Many of the journals I’ve read about, with a focus on video games, hold the view that children and young people’s engagement with them help with cognitive function such as strategising. Some researchers also take the position that video games carry a risk of addiction when the compulsion to keep going and going gets out of hand. The biochemical effects of dopamine become a part of that drive. I hold both of these potentials in mind. 

But rather than taking data at face value, which doesn’t go deeply enough into an individual’s case, I remain curious about what’s really going on when a person is playing these games in excess of ten hours. Hopefully this isn’t happening with children. Yet, gaining clarity about the frequency of excessive engagement is also something that would need to be taken into consideration. From a psychotherapeutic perspective, it would require a much more in-depth exploration into the individual. People and life are complex. Children far less so than adults but technology brings a whole host of issues which didn’t exist in the past. 

Comparison between video games in the year 2000 and 2024

When video games first came out, they weren’t tied to the Internet. You bought a disc from a video games store. Friends would usually come over to play the most popular game; it was a social event, where typically a parent would supervise and bring some popcorn or everyone would have dinner together afterwards. Often these gatherings occurred after school or during the weekend. Gaming was just part of that social event, not necessarily the main focus. It was about togetherness, problem solving and fun. 

But times have changed. Video games typically are purchased online, downloaded via the Internet and communication occurs through headsets. Back in the early 2000s the way that children and young people engaged with video games was different and much more balanced. The difference between then and now, is that in these latter years a child or young person can be sitting in a room on their own. Sometimes they’re communicating with strangers. The diminishing levels of real world communication, as well as isolation has, for the most part, become normalised over time.

What is it that hooks a person into immersing many hours of their time and energy into gaming? 

Video games contain compelling content. Immersion into this animated and artificial world also carries a motivational factor through challenges and potential reward. But the content is a product of an outside influence which is ingested and gets absorbed into the unconscious. If we were to associate the unconscious with the Underworld depicted in Greek mythology where activity is present but hidden, it holds great influence over a person without their conscious awareness. 

Why dreams are an important consideration in the context of video games

For the most part, mainstream psychology as a science is limited, and often acts as if the unconscious doesn’t exist! This includes the potent and significant content of dreams which tap into intuition, creativity and healing. Carl Jung fully embraced the collective and personal unconscious as well as what he called the shadow. Meaning that what has not been owned as an aspect of themselves is relegated to the unconscious and projected outwardly. On a personal level, the shadow is the hidden part of one’s psyche which is often revealed as the unclaimed parts of the self through dreams. Often they are complex and sometimes they contain gifts such as innate talents which have been rejected, denied or smothered by crippling self-doubt. 

Although shadow work is not appropriate for children, there is still much which is relevant and where professional support can make a positive difference.

I’ve studied dreams since I was a child. And I agree with Carl Jung that dream messages are imbued with consciousness and that dream messengers communicate meaningful content through symbolic images and language. 

In the context of the unconscious, I was listening to Jungian analyst, Joseph Lee, who spoke about the ways in which the artificial content in video games takes possession of the psyche and seeps into dreams. To encapsulate my understanding, he is saying that our interiority, “our spontaneous and emergent production of images are replaced” by the saturation of gaming characters which interfere with natural sleep and dream processes. Joseph also touched upon the importance of dreams as a way of processing a person’s lived experiences. It can therefore be interfered with when artificial characters are not a natural part of a child or young person’s actual experience in their physical environment. The negative impact of this interference is likely to involve a loss of life-force energy in conjunction with a block in the flow of the psyche’s intuitive, healing and reparative capacities. Moreover, the excessive use of video games become substitutes for real life interpersonal connection and spontaneity. 

As I work with dreams, I have seen this occurring with my young clients where gaming characters appear in their dreams in bizarre ways.  

With the above in mind, here are my four tips for parents and caregivers to consider as healthy alternatives to video games.

Tip no.1: Being outdoors in nature

Going on a real life adventure rather than a pixelated one. 

Think about trying something new such as camping, rock climbing, cycling, hiking, a treasure hunt - and creating an interactive space to meet new peers, connect and make new friends through these shared experiences. Feeling the elements and becoming aware of the earth.

Facilitated by adults they could read out a mythical story or fairytale with magical themes. This can create an entry point for children to play out ancient mythic stories using natural found objects they’ve made. They can really become immersed in this activity, as their imaginations are fuelled and these elements meet in a way that enlivens them. 

Tip no.2: Create your own story through writing or art making

The archetypes embedded in mythical stories and fairytales contain a rich source of the collective shadow. 

Mythologist Joseph Campbell referred to the Hero’s Journey as a way of portraying the main characters of mythological tales across the globe. An example of the Hero’s Journey and the archetypes is portrayed in the story of King Arthur and the quest for the holy grail. Within this mythical story, King Arthur is borne to a mystical lineage in the mists of Avalon - a land of fairies where his sister Morgan is deeply connected. There are many intertwining paths which bring these worlds together and the Quest which is undertaken by the knights is central to this story. It requires a deep wisdom in order to ask the right question. In our culture it is usually the answer which becomes the focus or goal rather than the question. The language of metaphor, symbolism, imagination and intuition are all connected to the unconscious. This is where treasures can be unearthed, when one can allow the logical-rational parts of the brain to take a back-seat. 

Jung’s 1919 essay ‘Instinct and the Unconscious’ is related to archetypes. He worked with the Tarot which portray archetypal characters as a means of self-discovery. These symbolic images, he believed, consists of internal archetypes or instincts which, when accessed consciously, would help to develop their sense of self - or wholeness. In turn, this leads to a person’s true nature. An example of a major character in the Tarot, The Fool, represents innocence and adventure which is the start of the Hero’s Journey. 

Taking the ideas presented above, the child or young person can spontaneously write a story which involves themes from their own life. They could then play out their Hero’s Journey in a group activity. Possibly each child could act out their hero and choose other players. This could also be expanded upon, by including art making based on the same premise.

Tip no.3: Movement and dance

The idea of the wild spirit within each of us is what calls to be liberated from unhealthy constrictions, which force a child or young person to quash down feelings. The impact of oppressive situations might lead to behaviours and compulsions such as the over consumption of junk foods, over-use of video games, and social media that feeds into feeling bad about themselves.

With so many children experiencing low energy, low self-esteem, diminished capacity to concentrate and difficulties in sleeping, these areas of concern are also contributing factors to disconnection with the body. So the wild spirit taps into the body's internal sensations and raises self-awareness and vitality. Thereby, movement and/or dance is a great way to mobilise the body and move energy.

How about coordinating a planned and timed break with your child to participate with friends or peers whether in-person or online to take a break from homework? 

This way of bringing children together with friends, can be enhanced to include sharing their experiences with each other, after the movement and dance activity. This can bring a focus on developing social skills and self-awareness through attentive listening and authentic sharing.  

The physicality in free form movement and dance release neurotransmitters, including endorphins and dopamine. This somatic experience helps to reduce stress and anxiety in the release of pent-up emotions. And if anger and frustration are issues, better to transform this negative energy in a contained way rather than have these energies build up and unleash on others through destructive altercations. 

A note about this: There may be a lot of resistance for a child or teen to engage in such an activity. This may be due to being too self-conscious, feeling inadequate or getting into competitive thinking. I would suggest that to make it a safe space, lay some ground rules beforehand, such as no criticism towards anyone or self-criticism. In this way it encourages centredness and a warm hearted approach.

Tip no.4: Learn a new skill in a group

Participating in facilitated peer groups with a focus on creativity such as art making. For example, creating contemporary-style mandalas through exploring particular themes which give expression to one’s intuition. Drumming is another form of expression which allows a child or young person to express feelings through the sounds. Another variation might be that an adult, trained and experienced in doing guided visualisations, can facilitate this for the child or young person to tap into their imagination, followed by a group drumming.

Sharing their creations by speaking about them or nonverbally through the drum are ways to get in contact with what enlivens and gives juice to one’s being. The non-verbal expression through musical sounds and movement is especially effective for individuals who find it difficult to speak, whether in a group or one-to-one.

Summary: The nervous system and video games

Whilst video games present challenges such as virtual expeditions and missions, and can involve others within a team setting, they are essentially pixelated simulations. They artificially activate the social nervous system on a superficial level, which does not touch the essence that creates satisfying and real human connection.

How psychotherapy can make a life-changing positive difference

When a young person is using video games as a substitute for social difficulties or experiencing challenges related to making friends, being isolated and lacking in interpersonal understanding, psychotherapy can help. It looks at the most appropriate approach, which can often mean exploring underlying issues. 

Through the therapeutic dialogue, explorations open up a space to see which interventions will best meet the child or young person’s needs. This might include role plays, the arts, dreams, Gestalt, somatic techniques including mindfulness and breathwork. It’s so important for a child or young person to have a space where they feel safe to talk about things which for them might feel utterly shameful or they may be holding secrets if they’re being bullied and terrified of the consequences of telling anyone. They could also be so stuck in a mindset. 

Psychotherapy and counselling, which may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the case of the latter, will address all of the levels which are age and developmentally appropriate. The positive difference - as I have seen - when the young person is receptive and fully engages with the therapy can be life-changing.