The problem with PUBG
While the app may have been banned in India for reasons of national security and data theft, it should be noted that about 25 percent of the world’s PUBG players were from India. In fact, there are close to 50 million active PUBG players in India and the app was downloaded over 175 million times during the summer. The immensely popular Battle Royale has also been in the news due to its addictive nature and its impact on a player’s state of mind.
The online multiplayer game simply follows a pattern of multiplayer collecting automatic weapons at a random location and killing the other 99 players to win the match. The approach is simple, it is a battle royale in which the winner takes it all, kills or is killed. This simple and easily accessible nature of the game has led to PUBG addiction in various age groups in India. In fact, there have been several disturbing reports of injuries, suicides, and murders through direct or indirect participation in the PUBG game.
Tales of the terrifying PUBG addiction …
A physical trainer from Jammu was reportedly admitted to a hospital after PUBG addiction caused him to partially lose his mental balance. The highly addictive nature of the game was brought to light when a teenager in Punjab allegedly spent 16 lakhs from his parents’ bank account to buy gears and improve his character in the game. Yes, 16 lakhs. These incidents are a terrifying reminder of the fact that addiction to digital activities and / or video games has been officially defined as a gaming disorder.
What happens now?
The increasing popularity of PUBG had also paved the way for several professional mobile gaming tournaments, which had given rise to the professional gaming industry in India. While professional gamers will now have to think about switching to a different battle royale game, it is of utmost importance to gently guide and pay attention to the mental state of regular players in light of the PUBG ban.
The sudden ban on online gambling can cause a drastic change in the behavior and mood of gambling addicts. They may suffer bouts of depression, irritation, and even aggression, and they may experience functional impairment in different areas of their lives. For many people, their day began and ended on their PCs and smartphones, spending more than ten hours a day playing Battle Royale. This abrupt change in routine should be monitored carefully by parents, guardians, and other family members. They should also be aware of whether the player shows telltale signs of a gambling disorder.
What is a gambling disorder?
According to the World Health Organization, gaming disorder is defined as a pattern of gambling behavior (“digital games” or “video games”) characterized by poor control over games, which increases the priority given to them to games over other activities to the extent that games take precedence over other daily interests and activities, and the continuation or escalation of play despite the occurrence of negative consequences. According to the health agency, there are five warning signs that you have a gaming disorder. These are:
1. Gambling becomes the dominant activity
Your life begins to revolve around particular games and you think about your previous games or anticipate your next game.
2. Impaired control over playing time
No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to stop your playtime.
3.Game escalation despite negative events
Even when you understand that games are wreaking havoc on your overall quality of life, you continue to play.
4. Loss of interest in past hobbies and entertainment as a result of, and with the exception of, video games.
5. Withdrawal symptoms
Gets irritated, anxious, sad, or even depressed if not allowed to play.
WHO states that for gambling disorder to be diagnosed, the pattern of behavior must be severe enough to cause significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months. .
Addicted to PUBG? Help is here …
It is important to understand that gambling disorder has been officially recognized as a disease and if you need help to overcome addiction, help is closer than you think. As with any other type of addiction, communicating with a therapist or mental health counselor will help you to replace addictive thoughts about gaming and teach you to slowly limit your play time. You can start by gradually reducing the time you spend playing games and you can set alarms and timers if they help. If you feel extremely agitated and anxious about the PUBG ban, it is important that you seek professional help as soon as possible to help you navigate these trial times smoothly.
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