The Beaconsfield SchoolAddiction Issues
Addiction is highly varied in this environment, but all are similar in treatment and all are showing more problems within school. Teenage boys in particular have brains that are highly susceptible to addiction and addictive behaviour. Addiction to devices and gaming is the single biggest growth area for concern within The Beaconsfield School.
Device Addiction
If you ask them, the vast majority of students will admit that they think they spend too much time on their devices, particularly their phones.
They also do not show a willingness to do anything about this. As such we need to find ways to help our students manage their device time.
Our method for fixing this is through good negotiation, it is important to openly include the students in the solution to this problem.
Gaming Addiction
A true video game addiction is a compulsive disorder, a clinical impulse to play a video game. Psychiatrist Michael Brody defines video game addiction as:
- A need for the person to play the game or take part in gaming behaviour more and more (tolerance)
- Irritability or miserableness related to not getting the video game action one desires
Irritability, depression and exhaustion are all signs of this. Students falling asleep in lessons, or unable to concentrate because they are focussed on their next 'fix' of the game negatively affect learning.
