According to the Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital), internet addiction is classified as a behavioral addiction.
Some studies among adolescents and adults (average age 21.5) in the country show that the rate of internet addiction among adolescents is about 21%. A study among university students in Vietnam shows that 37.5% are addicted to the internet.
Use the internet in moderation, spend time on activities and entertainment outside to avoid internet addiction.
In terms of psychological mechanisms, internet addiction is mainly due to two factors: difficulty controlling behavior and negative emotions. In which, difficulty controlling behavior is the loss of control over internet use, leading to excessive use. Negative emotions are feelings such as depression, anxiety or stress that make users turn to the internet as a way to escape.
Online game addiction belongs to the group of internet addiction.
Game addicts spend a lot of time playing games, which leads to poor academic performance and decreased work performance. They experience withdrawal symptoms when they do not play games. Players evaluate the virtual world more positively and become overly dependent on the game, eventually developing gaming disorder.
The duration or frequency of gaming behavior increases over time; or the need to engage in games of increasing complexity, requiring more skill or strategy to maintain or increase previous levels of excitement, or to avoid boredom.
Game addicts have an urge or craving to engage in gaming even when engaging in other activities; ignore other interests; and feel irritable, angry, or verbally or physically aggressive when gaming is stopped or reduced.
Even gaming disrupts their diet, sleep, exercise, and other health-related behaviors, which can lead to negative physical and mental health outcomes.
Usually, patients hospitalized for game addiction treatment are young people, students, and admitted to the hospital at a late stage, often experiencing co-occurring disorders (having many problems at the same time such as game addiction accompanied by sleep disorders, physical health problems such as weight loss, poor academic performance, etc.).
Easy to relapse into game and internet addiction if family does not cooperate
Through actual treatment, Dr. Le Thi Thu Ha, Head of the Department of Substance Use and Behavioral Medicine (Institute of Mental Health), noted that in the family, parents need to pay attention and spend time with their children instead of constantly "hugging" their phones. After children are treated for game addiction, families need to cooperate to help their children avoid relapse. In some cases, families and patients only cooperate for a few months, so the rate of relapse into game addiction and internet addiction is also very high.
Appropriate internet use is no more than 2 hours/day off and 1 hour/day on a normal day, not including time spent using the internet for work or study.
In terms of treatment, internet addicts and game addicts are treated with behavioral therapy, through the method of reducing the connection between game-related stimuli and the player's response to them. This therapy focuses on the behavior itself, replacing or changing gaming behavior.
Patients are also treated with psychotherapy that focuses on modifying cognitions and mental states. It helps individuals modify their maladaptive cognitions and regain psychological support that ultimately changes behavior.
Electrical stimulation is used in the treatment of gaming addiction, aiming to change the neurophysiological characteristics of the brain and body, manifested in the form of psychological and behavioral changes.
In case families need advice on game addiction and mental health issues, they can contact the doctors of the Institute of Mental Health at the phone number: 02435765344/0984104115.
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