

aming addiction plays havoc with the lives of millions of gamers around the world – we need to expand treatment options in New Zealand, says Jennifer Jiyun Park.
Video gaming occupies two contrasting public perceptions. It is widely embraced as a beloved hobby, yet also seen as a source of harm. As games become more sophisticated, encouraging longer and more frequent play, a growing number of individuals are swept up to the point of losing control.
Jennifer Jiyun Park is a doctoral candidate, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland
Read the full article on the Auckland University website.
Also published on Newsroom.

New data from the WHO Regional Office for Europe reveals a sharp rise in problematic social media use among adolescents, with rates increasing from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. This, coupled with findings that 12% of adolescents are at risk of problematic gaming, raises urgent concerns about the impact of digital technology on the mental health and well-being of young people.
Read More
Video games have become so good, and provide such a sensory smorgasbord of action and colour, that children are becoming dangerously addicted. They’re playing for days on end, to the exclusion of everything else in their lives, including school, friends and family.
Read More
Dr Anna Lembke is Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is the author of bestselling books such as, ‘Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence’.
Read MoreWe greatly appreciate your feedback on this website and would like to know what information you found useful and what services you would like to see next. Please take a couple of minutes to let us know.
survey