Support efforts to fight video game addiction

Living in the college dorms, I have seen many of my peers sit in their rooms glued to video game screens, blocking out classes, family and friends. These students eventually flunk out of college and end up living back at home, if they are lucky.

WebMD states that video game addiction can be classified as an impulse control disorder. American Addiction Centers states that sitting at a computer gaming for hours can hurt a developing person's body. Gaming also creates health issues such as weight gain, poor posture and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in America's children and teens. The Washington Post even states that video games are more addictive than ever and a conservative estimate for this addiction involves approximately 5 percent of out our youth.

A program called reSTART has shown great progress, yet many people do not have the finances available to send their child to this organization. With an estimated 5 percent of American children having a technology addiction, the benefits of a local clinic in the Chicagoland area, funded by technology companies as a way of giving back to the community, would be a worthwhile endeavor.

Please speak up about the harm video games are causing our youth and the need for a local aid for parents and the community in general.

Caitlin Trom

Hoffman Estates