Ep. 4: Virtually Addicted

By: Dina Temple-Raston

Length: 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hear the private thoughts of Felix Graham, a British teen struggling to redefine himself after quitting the internet games he spent countless hours playing. Plus, we travel to South Korea where the government is providing programs and feedback to young people who are over dependent on smartphones and internet gaming. And finally, we hear from neuroscientists about how neuroplasticity may make adolescents susceptible to addiction, but also more likely to be able to rewire.

©2018 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC

Gaming Addiction

So far this is the weakest one of the series. I really don't believe in gaming addiction, and there really wasn't much in the way of proving this actually exist. They basically went to Korea, where gaming is big, to begin with, and used them as an example of gaming addiction. I would've loved to see them find Americans, who have so many other distractions in their lives, to prove gaming addiction. I understand why Koreans play so many games. It's essentially an escape for them.

OCD is not an addiction disorder.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. But the narrator kept returning to the idea that OCD might be contributing to a so called gaming addiction. No doubt there are some teens who turn to games who have OCD but OCD is an anxiety disorder, not in the category of addiction. In one interview it seemed like the narrator was trying to get the professional to agree OCD was involved but the professional side stepped the question. Wish the professional had taken a moment to correct the narrators assumption.