There are a couple of links between ADHD and video games, but whether these links are positive or negative is basically dependent on how you or your loved ones deal with a mental condition like ADHD. ADHD and video games may be linked in many ways, but they in no way have a cause-and-effect relationship, and that creates the point of discussion for us and pinpoints something that is more conclusive for your benefit.
What is ADHD?
A lot of us are able to stop what we are doing and see it as an afterthought. However, individuals who have ADHD cannot do that. There is a reason they might need something like an ADHD video game or other calming activities, so they can adjust to the excessive symptoms of the mental condition. This is because ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a mental condition that is characterized by symptoms such as hyperactivity, extremely short attention spans, irritability, and impulsiveness (something that relates to both, ADHD and video games).
The Connection Between ADHD and Video Games
One of the ways affected individuals can be adjusted to, is to use a video game approved for ADHD. But be careful, people read one sentence and make assumptions. One of these assumptions is that video games can actually help treat ADHD symptoms. Well, it is true but that’s just the half-truth. As mentioned before, ADHD and video games can be positively and negatively associated. We’ll begin with the negative ones:
The Negative Aspects of ADHD and Video Games
The frontal lobe, a part of the brain that is linked with attention or anything related to executive function, is seriously dysregulated in an ADHD brain. When someone suffers from ADHD, their frontal lobe’s brain wave patterns are dysregulated or plainly stuck in the purgatory of abnormality. Therefore, their executive functioning is undermined, which means they would not prefer to do anything that is beneficial for their everyday lives. This makes it difficult for affected individuals to pay attention to non-preferred tasks. Preferred tasks for ADHD brain can be anything, for example, playing video games, tasting food, or scribbling. Non-preferred tasks, things that are important to the individuals, are things like classwork or tasks provided at the office if that individual is an adult. Non-preferred tasks can be grouped together for things that are part of executive functioning.
This makes the connection between ADHD and video games negative some of the time. As mentioned before, playing games is a preferred task because it can easily get anyone’s attention. While there are video games for ADHD adults and children alike, many of these video games are not made for ADHD games in the sense that will get them hooked to its gameplay, which makes it a preferred activity for individuals with ADHD. Once that is done, it can cause addiction. It can happen to someone as a normal person too but the difference is ADHD brains are more likely to fall into this trap because of their nascent need to do anything but anything productive or something that needs greater focus.
The Positive Aspect of ADHD and Video Games
The connection between ADHD and video games is not always negative. The positive aspects come in the shape of an ADHD video game and scientists are on their way to creating a video game to treat ADHD, which is so good at its job in doing that there is no need to get other treatment methods like the one called psychotherapy or medication that is usually used for treating a mental condition like ADHD. Let’s start with normal games that are not the same thing as something like an ADHD video game and their benefits.
The Benefits of Normal Video Games
Recent studies suggest, “Moderate, consistent, and intentional use of video games has been shown to decrease symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness.” On top of that, these are not some things used as a video game approved for ADHD, but still are also known to increase intelligence, if their moderate use is pushed through in the childhood years.
Another study suggested that the constant switching and toggling can help with the symptoms associated with ADHD making the connection between ADHD and video games stronger even if any of these video games is made as a video game to treat ADHD.
The Benefits of An ADHD Video Game
A prescription-only video game designed to improve executive functioning in children 8 to 12 years old can be considered as something that is a video game approved for ADHD. While not on par with ADHD medication or therapies like psychotherapy, adults can also use this game to reap their benefits such as:
- Helps with hand-eye coordination through the use of the game
- Focuses on the affected individual’s ability to disseminate one thing from another
- Trains your brain to improve its focus over time
- Tries to instill learned behaviors so your child can focus more intentionally
- Helps the user focus on the tasks at hand and reduces the possibility of distraction.
What Should You Do When You or Your ADHD Child Is Playing A Video Game?
It does not matter if you or your child has games to help with ADHD or if you or your child is just using normal video games. It matters what you notice what is happening when the games are being played. You should specifically focus on the progression of both ADHD and video games that are being played. When it comes to your children and the connection between ADHD and Video Games. The overall goal is to initiate behavioral interventions, so you or your child can better manage the condition and learn along the way everything about how to properly adjust to the excessive ADHD traits, further decreasing the negative perception around ADHD and video games. You will need to focus on identifying and recognizing when you or your child is restless, inactive, and hyperactive when playing games, even if it is a video game that helps with ADHD. Once a recognizable behavioral pattern becomes evident, you can adjust the time spent and types of video games that are being played according to the positive progression of both ADHD and video games.
Can One Really Use Video Games To Help With ADHD Symptoms
Yes. Possibly so. And the studies agree with us. Although it does not matter if it is a normal one, something from a company that created a video game to help ADHD sufferers adjust to a normal life is always a better option for obvious reasons. EndeavorRx, the first FDA-approved video game treatment for ADHD, hence a video game approved for ADHD is a great example of this. While there are other games to help with ADHD, EndeavorRx and the one called Mightier stand out because they have proven that they improve children’s ability to recognize and regulate emotions, especially when used with therapy.
What If It Does Not Work?
Sometimes ADHD and video games don’t get along no matter how positive the outcome is. But there are always other ways that can be circumvented. These ways are related to treatment methods that are most likely to work. These are medication and psychotherapy and each of them provides good alternatives to a video game that helps with ADHD. Sometimes they can be used in combination with each other and can also be complemented by games to help with ADHD.
Psychotherapy: There are two types of “talk” therapies that can help with treating when a video game that helps with ADHD usually does not help. The first one is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) where the users have to come to terms with the problematic feelings, so they can find resolutions with the help of a mental health expert. The second is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which is a specific form of CBT, where mental health experts try to teach how to live in the moment and to develop healthier ways of coping with ADHD.
Medication: As a great alternative to an ADHD video game, medication is especially beneficial. Medication for ADHD can be separated into stimulants and non-stimulants. While both target neurotransmitters tasked with handling the executive functions, stimulants target the whole central nervous system, and when it starts to display side effects or does not work then non-stimulants are used. A professional expert can only prescribe what is best for you or your child in the context of ADHD.
The Climax Of Our Discussion On ADHD and Video Games
ADHD and video games have strong connections that tie them together. Sometimes these connections can be negative and sometimes, positive. How you interact with video games, be it an ADHD video game, can only conclusively tell if the outcome will be positive or negative. No matter what the outcome will be, you can always rely on the Inland Empire Behavioural Group to find mental health solutions for ADHD and other mental conditions such as Anxiety, OCD, or PTSD.
