Online Gaming Help for Teens From Alaska

Looking for Online Gaming Help in Alaska?

Our program is located in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and serves teens from Alaska, in addition to teens from across the US.  Campers typically attend out Residential Treatment Center for video game addiction for a school semester or longer. 

Our focus is to help young people learn how to live in tandem with video games, cell phones (smartphones), and other digital devices so that they can be successful with life beyond high school.  At our summer camp for video game addiction, we start out by providing a technology-free environment and slowly reintroduce campers to smartphones and the internet.  We work on social skills, academic skills, anger management, and developing structure before the technology is reintroduced.

We also provide a family component to set the child up for success.  Parents participate in family therapy sessions with your child’s assigned counselor while at Camp Pocono Trails.  We also teach parents how to best support their child at home.

Our professional staff includes therapists, teachers, and program specialists.  Based in a home-like setting, we help teenagers develop the motivation and drive to reinvent their lives and set goals for life after high school.

While not the primary focus of the program, we can teach parents how to set controls to limit game time.  Parents need to be careful to avoid a limiting-only approach. Limiting game time needs to be done in conjunction with developing the motivation to pursue other activities as well.

At our summer camps for video game addiction, we help Alaska families prepare the home for the student’s transition back.  Ensuring your child’s success back at home and for life after their teen years is our top priority.

Residential Treatment Centers for Alaska Teens with Video Game Addictions

Our Pennsylvania based summer camp for video game addictions specializes in getting teens off their screens and back in life.  Gaming or video game addiction is very hard to treat. In one surprising study, In one study 84% of addicted gamers were still addicted two years later, demonstrating how difficult gaming addiction is to treat.  In the same study, 7% of online gamers were classified as psychologically or behaviorally dependent on online gaming. 

This begs the question, “why is gaming so addictive?”  According to research in the Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 41% of people who play online video games do so as an, “escape from the real world.”  While a temporary escape can be healthy (like watching a movie or going on vacation) escaping when there is schoolwork or chores to be done can be damaging.  If your child is choosing video games over interacting with others face to face, a summer camp for video game addiction may be the answer.

There is much debate currently about the effect of video game violence on the real world.  According to a study in Pediatrics, as much as 20% of real-life violence may be attributable to media violence.  Why is this? Researchers speculate that there is a two-fold issue here. First, constant exposure to video game violence decreases our sensitivity to real-world violence.  Seeing a fight at school might seem more normal to a child that has been exposed to ongoing video game violence, making them less likely to intervene or even more likely to instigate violence themselves.

Who does Camp Pocono Trails help?

Camp Pocono Trails helps teens struggling with issues similar to those below:
– Social Issues
– Video game addiction
– Social Anxiety Disorder
– Social isolation
– Autism Spectrum
– Technology Addiction
– Addictive Behaviors
– Low Self Esteem
– ADHD
– Impulse Control
– School Refusal
– Family Conflict
– Trauma
– Poor Communication Skills
– Anxiety
– Depression

Resources

Online Gaming Help: Strategize for Success

If we simply take the strategy of putting external controls on gaming or internet-connected devices, we have done nothing to develop the child’s ability to self-regulate their gaming or browsing behavior independently. However, if you need to put up some structure now, here is a guide for setting up Playstation spending limits and gaming times:

How to set parental controls and spending limits on PS4: https://www.playstation.com/en-au/get-help/help-library/my-account/parental-controls/ps4-parental-controls/

By creating a sub-account for your child you can prevent them from accessing PlayStation Store content that is unsuitable for their age, user-generated content and online gameplay. You can also stop your associated sub account from making purchases without your consent.

In this article you can learn about the parental controls available on PlayStation products: https://www.playstation.com/en-au/get-help/help-library/my-account/parental-controls/age-ratings-and-parental-controls/

Online Gaming Help: First Steps with the Xbox

As parents, our job is to prepare our children for the independence of adulthood.  Below is a valuable resource for parents you may want to try as a first step:

Xbox LIVE Healthy Gaming Guide

This guide is designed to help you be safe and comfortable while using your Xbox 360™ and Xbox® to play video games.

Things to consider:

  • Position: Make sure your position is not encouraging discomfort.
  • Forces: Even low forces can cause injury, especially when repeated over time.
  • Breaks: Stepping away at regular intervals is important.
  • Health: Keep a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
  • Tools for Families: Find out how to use ratings, parental controls, and more.

https://www.xbox.com/en-US/Live/HealthyGamingGuide

 

Camp Pocono Trails Helps Alaska Families From Cities Such As:

Some examples of cities from Alaska which may have families who could use Camp Pocono Trails: Anchorage