“When schools set homework that requires a lot of internet and WiFi access, they’re setting 10 per cent of Australian families up for a war,” said Brad Marshall, who runs a clinic specialising in problem gaming | JordsBaker
Robert* hasn’t had a decent sleep in years. For hours through the night, he hears his son, 15, downstairs, talking, laughing, and shouting with fellow video gamers all over the world. “Kill him!” he’ll yell. “Get him!”
“Although many Australian parents and professionals are concerned about the impacts of screen and gaming disorders on affected young people, there has been little recognition from policymakers, education departments and the health sector around problematic use,” the statement said. He rebelled. “He was not sleeping at all, all night long, every night, for three months.” They tried making agreements. “It worked for five minutes, but then it didn’t work.” They locked his computer away. He forced the door.
There, general practitioners can refer young people aged between 13 and 25 to the service, which is part of the National Centre for Behavioural Addictions. “Here, unless they can afford a clinic like mine, they get nothing,” said Marshall. In a statement, NSW Health said symptoms associated with problem gaming often indicated other underlying problems, such as depression, anxiety or social issues, and could be treated the same way as those issues. Health and Education ran resilience programs in schools.