VIDEO – LIKE TAKING DRUGS –

June 5, 2024 – Child and adolescent psychiatrist Kim Le, has seen firsthand what this looks like.

“I’ve had people collapse from playing video games,” he said. “I’ve seen people who have suffered medical episodes and suffered [what looked like] a mini-stroke.”

“I’m seeing kids who are ignoring the urge to sleep … and then in the morning when their parents are waking them up they just can’t even shake them to get awake to go to school.” Rates of school refusal have increased in recent years and Dr Le believes excessive gaming during the pandemic — when many young people were socially isolated — is partly to blame.

But he said it was no surprise they got hooked in the first place.

“Everyone needs to be aware that these are simply not just video games anymore,” Dr Le said.

CONTINUE@ABC