The controller was gone for less than ten minutes. That was all it took for my younger brother to turn the house upside down, like someone had ripped the batteries out of his entire personality. He paced around the room restlessly, like a radar searching for signals in a dead zone; irritated, anxious, and unable to settle. It sounds trivial when you say it out loud: “a child throwing a tantrum over a game.” But anyone living with a gaming addict knows it. Behavioural patterns such as my younger brother reflect a much larger conversation about the role video games occupy in the lives of young people today.
An article recently published in multiple newspapers, citing research from the University of Oxford, argued that video games are not inherently harmful for children. The article highlighted several benefits associated with gaming, including improved cognitive processing, faster decision-making, visual-spatial awareness, and opportunities for social interaction. Research does support many of these claims. Studies have shown that certain games can improve reaction time and problem-solving skills, while the Entertainment Software Association reports that over 70 percent of teenagers game socially with friends. In moderation, gaming can function as entertainment, stress relief, and social engagement.
However, acknowledging these benefits should not overshadow the growing evidence surrounding excessive gaming and adolescent dependency. According to Common Sense Media, teenagers spend over seven hours daily on entertainment screen media, with gaming making up a major portion of that time. Researchers studying adolescent brain development have repeatedly warned that prolonged exposure to highly stimulating digital environments can negatively affect sleep, attention span, impulse control, and emotional regulation; functions closely linked to the still-developing prefrontal cortex. A National Institutes of Health study involving more than 11,000 children found measurable differences in brain development among those exposed to excessive screen time.
Research on behavioural addiction further complicates the discussion. The World Health Organization formally recognised “gaming disorder” in 2019, defining it as persistent gaming behaviour that continues despite negative consequences. Studies estimate that around 3 to 4 percent of gamers globally exhibit symptoms severe enough to qualify as gaming disorder, while many more report compulsive habits interfering with education, relationships, and mental health.
Researchers studying adolescent brain development have repeatedly warned that prolonged exposure to highly stimulating digital environments can negatively affect sleep, attention span, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
Parents also frequently struggle to address unhealthy dependency once it develops. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 70 percent of parents reported difficulty managing their teenagers’ screen habits. In many cases, excessive gaming becomes less about entertainment and more about coping with stress, loneliness, or academic pressure. Games provide predictable reward systems and measurable achievement, making them psychologically appealing to adolescents seeking escape or stability. The discussion, therefore, should move beyond whether video games are simply “good” or “bad.” The more important issue is balance, regulation, and awareness.
While governments have established laws and policies to protect children from threats such as child labour, child marriage, and abuse, far less attention has been given to the growing issue of gaming addiction and unhealthy digital dependency. However, initiatives such as CTRL UR RESET, a student-led campaign promoting healthy digital habits and raising awareness about gaming addiction among teenagers, seek to bridge this gap. Through school workshops, peer support sessions, awareness campaigns, and conversations with psychologists, the initiative equips students and parents to recognise unhealthy gaming behaviours before they develop into addiction. As gaming becomes increasingly embedded within youth culture, conversations around it must become more evidence-based, more accessible, and significantly more attentive to the psychological realities underlying excessive use.