At New Life, we are often asked by family members the following question: “Are we helping the situation or making things worse?” This is an excellent question. At times, the family’s help can cause more damage to the person suffering from codependency. All families are codependent at some level, some more than others.

Online gaming is becoming a huge issue within the families of the people suffering from this addiction. Gaming has been around for decades, and now we are experiencing lasting issues around the gaming industry. Children who have grown up with a gaming addiction caused by a disruptive family environment are now learning to live with an adverse effect on mental health and interference with careers and, most importantly, intimate relationships.

Today we are surrounded by devices that are connected to the internet. Have you ever left your phone at home and panicked because you felt you might be missing out on something? Internet and device addiction affect millions of people around the world. Gaming, gambling, pornography, trading all lead to one thing, internet addiction. The issue, although still being researched, is not going anywhere. In fact, it is going to get a lot worse over the coming years as we move towards the 4th Industrial Revolution.