“For many of these children with gaming addictions, we find that their parents play games often,” said Tao. “The pandemic has contributed to more internet addiction, I haven’t seen a reduction in the number of minors that are sent to our center to curb addiction each month,” said Tao, whose center treats an average of 20 kids with severe internet addiction each month. With so many people trapped at home during the pandemic, kids were spending huge amounts online, noted Tao.
That might mean convincing their parents to let them use their accounts, or figuring out passcodes to turn off “youth mode.” Kids in middle school or high school tend to be more resourceful and often find ways to beat restrictions. Tao’s estimates the restrictions and “youth mode” settings on apps have helped counter addiction to online gaming among younger children, who may not know how to find workarounds.
Parents are the most important factor when it comes to curbing gaming addiction, said Tao Ran, director of the Adolescent Psychological Development Base in Beijing, which specializes in treating the problem. Zhong enjoys playing online games, too, but said she avoids doing so when with her child, leaving the house to play to try to set a good example.
