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Limiting screen time in the fall and winter months

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

The fall and winter months are officially here and that means that the weather is getting chilly and outdoor activities aren’t as easily found.  School is back in session and your kids are probably keeping busy with homework now, but after their homework is done and they’re stuck inside on a rainy evening, what activity will they turn to?

Grand Theft Auto as an MMORPG: What does this mean for addicted gamers?

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

Rockstar Newswire recently confirmed the details of the multiplayer component online for Grand Theft Auto. It will support up to 16 players at a time and players will be able to customize their cars and characters.  The report also confirmed that the longer the gamer spends playing it, the greater their reputation will be and they will be able to gainer higher ranks, gain access to coveted new weapons and other new features.

Video games shown to help brain power for the elderly

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

A recent study published in Nature showed that after 12 hours of playing a road game that was created to help bolster focus and attention, healthy 70 and 80 year olds scored just as well as individuals that were 50 years younger.

How to set limits for your children when gaming - By Brooke Strickland

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

Video games can be a fun way to kill time and for young kids, there can be educational benefits when playing certain online learning games.  Video games in and of themselves aren’t bad.  But when they begin taking over free time – consuming it – and if you can’t stop thinking about the game when you aren’t playing, then there’s something wrong.

Alternatives to gaming - By Brooke Strickland

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

It’s 8am on a summer morning. Your teenager just woke up and they went straight from their bed to the computer to start playing their favorite online role playing game.
It is 11 o’clock at night and the glare of the computer screen lights up a dark room. Your son or daughter sits in front of the screen, zoned out, playing hour after hour of their favorite video game.
Sound familiar?

8 year old shoots grandmother

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

Grandma is babysitting her 8-year old grandson. She’s on the living room couch enjoying her favorite television show and the grandson is in the other room playing video games – Grand Theft Auto IV to be exact. This game is known for its glorification of stealing, raping, killing, and destroying everything that the player comes into contact with.

Is your spouse gaming affecting your family life?

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

Your spouse is in front of the computer for hours on end.  All you can see is your loved one slouched over, intent on shooting the bad guys, and it seems to go on and on. Hour after hour, day after day, it’s the same old thing.

How do I help someone I know who is addicted to video games?

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

More and more, we are hearing about video game addiction in the news.  Kids, teenagers, young adults, and even married couples are seeing the devastating effects of gaming addiction in their homes. Gaming may start out as innocent fun – a way to kill time – but it can soon take hold of a person’s mind and overtake the way they view and live life – killing their relationships and for some, even taking their lives.

Free games….that aren’t so free.

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

Free online games are everywhere. Maybe one of your friends likes playing these games and told you about it.  So, in a moment of boredom, you pull one up onto your computer screen or iPhone.

No obvious change in video game violence

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

You’re sitting in front of your TV or computer shooting bad guys that pop up on the screen.  You reload your rifle, sharpen your sword, and start conquering levels, killing everyone wicked that crosses your path.  It’s fun shooting the bad guys, right? It is fun acting out violently in a video game because it’s not real, right?

Farmville junkies: It’s a real thing.

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

Do you plan your day around your online crop? Do you think about when your online harvest will be ready? Do you close your eyes at night and see cartoon cows and pigs?

Attack of Angry Birds

Written by Dr. Andrew Doan & Brooke Strickland on .

By Brooke Strickland

Little red, green, and yellow birds with mean little faces: you see those little faces all over. On t-shirts, hats, laptop screens, posters, and even cookbooks – Angry Birds have taken over!  It first was available for download in 2009 and since then, has been downloaded by users over 1 billion times.