The AMA is lobbying to make Internet/video game addiction a legitimate disorder. So, you look over at your 20-year-old and wonder: I thought he'd outgrow those "games". You ponder this as you bite into your dark chocolate, make plans for a shopping trip, and decide whether to read a magazine or call your girlfriend. Addictions are us! We all have them. It's not the things that create addictions; it's our own behavior and choices.
So, as parent to this 20-year-old or 8-year-old, it's up to you to set an example. Monitor their habits. And, model for your children how to deal with addictive behavior. Psychiatrists agree on one thing: addictions mask other fears in our lives; addictions are just one more way we avoid life.
Now, put down that chocolate, cancel the shopping trip and invite your kids to join your life. Whether that means helping in chores around the house, washing the car, going to the grocery store or planning dinners for the week, they need to see that the mundane of living can be made fun. Engage in family time, be together. Then, leave time for individual preferences: kids can play video games, you can read a magazine. If you are taking care of your life, and making it enjoyable, participating in other activities won't need to mean you are avoiding life. And, you and your kids won't need to visit the doctor about your addictions, because you have found a wholesome way to work on them.
