ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – According to the World Health Organization spending too much time playing video games could be considered a disorder in 2018.
Step inside Mojo’s, a video game store in Ashwaubenon, and you’ll likely find a variety of games and customers.
“Gaming is such a general pursuit, that you got the kid, you’ve got the grown ups. It covers a little bit of everything.”
George Maglio is the general manager of the store.
He tells FOX 11 he started playing video games as a kid.
“When I was younger, I might put in a couple of hours a day. Now having kids, I might put in a couple of hours a week.”
The World Health Organization says spending too much time with a controller could be considered a disorder and recognized as such if gaming is continuous or repetitive and noticeable over at least a one year period.
How much is too much? The World Health Organization says that addictive behavior would mean gaming is more important than your personal and social life.
“It wasn’t surprising to me when I saw and heard that this had come out. There’s been some research that’s been done in this area and mental health experts have been studying this a little bit.”
Lisa Schubring is a therapist for Prevea behavioral care and says parents should have a limit on how much time children spend with technology.
“No more than two hours a day maximum and you have to consider that they are using electronics in school to some degree as well. So, that also counts.”
Schubring adds, adults addicted to video games could be more of a challenge.
“Because, obviously they’re grown ups, they get to do things how they want to do them but it’s fair for somebody, a significant other, a parent, a boss, to express concern if it is interfering with daily functioning.”
Schubring says it’s important for kids and adults to balance work and play.
