7 Signs Your Kid Might Be Addicted to Video Games

“Mom, I love video games so much. I’m addicted!” touts my 6-year-old. “Now there’s something to proud of,” I silently mutter to myself.

What my son doesn’t know is that video game addiction is a very real compulsion that often begins innocently enough. For all he knows, video games are nothing more than a fun way to pass the time, but what happens when a passion for gaming becomes a dangerous obsession?

It has been estimated that young Americans spend in excess of 10,000 hours playing video games before the age of 21. If we think for a moment that logging those kinds of hours doesn’t have a profound impact on developing minds, perhaps it’s time to turn off the game console and think again.

If you’ve ever wondered if your child’s gaming behavior warrants cause for concern, take a look at 7 common signs of video game addiction.