Gaming addiction on the rise among young

On Jan 24, a 14-year-old boy in Singapore was convicted of killing his father for restricting his online gaming time. Counsellors say they have seen more cases of online gaming addiction referred to them. Osmond Chia and Shermaine Ang find out why.

Cooped up at home during the circuit breaker in 2020, Mr. Lim Cheng Mong’s teenage daughter found a new way to pass the time with the help of video games.

He was concerned about the long hours the 18-year-old spent gaming, which he estimated to be six hours a day.

But the father of two struggled to lay down any rules over computer usage, as he knew his children also needed the devices for schoolwork and projects.

“As a parent, I can’t stop my children from accessing the computer since they also have projects to complete,” said Mr. Lim, 56, a product manager.

“It’s harder for us to control their timing now without being too intrusive.”

He is not the only one facing such a problem.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said it has observed more students who have been counselled for gaming issues in recent years, with the increased access to technology and online games.

This may have worsened during the pandemic when more time is spent online, the ministry added. It did not give figures on the trend.

MOE said students who struggle with excessive online gaming may feel restless and irritable when they are unable to game, and often do not get enough sleep due to the strong urge to spend more time gaming.

“In extreme cases, excessive online gaming can disrupt their lives as they replace daily activities with online gaming, and can put a strain on their relationships with family and friends,” said MOE.

Since the start of this year, upper secondary students have been taught a new character and citizenship education curriculum tackling cyber risks such as inappropriate websites, gaming and social media addiction.