Study shows that more kids are becoming addicted to gaming

Addiction in families can put a strain on relationships, but not all detrimental dependencies are linked to drugs. In children, video game addiction is becoming common, and researchers are beginning to discover psychological repercussions.

A new study that examined approximately 3,000 children and teenagers from Singapore were surveyed annually between 2007 and 2009 to gauge their involvement in video games, according to Health Day News. Participants spent an average of 20 hours a week playing games, and 9 percent of the subjects were found to be pathological gamers.

Researchers note that although many of the participants engaged in video games on a routine basis, not all kids are addicts. However, there are warning signs that parents can look out for if they feel that their child may have a problem. If a gamer appears to have lost interest in their friends and other recreational activities, they might have an addiction. A drop in school performance is another sign that a child could be too involved in video games.

Currently, the American Psychiatric Association does not consider video game addiction to be a mental illness. However, the condition may be re-evaluated and instated into the new Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, which is set to debut in 2012.