A hush falls over Hyderabad as 21-year-old Akhil takes his own life, because of online gaming addiction as per the early reports.
As investigations continue, his mother points to Akhil’s all-consuming addiction to PUBG leading to his dropout from college.
This incident puts the spotlight on some critical questions.
How can we arm our youth against the threat of gaming addiction?
This article explores the answers.
What Happened with Akhil
Akhil was a resident of Yellareddyguda, Hyderabad.
According to early reports, Akhil had developed an intense addition to the online game, BGMI, aka PUBG.
This addition led him to drop out of college for the past three months.
On January 2nd, he hanged himself in his bedroom.
Before that, he sends his mom a goodbye message - “Bye mummy, Love you, jagratha (be careful)”.
No Suicide notes were found.
According to Akhil’s mother, his PUBG addiction led him to take this severe step.
The police investigation is still going on and no direct connection between his gaming addiction and suicide is found for now.
Gaming Gone Wrong: When Harmless Fun Turns Problematic
Gaming, like most things, is fine in moderation.
Problems arise when the quest for stimulation, rewards and accomplishments in the virtual world eclipse real-life priorities.
Addiction creeps in when gaming assumes primacy over health, academics, career, finances and relationships.
And the mental health fallout can be severe.
Studies reveal that excessive gaming is associated with depression, anxiety, social phobias and poor psychosocial well-being.
And adolescents are especially vulnerable.
Gaming addiction in minors has been linked to issues like loneliness, shyness, low self-esteem and poor social skills.
So how can caring adults prevent this descent into the addictive abyss?
Arming Our Youth: Fostering Healthy Gaming Habits
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
As clichéd as it sounds, this adage holds true.
Guiding minors towards healthy technology usage is far easier than weaning off an established addiction.
Parents and schools play a pivotal role here.
Some helpful strategies include:
Setting reasonable screen time limits aligned with age
Ensuring gaming doesn’t displace sleep, physical activity, or social connections
Advocating for balance and moderation in all pursuits
Teaching self-regulation and impulse control from a young age
Author Madeline Levine excellently puts it:
“The best thing we can do for our kids is to help them develop into strong, ethical, caring people. That way they’ll be prepared for whatever shape the future takes.”
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