Page maintained and updated by Julie Doan, RN and Andrew P. Doan, MPH, MD, PhD (Opinions and points of view expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. NAVY or the Department of Defense. Any mention of products/services does NOT imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.)
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What is Internet gaming disorder and Internet addiction?
- Why Internet gaming disorder and Internet addiction are real: video
- Video games stimulate the brain and body to release pain-killing hormones (digital painkiller): video
- Tendon rupture associated with excessive smartphone gaming: Dr. Doan’s paper
Books and Research Papers on Internet Gaming Disorder
- Dr. Doan’s book: Hooked on Games
- Dr. Nicholas Kadaras’ book: Glow Kids
- Video Games & Your Kids: How Parents Stay in Control by Hilarie Cash, PhD and Kim Mcdaniel: book
- Cris Rowan’s book: Virtual Child: The terrifying truth about what technology is doing to children and website.
- Kimberly Young, PhD’s book: Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment
- Kevin Roberts book: Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap
- Philip Zimbardo, PhD’s and Nikita D. Coulombe’s book: The Demise of Guys: Why Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It
- Internet addiction disorder and problematic use of Google Glass™ in patient treated at a residential substance abuse treatment program: Dr. Doan’s paper
Documentaries on the internet and gaming addictions
- Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture
- Screenagers Documentary
- The Social Dilemma
- Brain, Heart, World: Discover the Harmful Effects of Pornography
- China’s Web Junkies: Internet Addiction Documentary
- Game Over
- Silent Addiction
- Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: Video Game Addiction
- Rehab for Korea’s Gaming Addicts
- ‘I don’t want to quit’: Treating gaming addiction in Japan
- Won’t stop, can’t stop: Fortnite: Part one – Addicted to online gaming | 60 Minutes Australia
- The Tragic Story of Shawn Woolley
Internet gaming disorder and Internet addiction affects 1 in 11 people and children
- Pathological video game use among youths: a two-year longitudinal study: paper by Dr. Gentile et al.
- Pathological video-game use among youth ages 8 to 18: a national study: paper by Douglas Gentile, PhD
Mental Health Issues, Autistic Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety, and Behavioral Issues are reversed when digital screens are removed.
- Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time by Victoria Dunkley, MD: book and website
- Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men by Leonard Sax, MD: book
- Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown, MD: book
- Impact of videogame play on the brain’s microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses (Excessive videogames will reduce your children’s verbal skills.): research article
Violent Video Games Promote Violence
- Effects of prosocial, neutral, and violent video games on college students’ affect. – research article
- The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors: international evidence from correlational, longitudinal, and experimental studies – research article
- Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in eastern and western countries: a meta-analytic review – research article
- Major Behavioral Effects of Media Violence – U.S. Surgeon General’s Report
- Excessive Video Game Use, Sleep Deprivation, and Poor Work Performance Among U.S. Marines Treated in a Military Mental Health Clinic: A Case Series – Dr. Doan’s paper
- Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie & Video Game Violence – book by LTC Dave Grossman and Gloria Degaetano
Video Games Promote Use of Pornography
- Case Report: Internet Gaming Disorder Associated With Pornography Use: Dr. Doan’s paper
- Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction: book by Gary Wilson
- Gary Wilson’s Ted Talk on Porn Addiction: video
- Dr. Philip Zimbardo’s Ted Talk on Demise of Guys: video
- Dr. Doan’s talk on Digital Pharmakeia (video games and pornography): video
Excessive Digital Media, Brain Development and Autism
- Autism and Digital Screens: video
Technology Use Guidelines & Support Organizations
- reSTART: Center for Digital Technology Sustainability
- Common Sense Media
- Media Talk 101
- Game Quitters
- Screen Strong
- Online Gamers Anonymous (OLGA)
8 comments to “Online Resources”
Dr. Doan,
thank you for all your doing. I have watched many of you You-Tube videos, dabbled in your book, and have learned a ton. Thank you for being so down to earth also and fielding my questions. The great journey continues!
Dear Eric, thank you for your encouragement. I appreciate you!
– Dr. Andrew Doan
I recently discovered my husband has been playing game of war while our marriage has been crumbling. He has spent over $14,000 in the past year and a half and completely hid it from me. Whenever I asked him if he was cheating on me or what he was doing on his phone he just got angry. Now I know how extensive his use was he swears that he just deleted the game and was done with it last week. He spent $200 last week alone. How can I ever trust him? What do I do? We have been married 11 yrs and have 2 little girls. One is 4 and the other is 5 months old.
Dear Holly, I replied to your question via private message. I am sorry for your troubles.
– Dr. Andrew Doan
Message *My 13 year old son has a gaming addiction problem. I was thinking of sending him to a Wilderness program but now I have my family telling me that’s a bad idea because if I send him there without him knowing where I am truly sending him than he will never again be able to trust me and that would be the risk I take. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I tried taking Internet away where he threatened to harm himself with a knife. I’m trying to look for a therapist in NY that understands this addiction but in the back of my mind I’m still thinking wilderness. I just don’t know right now.
Dear Iris, I am sorry for your difficulties. Dealing with teenagers is difficult because their brains are not fully developed and mature to make “adult choices”.
Consider Teen Missions International for a “wilderness program”. I’ve briefed their staff on digital media addictions. While this is not a classic wilderness program, unplugging and connecting with the TMI staff has helped kids get on track.
In addition, contact Nicholas Kardaras, PhD in New York: http://drkardaras.com/
You can also consider Kim McDaniel who can counsel using video chat: http://www.kimmcdanielcoaching.com/about.html
I am praying for you and your family.
Andrew Doan, MD, PhD
Dr Doan,
I saw on the OLGA website that you hold meetings on Thursdays at 6:30 in Temecula. Is that still something you do? In an effort to save my marriage I am trying to find something like AA type meetings/support groups for Gaming Addiction. If you do not and have any recommendations it would be most appreciated.
Thank you.
Dear Dan, I do not hold meetings because of time constraints, but there is an “any issues” group at Rancho Community Church during Thursdays at 6:30 PM. The other options are rehab via U-Turn for Christ: http://uturnforchrist.com/ or even online coaching. I recommend Kim McDaniel: http://www.kimmcdanielcoaching.com/about.html
I am praying for you and your marriage.
Andrew Doan, MD, PhD