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Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest

The Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest brings together addiction and mental health service providers, researchers and subject matter experts in the fields of gambling, technology/Internet use and video gaming to collaborate and share knowledge on emerging trends and clinical best practices.

Tagged With "media"

Discussion Topic

Resilience and Coping Strategies for Social Media Addiction

Registered Member ·
I came across an interesting Masters Thesis from Eastern Illinois University on resilience and coping with respect to social media addiction. Although I did not read this in its entirety, the discussion section is worth reviewing. The author highlights the correlation between social media addiction and avoidant coping skills. Furthermore, depression proved to be the greatest predictor of social media addiction. Take a look at the thesis here.
Discussion Topic

ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
CNN just posted on a study linking ADHD with digital media use - a risk factor we identify in our own evidence-based resources . After analyzing the self-reported symptoms and digital media survey responses, the researchers found that each additional high-frequency engagement in a digital media activity was associated with higher odds of having ADHD symptoms at each follow-up point. However, the study, which was published in the medical journal JAMA , sheds light on how more research is...
Discussion Topic

Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Longitudinal data from adolescents and young adults show no evidence that social media use predicts later depressive symptoms. However, the findings do show that relatively higher depressive symptoms predicted later social media use among adolescent girls. This research stands in contrast with recent claims that adolescents' use of social media may lead to depression, claims based primarily on studies that examined associations between average social media use and average well-being measured...
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
Hi Elaine; I have a 21 year old son with ADHD since he was young, and am interested in how you did full detox on gaming, if you would be able to share this ? I am fully prepared to believe the gaming may have made the ADHD worse, so do you think the lack of symptoms could be directly related now ? My son is thinking he does not have a problem, how did you diagnose and treat your son ? Thank you.
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
I'm happy to share my experience, Suzie. It's a long story (I actually wrote a book about it). I did see my son exhibit ADHD symptoms during his worst crisis period with video gaming addiction and we can talk about that. How about we speak over the phone rather than on this forum. Please email me ar ElaineUskoski@gmail.com and we'll set up a time to talk that works for both of us.
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
oh - i remember seeing this somewhere - the book that is, on another website, i think it was. I will have a look. Thanks,
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Similar sentiments echoed in this article (which also asks bigger questions about how previous studies have analyzed datasets...) https://www.scientificamerican...eem-to-be-all-right/
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
I recently had a discussion with my father about the effects of social media and online immersion. We attempted to discuss whether or not this truly was a turning point in human history; a medium which will alter the human condition forever. I felt hesitant to oblige to such a strong prediction. As Steven Pinker mentioned in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature", the printing press and the resulting flurry of reading material, was interpreted at the time as a scourge within the younger...
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Aaron, I think you're right in that nothing is ever purely positive or negative. Interestingly, a lot of the discussion around social media use come from a place of privilege. I often think about this tweet (and link) from the Pew Research Center: "80% of blacks say social media highlight important issues that might not get a lot of attention otherwise; the same share of whites say these sites distract from more important issues https:// pewrsr.ch/2zw872s "
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Hi Simon, That is a very interesting point, one of which I had not thought of before. Thank you for bringing that to my attention
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Re: Resilience and Coping Strategies for Social Media Addiction

Registered Member ·
Thanks for sharing this thesis, Howie! It's a very interesting topic!
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
Thank you for sharing! I am happy to see this research being done. My son, in full blown crisis with video gaming addiction was diagnosed with ADHD. He was 19 years old at the time. He had been tested when he was younger and no signs of ADHD were found. Within six months of full detox of gaming, two and a half years later, the ADHD symptoms were gone, as well as his facial tics. We definitely need to see more studies and results moving forward.
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
Great article, Howie. And thanks for shedding light on your personal experiences, Elaine. It's interesting because most of the theories I've heard concerning the link between ADHD and digital media use focus on how the symptoms of ADHD (e.g., inattentiveness, impulsivity, etc.) put a person at risk for developing problematic technology use as an unhealthy way of coping with/expressing these symptoms. However, in your son's case, it appears that his video gaming preceded his ADHD symptoms.
Discussion Topic

Gambling, meme stocks and social media - A convergence?

Registered Member ·
Recently there's been some interesting news around "meme stocks" like GameStop and others, which to some extent could be considered closer to gambling rather than investing. This article has a decent breakdown of the subject, although it's probably a bigger topic than a single article can cover. What's interesting is that this type of story is around a Gaming company and is fueled by social media (reddit, and in particular /r/wallstreetbets - which by its name, doesn't hide the...
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Re: Gambling, meme stocks and social media - A convergence?

Registered Member ·
Interesting article Mahfuz, thanks for sharing. I too have been following the meme stock phenomenon this past year.
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Problem gaming & social media treatment research

Registered Member ·
For those of you who checked out the webinar, " What we know about treating problem gaming " in Late March this year (archive linked if you haven't!), the article the presentation was based on has just been published which you can find here . Some highlights: We reviewed 41 treatment studies for problem gaming, and did not find any for problem social media use. 8 studies were categorized as pharmaceutical, with Buproprion showing the most promise 26 studies were categorized as psychotherapy,...
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Media Impact - YMCA Webinar

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Re: 'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'

Registered Member ·
Interesting post! I will check out this book. Although I know I'm not personally ready to delete all my social media, I have consciously reduced engagement with platforms such as Facebook over time and also have felt the benefits. I have my doubts that we will see a social media-free future, especially as we navigate through a new reality where a continued or new pandemic(s) may threaten ability to gather and travel for long stretches of time. Social media provides easy ways of staying...
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'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'

Registered Member ·
The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma argues that the social media platforms we use to stay connected are making us miserable, disconnected, and potentially having a much wider impact on the socio-political landscape. The documentary received both praise for its engaging content but also received its fair share of criticism for perhaps being, at times, unbalanced in its views (and for not including individuals who have been campaigning for humane and ethical technology long before the...
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Re: 'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'

Registered Member ·
@Registered Member - the arguments aren't necessarily what you might expect (like improved wellbeing, sleep, etc.) the book focusses more on the impact of those algorithms on our ability to have empathy with others or be critical of news sources (argument #3 - 'social media is making you into an a**; #4 - 'social media is undermining the truth; #9 'social media is making politics impossible'). The author is a computer scientist and futurist so I think he's really arguing about how these...
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Re: 'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'

Registered Member ·
I'm wondering what some of the arguments in the book are? I'm in a weird boat, where, I never got popular social media like FaceBook growing up (despite the peer pressure to do so) but grew up with everyone around me having it. I always felt that, even a decade ago, it was odd to put up your communications with everyone to see it vs. individualized messaging or communities (like specialized forums). I felt that amongst different friend groups, family members or work colleagues - they knew me...
Discussion Topic

Facebook Whistleblower

Registered Member ·
A former Facebook product manager and whistleblower has indicated that the company is, "optimizing for content that gets engagement or reaction, but its own research is showing that content that is hateful, that is divisive, that is polarizing, it’s easier to inspire people to anger than it is other emotions." Facebook denies these claims, however some leaked documents from the whistleblower support these claims. You can read more about it here . In Canada and many first world countries,...
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Media Impact - YMCA Webinar

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“Addicted” to Social Media? Does Empathy play a role?

Registered Member ·
How does empathy relate to social media addiction? Well a study conducted in 2020 looked at the association of empathy and social media addiction amongst high school students. They also looked at another hypothesis (which is not discussed here). Empathy was defined as “the skill to comprehend and share other’s emotions and feelings ”. The authors acknowledged that empathy has both a cognitive component (i.e. understanding another person’s emotions) and an affective component (i.e. the...
Discussion Topic

Extra! Extra! Canadian Gaming Summit folds and gets dealt a new hand!

Registered Member ·
SBC is acquiring the long-running Canadian Gaming Summit , Canada’s premier annual conference and trade show for land-based and igaming professionals, from current joint owners the Canadian Gaming Association and MediaEdge Communications. This will all take place on June 7-9, 2022, Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto. Click here for the full article and how this might change our industry and the Igaming sector. What is the igaming sector you ask? Read Here.
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Re: Extra! Extra! Canadian Gaming Summit folds and gets dealt a new hand!

Registered Member ·
I had attended one of their conferences years ago when GGTU was just starting out and they have so much swag that they gave away.
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Social media companies could be held accountable for their negative impacts on children

Registered Member ·
Photo by Ravi Sharma on Unsplash There is rising concern over the impacts of social media on children and teenagers. Lawmakers in California recently proposed a Bill to target Social Media companies and their role in negatively impacting the mental health of children and teenagers. Bill 2408 the Social Media Platform Duty to Children Act was created to help protect these vulnerable groups. Currently in the United States, Social Media companies cannot legally be held responsible for the...
Discussion Topic

The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021-22

Registered Member ·
Common Sense Media have published their annual report from a large-scale, national survey of U.S teens and tweens on their media use habits. The report compares media use by teens and tweens before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the report, the authors present some recommendations for caregivers and parents as well as policymakers about healthy and safe media use for young people. Below are some key findings from the report: Media use in tweens and teens has grown faster since the...
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Re: Social media companies could be held accountable for their negative impacts on children

Registered Member ·
Curiously following what is going on in the States with social media apps aimed at children and teens... it's a rare issue that seems to get bi-partisan support and traction! The UK is rolling out similar legislation too. This was an interesting article where TikTok and Snapchat in particular were being targeted in the US: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/0...arental-control.html . I think that companies putting the onus on parents with parental controls is a partial solution but also they need...
Discussion Topic

Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
Article Link: https://www.centreformentalhea...eoples-mental-health This article explores the impact of social media on youth mental health. It notes that social media use can result in "urges" to check accounts to experience the instant gratification/dopamine hit from "likes" and comments. It notes that if the instant gratification is not available, a person may scroll their feeds until they receive that feeling, or they will internalize it, which may manifest as loneliness and anxiety.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
I find it useful to be aware of when I'm looking for gratification in my own tech usage. Love this idea of training students about the risks inherent in social media, that kind of primary prevention is just golden.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
The urges absolutely happen! I myself can go through phases where I am more mindful then others. I see many people as well in my personal life/ work life feeling the need to "check their phone". Great to discuss from an early age when its a "good time" to review your social media/ phone as to when it may be more beneficial to absorb the moment we are in.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
I really liked this article, I think it is an interesting time to be discussing these topics while still being somewhat consumed by Covid restrictions and the world just opening back up to us. I think we can all agree anxiety, loneliness and fear, of missing out have all been very real feelings experienced by almost everyone over the past 2+ years, has social media had any positive effects on anxiety, loneliness, and fear of missing out while young people have been essentially stuck at home.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
Social media can have both positive and negative influences on individuals, especially teens who are very impressionable. Social media can fill the void of socialization that is missed by some. It also has the ability to bring people closer together. On a larger scale, I can see how some people shift to relying on social media as one of their own means of connection. I appreciate how the article explores both.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
Given the scope of this topic area, it seems necessary to "focus on our focus" and attend to health aspects of PTU while keeping an eye on other aspects of PTU (such as technology, game design, business strategy and more).It seems that the concept of "balance" is critical. Exciting ways of conveying mental "balance" seems welcome for psychoeducation approaches. The premise is that if mental health is "in balance" then behavioral addiction or substance addiction will be less likely, less...
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Article on Twitter Changing Ownership

Registered Member ·
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/twitter-elon-musk-deal-what-happens-to-twitter-now-rcna26069 How this could affect clients with problem social media use: 1) As this is something that can drastically change a major social media platform, there could be a spike in anxiety as people await the outcome of this business transaction. 2) Current speculations on what will occur if the transaction does go through is that the space will become more toxic and have more promotion of...
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GGTU launches new digital newsletter

Registered Member ·
Gambling, Gaming and Technology Use has launched a new digital newsletter on our new GGTU website . We also have an online digital assessment survey . We want to hear from you about the topics we should be focusing on, and the types of resources and digital products we should be offering in the year ahead.
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Article: TikTok Is Flooded With Health Myths. These Creators Are Pushing Back.

Registered Member ·
This NYT article discusses the professionals who spend their time debunking health and mental health misinformation on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. We've also been seeing the role social media has played during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of people's access to information (e.g., vaccine availability announcements) and misinformation (promoting sometimes harmful treatments that aren't evidence-informed). This article left me with a few questions about the role that...
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Webinar Replay! Bridging the Digital Divide to Optimize Health Outcomes and Experiences for Youth

Registered Member ·
On Thursday July 21, 2022, GGTU hosted the final installment of the three-part webinar series, The Impacts of Digital Technologies on Mental Health and Addictions. Dr. Skye Barbic (UBC/Foundry) and Al Raimundo (Foundry BC) co-presented this latest webinar titled, Bridging the Digital Divide to Optimize Health Outcomes and Experiences for Youth . In this webinar, the speakers described the digital health needs of young people accessing youth mental health services and outlined current ways in...
Discussion Topic

The TikTok-ification of Social Media

Registered Member ·
Whether you use YouTube, Facebook or other social media platforms you may have noticed some changes to what and how you are viewing the content on your feeds. For example, you may be seeing more short videos being recommended on your feeds. It’s a trend that more and more social media companies are turning towards as they compete with the short-form video platform TikTok. Shorter videos allow users to see a variety of content in a shorter period of time. They also take less time to produce.
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