THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Addiction to online games such a Free Fire drives youngsters to mental trauma, sleep loss, depression and even suicide, as happened with Anujith recently. Experts say it is similar to substance abuse and has to be treated. Police warn parents to keep tabs on their kids’ screen time
Addiction to online games is the latest menace that is ‘killing’ many youths in the state. Ever since the pandemic, the dependence on smartphones has been on the rise as a source of entertainment. It has become a necessary evil as even school students need to use phones daily due to virtual education.The restrictions on playing outside have also led the young generation to play online games. As the old wine in a new bottle has come ‘Free Fire’ game which is similar to the banned ‘PUBG’ (Player’s Unknown’s Battlegrounds). At least cases of two suicides and mental trauma were reported in the state after the players were disappointed over losing the game.
Free Fire is an online shooter and survival game which features a fierce battle among multiple players. The players aim to stay safe as long as possible for survival. Many tend to stay alive in the game. This game is also free, compatible even on low-end smartphones, and can be played with friends. As the players complete each level, they are asked to buy virtual currencies, wardrobes and better ammunition for which they need to pay.
Recently, Ajithakumari, a mother in Thiruvananthapuram, came forward lamenting that her 18-year-old son Anujith Anil died by suicide on May 12 after he lost a Free Fire game. She said her son had been playing the game for four hours before he took the extreme step. She said Anujith had undergone behavioural changes since he got addicted to the virtual world. He used to quarrel with the siblings and parents as he always focused on playing the game.
According to his family members, he had been addicted to the game for two years. Earlier, he was addicted to PUBG. When it game was banned, he switched to Free fire.“He did not want food or water when he focused on the game. He used to play till 3am in the night. If we questioned him, he became violent. That day the incident happened, he asked me for `2,000 to recharge the phone. I gave him only `500. Then he started arguing with me and locked himself inside the room,” she said. “In the morning, Anujith was found hanging in his room,” she had told reporters earlier.
The mobile game, which became a ‘hit’ during the lockdown, has over 80 million active users across the globe. A recent study found that children between four and 15 years of age play an average of 74 minutes of Free Fire a day. The state police have been asking the parents to keep an eye on their children and must not allow their children to play such games. Five days ago, the Kerala Police shared the precautions to be taken by the parents for their children in the force’s Facebook page.
EXPERT ADVICE
The book authored by DIG (south zone) K Sanjay Kumar Gurudin named ‘Is your Child Safe?’ (both in English and Malayalam) released four years ago is an exhaustive compilation of the changes brought about by the arrival of technology in the lives of people, especially children, the way it can be used and misused, the possible traps and the ways to escape them.
According to him, police would initiate an awareness campaign through schools once the regular classes resume or online to prevent such tragedies in the future. “Awareness through school and monitoring of dangerous online games are the main actions the police can take. Gaming is a billion dollar industry and, of late, an extensive online gaming addiction has come to the notice. From the time gaming addiction came into focus, many research studies have has shown connections between gaming and mental health issues. One such connection is between gaming and suicide. It is reported that playing for five hours or more of a video game or daily internet use causes significantly higher levels of sadness, extreme mental aggression and suicide ideation,” Gurudin said. He also urged the students to do other activities everyday.
PARENTAL CARE IS KEY
Mental health experts also said that parental care is the finest solution to wipe out this menace. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital psychiatrist Dr Arun B Nair said, “Online gaming is a form of “behavioural addiction” in which neurobiological changes similar to substance use like alcohol dependence or drug addiction occur. The “near hit-and-miss effect” of these games prompt adolescents to indulge in them over extended periods of time, often late into night.
People who are addicted to these develop psychological problems like insomnia, mood variations, anxiety, depression and interpersonal conflicts. Prolonged use can even lead to suicides and severe health problems like Vitamin D deficiency, headache and visual disturbance. Parental supervision to prevent abuse of online games and judicious use of parental control apps may be necessary. For those people who are addicted to these games, digital detoxification with the help of a psychiatrist may be necessary. “