Del Dios Counseling Services
Counseling and Human Services
De-Digitize The Brain
I work with the “digitally intoxicated” and you know one when you see one:
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The kids walking around with video game hangovers.
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The ones morose and non-communicative and if they do communicate it is with a gust full of rage.
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The ones that beg and whine incessantly for more time, one more game, one more hour, day, week, month, year, a lifetime wasted, lost!
There is a growing epidemic that I witnessed first-hand starting from the beginning in 1994 when the first hand held video game became the must have in every family home.
The Nintendo “GameBoy”, was all the rage, selling one million units in the United States within a few weeks. It was the gateway ‘digital’ drug for many of our most problematic long term video gamers of today.
From there on forward, with each new release of another magically all-consuming digital device, further cementing your child to never have the desire to do anything else, as they are trapped. They have seemingly lost the ability to never stand up and walk away from their screens, their game, their virtual world, the gamer’s secret society that has now shaped and influenced their identity. The very identity that they hold on to with a death grip as letting go will feel like free falling into an abyss with no bottom that feels as safe as who they are amongst the other bonded gamers. Because that is where they have now built their primary attachment and disconnecting will be a hard fought war unless you provide a solid mutually agreeable and rewarding pathway out.
These conversations need to happen early as take into consideration, today’s child, who is heavily marketed to beginning in toddlerhood. We used to protect children from corporate interests, but the giants in the video game industry have no scruples as they will take us all down starting with our babies. They like nothing better than systematically robbing us of our free will and good sense. Take into account, youngster that were the first generation screen-time kids are now first-time parents. That in itself can be dicey as the modern day family is over worked, over scheduled and lacking the necessary time to adequately feel equipped to combat their child’s growing obsession to video game over all else. They were weaned on digital devices and can be the hardest to re-direct especially when they see the hypocrisy of the adult world glued to their digital devices.
What to do?
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Let’s work together and design a “cost saving & life-saving” at home and in the community rehab to bring your child back into the real world the one he seems to have found too problematic to engage in for any length of time.
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Let’s find out what is holding him back.
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Let’s find the things that will re-inspire him, to awaken his senses, to feel alive and capable where he doesn’t need a pre-loaded, preprogrammed game that has duped him into thinking that it is better than real life experiences.
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Let’s provide him real life experiences he designs, controls and creates from his inherent best ideas.
This can be done with proper and consistent support.
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Let’s problem solve with him in charge as video gamers are incredibly smart, resourceful, resilient and stocked full of strategies.
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Competitive gaming has honed those good skills. Let’s use them to re-build his life, one he can be proud of in all settings and not in the recluse lifestyle of his bedroom.
Work with me to:
“Un-digitize your child from his bad case of Pokeman Brain!
“Let’s Bring Him Back Online to a Real Life”
He deserves nothing less because you love him enough to give him that concentrated effort.
Trust me, they don’t grow out it!