Therapeutic Center for Anxiety and Trauma

Therapeutic Center for Anxiety and Trauma

2121 5th Avenue, Suite 214 San Diego, CA 92101

619-272-6858

Individual and Family Therapy

Now with 2 locations to serve you in San Diego county; Banker’s Hill and Escondido

Sometimes life throws us a curve-ball that we just didn't expect. Whatever the curve-ball is, either large or small, it is common to cause anxiety, even if it is something exciting. If your curve-ball is something that isn't so exciting, maybe you feel traumatized. This can happen for any situation that causes disruption to your daily routine, your thinking and ultimately your ability to function at your full potential. Whatever your anxiety or trauma is about, we can help! We are a team of therapists that work extensively with anxiety provoking issues. These could be about relationships, life events, or any negative experience that is holding you back. If you are struggling with moving past a traumatic incident, or finding it difficult to overcome anxiety of any sort, please contact us. We will have one of our experienced therapists contact you as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!

Gaming/Internet Addiction...Can it Change My Teenager's Brain? by Jonathan Steele, MFTI

May 04, 2016  /  Jennifer Costanza

So let’s say, hypothetically, your teen won’t leave the game NBA 2K16 for a whole weekend.  I mean it’s almost 48 hours straight, with bathroom breaks only.  If he was hooked up to an IV and a catheter, he probably wouldn’t leave at all!  You might find yourself asking how can one person spend so many hours on one activity?  And then it jumps to concern, and “what effect is this having”?  What about his brain, I mean, maybe it doesn’t do anything at all, but what if it does?

Overall, science is still figuring out the long-term effects of playing massive amounts of video games.  Internet/Gaming addiction is not officially listed as a disorder, but evidence is mounting.  If you’ve ever had to pull your teen away from Halo 5, a complete meltdown happens!  We do know this, addictions change the brain and Internet/Gaming is rapidly moving into that arena.

We’ll go through a quick summary of addiction brain change.  Addictions affect the “pleasure pathways” or “reward center” of the brain. This part of the brain is full of dopamine, a hormone, which gets released every time we feel pleasure or accomplishment.  It’s like when we finish a house project on our list, you know what I mean, clearing the back bank full of six-foot weeds, we feel a sense of success.  At this point, dopamine is released at a normal amount and the brain feels “happy”.  We know addictions release massive amounts of dopamine, well above normal levels, which changes the tolerance level of the brain.  So, to get back to normal levels of dopamine, withdrawal is created because the brain thinks it’s missing dopamine, when in reality, it’s not.

The danger comes when you couple the addiction brain change with “the pull” of video games.  Remember that first question, “How does one person spend so many hours on one activity?”, well here’s why.  Maybe you’ve been trying to move up another level in Boom Beach and you’re struggling, but somehow you keep coming back. Why don’t you give up and move on?  It’s because we keep telling ourselves, “next time”!  Imagine a slot machine, there’s a huge attraction to the fact that I can maybe, even though the odds are completely against me, win the big money on the next pull.  Video games have this same reinforcement reward.  It’s going to be the next base I take out, while building my fortress, that will take me to the next level in Boom Beach!  

Let’s rehash. Your teen is playing League of Legends, which has been professionally designed with “the pull”.  Combining that with the dopamine change addiction can cause, there is a strong possibility your teen’s brain has changed.

Where does this change happen in the brain?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  The prefrontal cortex, located right there in the forehead, is the most likely place for brain change because that’s where the dopamine floods.  The prefrontal cortex is in charge of judgment, decision-making, and impulse control.  That’s right, all the things you might need to tell yourself to stop during the 48-hour marathon.  Add this effect into the mix of possible brain change, and I believe we’ve come up with a pretty dangerous combination.

If you find yourself concerned about this information, there are options.  First, I would talk to your teen about these possible effects.  Opening a line of communication can be very helpful for current and future conversations.  If you or your teen thinks Internet/Gaming addiction might be a problem, its important to seek support.

If you are seeking support or have questions, feel free to contact, Jon Steele, by phone (619) 272-6858 ext. 709 or email at jonathan@anxietytraumatherapy.com.

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