![]() But after 24 hours of no electronics, withdrawal set in. Initially, he thought he was going to be able to handle it, probably thinking I would eventually give in. No iPad, no DS, no Xbox, no computer, no Nintendo Switch, no access to my phone. ![]() After telling her about Matthew’s comment, and then relaying the events of Super Bowl Sunday, she gave me very sound advice: “If he were addicted to drugs or alcohol, would you still let him have just a little bit?” At that moment, I truly understood that this was a real addiction, just like any other, and resolved to completely cut off Matthew from his electronics cold turkey. Lori, Matthew’s cognitive behavior therapist. And then I realized, like with any addiction, I needed to seek help from a professional. Plus, I did not know where or how to start this detox plan. Sometimes it was easier to just let it go because I had time to myself, and he was being quiet.īut, after sitting through that presentation, and then seeing the very real-world consequences come to life with my son, I knew we had to make some serious changes.Įven with all this information staring me in the face, I still contemplated allowing my son some gaming time on the weekends because I dreaded his reaction and I did not want to deal with it. Especially if I was cooking, doing laundry, or trying to read a book. At times I would stand my ground and fight with him to turn it off, but other days I just did not have the energy. On the weekends, I would set a timer for an hour, but after push-back and negotiating, one hour would turn into two hours easily, twice a day. When we were out to dinner, he was allowed to play on a device while we waited for the food. He would bring a device to school, which meant he was spending time on his electronics before school during morning care, at recess, and during after care. But when I looked at things honestly, it was much more. I was that mom who only allowed video games on the weekends, and maybe, if he earned it, an hour a day after school. Like a lot of parents, I didn’t believe I was permissive or overindulgent with electronics. I was relieved that he understood what was going on and acknowledged his feelings and told him that we would make a plan to help him. Isn’t admitting you have an addiction the first step to healing? I knew then that I had to take action. I was completely taken aback that he recognized this within himself. As a matter of fact, he was very quiet as if reflecting on what the presenter had to say. He did not yell or say it in a mean tone. So I was surprised when, during the car ride home, he stated, “I am addicted to video games.” He was neither angry nor argumentative. ![]() Throughout the presentation, Matthew sat with his arms crossed while glaring at me.
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