My boy is a kill-games addict
15aug04
Beatrice says her teenager has become a computer games zombie AS a mother of a teenage son, Beatrice (not her real name) is vigilant about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
But while she believes her son is free from these addictions, she says he is facing something just as destructive.The Brisbane mum says her 19-year-old son is addicted to computer games.
She said he visits Internet gaming centres six nights out of seven, returning home about 6am to sleep through the day.
"This has been going on for two years," she said.
"He has admitted he is completely addicted. He just can't stay away.
"It is terribly distressing. I've got two sons – one is doing a degree in economics/law, while the other has no motivation to do anything, just play games. He doesn't eat. He has no money.
"He has had the same opportunities as his brother with private schools, music.
"He has no chance of getting a job if he is sleeping through the day. All he wants to do is play games. It's taken over his life."
Beatrice said her son was not alone. "There are hundreds of kids who do this. They are all like a pack of zombies, all hooked up to headphones and shooting each other.
"There are kids who are spending their youth allowance playing games, kids who should be going to university.
"Instead they are at these games rooms all night. They are just ruining their lives."
Beatrice said her son, who dropped out of school in Year 11 to play the games, wanted help to break his addiction but didn't know where to turn.
"There is help out there for alcohol and drug addiction but nobody seems to know how to handle an addiction to computer games. It's a new addiction. It's taking away kids' motivation just as much as drugs or alcohol.
"There's got to be some sort of help. It doesn't seem to fit within the parameters of other addictions but it is just as devastating. I'm basically at my wits end and there must be lots of other parents despairing like me."
