Looking for Gaming Addiction Help in Massachusetts?

Our program is located in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and serves teens from Massachusetts, in addition to teens from across the US.  While the length of help varies, we do not believe that substantial change can be achieved in a few short days or in outpatient sessions once a week.  Campers typically undergo video game disorder help for two weeks or longer. 

The diagnostic criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder include repetitive use of Internet-based games, often with other players, that leads to significant issues with functioning.  Video game disorder help may be needed if five of the following criteria are met within one year:

  • Preoccupation or obsession with Internet games.
  • Withdrawal symptoms when not playing Internet games.
  • A build-up of tolerance“more time needs to be spent playing the games.
  • The person has tried to stop or curb playing Internet games but has failed to do so.
  • The person has had a loss of interest in other life activities, such as hobbies.
  • A person has had continued overuse of Internet games even with the knowledge of how much they impact a person™s life.
  • The person lied to others about his or her Internet game usage.
  • The person uses Internet games to relieve anxiety or guilt, it’s a way to escape.
  • The person has lost or put at risk and opportunity or relationship because of Internet games.

Video game disorder help at our Pennsylvania summer camp on 350 private acres covers all of these issues and more.  Campers participate in both group and individual therapy to develop new habits and work on life skills. If your teen from Massachusetts has any of the above symptoms, please reach out to us today.

We Help Massachusetts Teens Needing Gaming Addiction Help

Our Pennsylvania-based video game disorder help center is highly structured. It™s much easier to develop new habits if the environment is conducive to change.  At Camp Pocono Trails, we start out by providing a technology-free environment and slowly reintroduce campers to smartphones and the internet. We work on social 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 their child’s assigned counselor while at Camp Pocono Trails.  We also teach parents how to best support their children at home.

Gaming Addiction Help: What Can Massachusetts Parents Do Now?

Our Pennsylvania summer camp specializes in video game disorder help.  In general, if a teen is unwilling to participate in outpatient therapy, or if outpatient therapy in Massachusetts is just not making the changes you want, we can help.  A video game disorder help center that is specifically designed for your child’s unique needs is your best path forward.

The next step up from outpatient therapy is residential help or video game rehab.  Residential help provides a œreset on family relationships, but also with the relationship the child has with video games and the internet.  Simply put, the surest way to change a child’s video game habits is to create a total reset with online activity. That™s where our gaming rehab comes into play.

Consider the Future Cost of Doing Nothing

We know that teens who play online excessively have lower self-esteem, read less, and score lower on tests.  Sitting for long periods of time can result in weight and health issues. Missing out on face-to-face interactions can set your child behind socially.

Teens face many challenges today.  Some believe they will be the next Youtube star or the next champion video game player.  Parents often have difficulty arguing this logic with their teen. At Camp Pocono Trails we can introduce your child to more realistic life pursuits in a supportive atmosphere.

At Camp Pocono Trails, we focus on teaching coping skills and develop insight “ something no pill has the ability to do.  We also take a positive approach. Our professional licensed counselors are sensitive not only to the dynamics of each individual teen we work with but also to group dynamics, and the dynamics of conflicts between staff and campers.  As opposed to individual therapy, at our video game disorder help center we can step in while conflicts are occurring and break down exactly what happened, and have our campers practice different ways of dealing with stress, anxiety, or any other feelings they are struggling with.

Who does Camp Pocono Trails help?

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

Resources

Set Up Your Playstation For a Teen with Video Game Disorder

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/

Smartphone and Tablet Resources for Teens with Video Game Disorder

Teens are becoming increasingly tech-savvy these days.  It™s hard for us as parents to keep up. At Camp Pocono Trails we’ve heard it all – campers bypassing routers, logging on to friend™s routers next door, creating proxies, you name it and we’ve heard it!

Here are some resources specifically for smartphones and tablets.  These devices are especially problematic for parents because they are portable and you can™t just block them through your router if your child is connecting at school or a friend™s house:

Android Devices: https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/google-android/android-parental-controls-3461359/


Apple Products: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304


Google Play Store: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1075738?hl=en

 

Camp Pocono Trails Helps Massachusetts Families From Cities Such As:

Some examples of cities from Massachusetts which may have families who could use Camp Pocono Trails: Boston Worcester Springfield Lowell Cambridge New Bedford Brockton Quincy Lynn Fall River Newton Somerville Lawrence Waltham Haverhill Malden Medford Taunton Chicopee Weymouth Town Revere Peabody