Addiction Issues

Addiction is highly varied in this environment, but all are similar in treatment and all are showing more problems within school.
Teenage boys in particular have brains that are highly susceptable to addiction and addictive behaviour.
Addiction to devices and gaming is the single biggest growth area for concern within Challoner's.

Device Addiction

If you ask them, the vast majority of students will admit that they think they spend too much time on their devices, particularly their phones.
They also do not show a willingness to do anything about this. As such we need to find ways to help our students manage their device time.

Ofcom findings12 signs your child is addicted

Our method for fixing this is through good negotiation, which is covered on another page. It is important to openly include the students in the solution of this problem.

Gaming Addiction

A true video game addiction is a compulsive disorder, a clinical impulse to play a video game. Psychiatrist Michael Brody defines video game addiction as:

  • A need for the person to play the game or take part in gaming behavior more and more (tolerance)
  • Irritability or miserableness related to not getting the video game action one desires

Irritability, depression and exhaustion are all signs of this. Students falling asleep in lessons, or unable to concentrate because they are focussed on their next 'fix' of the game negatively affect learning.

BBC articleWhere to go for help

Porn Addiction

Porn has been shown time and again to be highly addictive. This is a seperate issue from the other worries over porn and warrants discussion on its own merits.
In fact, the brains of porn addicts are the same as drug addicts.

Why is porn addictive?