[GUEST POST] Cyber Addiction
Introduction
The Cyber Addiction game aims to raise awareness about the problem of cyber addiction among individuals in today’s world. Cyber addiction has emerged as a critical societal concern, affecting individuals of all ages globally. Cyber addiction, also known as internet addiction or digital addiction, refers to the excessive and compulsive use of the internet or digital devices, leading to negative effects on an individual’s physical, mental, and social well-being. This type of addiction can manifest in various forms, such as excessive gaming, social media use, online shopping, or other online activities.The pervasive use of digital devices, coupled with the ubiquitous presence of the internet, has led to a surge in addictive behaviors.
Game Content
My game mostly consists of flashcards to provide nuggets of information as well as a few challenges such as standard challenge and minigames to test the users knowledge. I also added a few poll questions to gather feedback from users about their experiences with cyber addiction. For visuals, I used stock images for certain scenarios, such as an isolated and lonely man or eye strain.
For rewards, I wanted to give players a useful reward that was relevant to the topic of the game, cyber addiction. After some consideration, I decided to put in a focus group session as the reward. These sessions serve as a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and strategies to combat cyber addiction. Participants can gain insights into the warning signs, triggers, and preventive measures related to addiction. They can learn from experts and fellow participants, fostering a sense of community and collective responsibility. I believe that this will benefit the players positively.
Why Cyber Addiction?
According to a 2022 study by the World Health Organization, approximately 3.6% of the world’s population, or 280 million people, suffer from some form of internet-related addiction. This issue extends beyond mere screen time, impacting mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being. Escalating statistics highlight the urgency of addressing cyber addiction to mitigate its far-reaching consequences on individuals and society at large.
I chose this topic because I personally was affected by cyber addiction. During the pandemic I was once addicted to constantly staying on my devices and this had a negative impact on my time management as a whole, resulting in me messing up my schedules. Thankfully, I was able to overcome my addiction. However, this may not be so easy for other individuals, hence I felt the need to spread awareness about how prominent this issue is among our society today.
The internet is a double edged sword, while it has its uses, we also need to manage the negatives ourselves. Making the game was sort of a wakeup call to inform me of the severity of internet addiction today. A large population of people have the disorder of cyber addiction, roughly about 45 times Singapore’s total population, a very alarming number to find out.
Challenges and Takeaways
One challenge I faced was finding resources to provide info about internet addiction. Mainly, websites focused on more mainstream forms of addiction such as substance abuse, theft and smoking etc., therefore ignoring the topic of cyber addiction. At most, only a handful of books were suggested on how to kick the habit of spending long hours on the internet. This further highlighted the need for more emphasis on the issue of cyber addiction.
One takeaway I learned is that using the process of gamification can make a tedious and daunting process of absorbing information fun and interesting while not being too overwhelming for the individual to process at the same time. In this day and age, accessibility to technology is becoming more widespread and prevalent, and a greater emphasis should be placed on tackling the paramount issue of cyber addiction. I hope my game will be able to help people make informed decisions regarding their usage of the internet and tackle cyber addiction.
What is Cyber Addiction? Check out here: https://gametize.com/game/cyberaddiction