoolwork, kids' social lives, and even their health. [This book] is for parents concerned about the role of gaming in their children's lives. In this informative and readable book, Dr. Nancy Petry sheds light on what constitutes problematic video gaming and what does not, how to determine whether a young person may be 'addicted' to gaming or developing problems with it, and when to seek professional help. Petry also provides reader-friendly explanations of the latest science behind how gaming addiction impacts children, adolescents, and families; she also explores the question of whether gaming may have positive effects in certain situations. Finally, Dr. Petry offers three simple, easy-to-implement steps parents can take to reduce and reverse the harmful effects of gaming. Pause and Reset also provides exercises and worksheets to support parent

Screen media use (accessing digital content on tablets, cell phones, etc.) is quickly replacing traditional family time, and there is an accepted reality that nothing can be done. With few resources available, many parents are challenged to make the best decisions for their families. Breaking the Trance does not blame parents, nor vilifies technology as a whole, but rather provides easy and effective strategies to implement immediately. Ultimately, parents will be able to establish a screen control plan based on their own family's values that works and can be enforced.

"Describes gaming addiction, the science of gaming addiction, the effects of gaming addiction, and how gaming addiction is treated"--

Meet Timmy, a lovable monster who can't get enough of the coolest gadgets and video games. Too bad he doesn't realize how much time he spends each day in front of a screen. Using the "Time-Telling" and "ST4" techniques developed by Dr. Raun Melmed of the Melmed Center in Arizona, Timmy's Monster Diary teaches kids how to self-monitor the amount of time they spend on technology.

Meet Jasper! A young boy who is totally absorbed with playing video games. Video game addiction is on the rise, but it can be prevented. This creative story book teaches both kids and adults how to switch out their game controller for a "life controller". Video gaming is becoming a part of our culture, and we must be strategic in creating a healthy gaming balance.

""The finest book on video games yet. Simon Parkin thinks like a critic, conjures like a novelist, and writes like an artist at the height of his powers--which, in fact, he is." --Tom Bissell, author of Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter On January 31, 2012, in an internet cafe on the outskirts of New Taipei City, Taiwan, 23-year-old student Chen Rong-yu was found dead at his keyboard while the video game he had been playing for three days straight continued to flash on the screen in front of his corpse. As Simon Parkin reconstructs what happened that night, he begins a journey that takes him around the world in search of answers: What is it about video games that inspires such tremendous acts of endurance and obsession? Why do we lose our sense of time and reality within this medium, arguably more than any other? And what is it about video games that often proves compelling, comforting and irresistible to the human mind? In Death by Video Game, Simon Parkin meets the players and game

"A tech-industry insider takes a critical look at the effect games are having on our short- and long-term happiness and assesses the cultural prospects of a society increasingly obsessed with gaming. The American "game economy" has become an enormous enterprise, devouring roughly one-ninth of America's entire economic output. This overview of arguably the most influential segment of the entertainment industry examines the perspectives of gaming enthusiasts, addicts, designers, arcade owners, psychologists, philosophers, and more. Weighing the positive and negative aspects of games, the author considers their effect not only upon the players but upon culture and society. What trade-offs are being made when people play games for twenty-plus hours a week? The author puts particular emphasis on Candy Crush, whose enormous popularity has left all other games far behind. Since 2013 it has been installed over a billion times and its simplicity has disrupted previous game-design assumptions, p