The family in the face of video game and digital media addiction

In overcoming addiction to the use of new technologies, the family plays a fundamental role.

Lately, with the pandemic, not only the new generations have focused much more on digital media and electronic devices such as video games, tablets, iPad, computers, laptops, smartphones ....

People of all ages have become very assiduous to digital platforms, which, if it occurs in excess, is a big problem that deteriorates the quality of life. that deteriorates the quality of life.

The contextual characteristics of addiction

Addictions are usually gestated and developed due (even if only in part) to a lack of meaning in life, an existential void, which leads to not adopting healthy habits that we all know in advance that we should encourage in our day to day lives.

Thus, addictions have a trigger in the present of the subjects, but they have a root in their life history and education. Therefore, a key that can help people who suffer from some kind of addiction is to become aware of what goes through their mind when they resort to this addictive habit. what is going through their mind when they resort to this addictive habit..

Surely emotions, ideas, sensations or contexts can be identified in which the idea, sensation or emotion and context, detonate in the person the addictive habit, leading them to repeat over and over again that which has already become harmful to their life.

When overcoming a problem of this type, the person who suffers a certain addiction must have a genuine interest in abandoning that bad habit, that is to say, acceptance of the addiction..

To combat addictions of any kind, the most effective psychotherapy so far is cognitive-behavioral therapy, which in simple and common words involves identifying dysfunctional ideas in relation to the different moments of the day and in which the addiction manifests itself. Of course, it can be complemented with some other type of psychotherapy depending on the case, considering factors such as the level of affection, age and type of addiction.

Putting the focus on the family in the face of addiction to new technologies.

Returning to addictions to video games and digital media, I consider it very useful to approach the problem with the support of the whole familyI think it is very useful to address the problem with the support of the whole family, i.e. to determine why the young person or adult has become more and more involved in this addictive dynamic in relation to the family context.

In the case of adolescents it may be by omission or negligence, since for this to happen surely the guardians were not able to realize in time and therefore could not assign productive activities for their benefit, perhaps because they do not know their child well enough, which usually happens in families whose communication is not suitable, positive and / or direct.

Obviously, there is no one way to live together as a family, there is no one way; however, it is clear that all family members can try to do their best to support the person suffering from an addiction. But since it is not at all simple to give sufficient support without having training in mental health or knowing how to identify at what point people begin to "deviate" their behavior, it is essential to turn to professional psychotherapists..

If people have clear short, medium and long term goals and also put "hands to work", surely addictions will hardly come. That is, if we have something to do and think about and a purpose that motivates us, life will go much better away from risk factors associated with addictions.

The complicated thing then is to know why a certain person was not able to identify what motivated him/her. There can be several causes: the family context and its dynamics, a problem of self-esteem, low level of emotional intelligence? And of course the combination of all these factors results in a multifactorial and absolutely variable predisposition.

Amazingly, addictions and their multifactorial origin can be avoided and largely left behind by having productive occupations that give meaning to our lives.

Something so complex and multifactorial in origin can be avoided with something extremely practical and relatively simple, as long as there is sufficient support from the environment... When they are very accentuated cases it will be necessary not only to be occupied in productive activities, but also to ask for multidisciplinary supports: psychiatry, psychology, nursing, social work... and of course, support of the immediate social circle so that friends and family go in the same sense and are congruent with the objective of this or that person who needs to leave his addiction.

With professional and family support it is possible to overcome the problem.

To discover what motivates us to carry out it in a productive way also requires of all an introspective, reconstructive work, speaking of emotions and self-esteem.This is not easy to accept or to clarify, because it can be clouded by many obvious factors for professional psychologists, but not at all obvious for those who are involved in this or that addiction, i.e. family, friends of the person currently addicted.

Addictions are had, so they are taken away....