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These days, technology has made large strides and has entered into homes in a remarkable way. Kids these days are more likely to be addicted to video games than ever. Before parents can begin to think of ways to help their children avoid this addiction, they should first understand why it's very appealing to kids, especially those with ADHD.

For children with ADHD, focusing on day-to-day and simple activities may take a lot of effort. There are so many distractions that they struggle with. When kids with ADHD play video games, they are able to hyperfocus and forget everything else. They don't pace, they don't have problems controlling their movements. They can easily immerse themselves in the vast worlds that video games can offer.

Video games are also "emotionally safe" because they don't really need to interact with people in order to enjoy them. For ADHD kids and teens, playing video games can be a safe activity because nobody will make fun of them or find them strange there. When they make mistakes or fail at something in a video game, nobody has to know. It's an environment where they feel they can be what they want to be. Because ADHD kids and teens can hyperfocus on games, they also tend to be very good at gaming. This gives them a sense of accomplishment that they're not going to give up easily.

Is it such a bad thing?

Parents with children that have ADHD know that these kids and teens have poor self-regulation. Without guidance, an innocent hobby can quickly turn into video game addiction. Like any other kind of addiction, video game addiction can adversely affect children in every aspect of their life. Like any other kind of addiction, video game addicts have little control over their lives.

According to psychiatrists, in order for a habit to be classified as an addiction, a couple of criteria must be met. One is if a person needs this activity (or substance) to keep him/her going. Another is if removing this activity (or substance) causes signs of emotional, psychological or physical distress to a person such as feelings of sadness, irritability, or misery. Some early studies regarding video game addiction show that it has similarities with the effect gambling addiction has on people.

On the physical level, addiction to video games raises the brain's dopamine levels, making players think that they feel better when they play games. Many video game addicts are unaware of how this addiction is wreaking havoc in their real life as their virtual life eventually becomes more appealing to them.

This kind of addiction quietly sneaks up on people because many don't believe that it's harmful. At least not compared with the dangers of drug or alcohol addiction. However, children (especially those who are more susceptible to video game addiction like children with ADHD) who play video games excessively are taken away from a normal social environment which stunts their social development. It's not unusual for video game addicts to be incredibly socially awkward and show emotional immaturity.

Some of the most common signs of video game addiction includes:

1. An increased desire for isolation
2. Lying to parents and/or friends about their gaming habits
3. Spending more and more time gaming
4. Appears even more distracted than usual when not playing
5. Putting off sleeping, eating, and other important activities just to make time for video games
6. Giving up hobbies to have more time for games
7. Spending less and less time with friends
8. Refuses or is resistant to limiting the time they spend playing
9. Irritability and other signs of depression when trying to lessen the time they spend on games

How can parents help?

Parents can help curb video game addiction by setting boundaries, especially before things get out of control. Here are a few tips:

1. Agree on rules - Parents and other responsible adults in the house must agree on the rules that specifically pertain to playing video games. Can kids play video games during weekdays? If yes, how long can they play? Can exceptions be made if kids have no homework to do? How long can they play during weekends? What kind of games can they play? What kind of games are forbidden, no questions asked? What kind of websites are okay to visit, if the game requires internet connection?
2. Monitor - It's one thing to have your child agree to a set of rules, it's another to make sure they're complying to these rules. For example, if kids are allowed to play for 30 minutes each night IF they have finished doing their chores and homework, some parental involvement would be helpful in making sure these conditions are met. Parents can check the homework first, or have a chores list for their children to complete everyday. This helps guide children with ADHD to have a sense of accountability for the tasks that they need to do before they can enjoy the privileges of their work.
3. Uphold the rules - If you and your ADHD teen agreed on only 30 minutes of gaming during weekdays, then you should firmly impose this. They can try to protest, throw tantrums, or rationalize their way through the rules, but as long as parents are firm about it, they'll soon get the idea that respecting boundaries is important.
4. Set consequences - Parents must understand that if their teens are already addicted to video games, they will do anything (including manipulate and lie) in order to get their gaming fix for the day. It's important for parents to be consistent about the consequences of breaking rules. Even for children who are not yet addicted to video games, making rules without firmly and consistently imposing consequences is useless. Sometimes parents need to do things like take away video game controllers, disable internet connections, or suspend their children's gaming accounts to make their point and keep the boundaries intact.
5. Don't put gaming consoles in bedrooms - Children are more likely to have video game addiction when it's accessible to them anytime that they want. Especially for ADHD children and teens, keeping a video game console and computer inside their room can be a bad idea. It's better to put these in a family room or in the living room where they can be monitored by their parents when they use the equipment.