My Musings on Minecraft

Posted on by Kevin.

See Kevin interviewed by Teen TV News:  Videogame Addiction interview

BBC News came out with a story the other day that detailed the many useful aspects of the computer game, Minecraft, from the computer-programming mindset the game seems to foster, to building cooperative social skills. While the game certainly has a great deal of addictive potential, I nevertheless concur with the BBC journalist: Minecraft has the capacity to impart powerful skills and lessons.

Among the young people with ADHD and Asperger’s who come to my Study Groups, the game enjoys extraordinary appeal. Yes, when several boys are taking a “game break,” they play Minecraft together and something about that rather rudimentary virtual world encourages cooperation, as well as a constant flow of interaction. I have even had boys develop an interest in minerals and gem stones as a result of playing the game.

Typically, a Minecraft adept is male, 9-15 years old, of at least above-average intelligence, and often socially awkward. I have had boys who, like the BBC article details, have significantly improved their social skills through the game. I have also seen many boys become addicted, to the point that removing—or threatening removal—the game has resulted in extreme emotional disturbance. As I wrote in Cyber Junkie, yes, video games can provide numerous benefits. They can augment visual-spatial acuity, help relieve stress, and allow for interactions that solve real-world problems. According to, Scientific American, online Interactive games are also revolutionizing the world of scientific experiment and information gathering:

Instead of relying on the number-crunching power of a single supercomputer or network, crowdsourced games like FoldIt translate vast and complex data sets into simple online interfaces that anyone can learn to operate. The crowdsourced astronomy game Galaxy Zoo also depends on an army of “citizen scientists” for classification of stars hundreds of light years away; while Google built its image search technology on an image-labeling game. In fact, every time you “verify your humanity” on a web form by typing out nonsensical reCAPTCHA text, you’re actually helping Google transcribe books from the world’s libraries into a digital format.

The FoldIt game referenced above was famously employed to unravel the riddle of a protein molecule involved in retroviruses, like HIV. This particular protein’s structure had bedeviled scientists for decades, but the online gaming community, using FoldiT, solved the problem in just a few weeks. Minecraft is a cousin of this type of application, and so gives us a window into the wonderful screen-driven future that is already opening up. HOWEVER, let us not forget that some people have serious struggles with self-regulating their screen time. Before we go encouraging our children to while away their days with Minecraft, let’s remember that too much screen time poses serious consequences. Many studies have shown that high amounts of screen time, more than 2 hours a day, in young people strongly correlate with diminishing grades in school, fewer social contacts, and a propensity for negative emotional states. Obviously, this data does not apply to school-related screen interactions. Excessive dependence on the screen for stimulation and interaction IS A PROBLEM in and of itself, but usually points to deeper issues that are either undiagnosed or not being addressed.

Connor had been diagnosed with ADHD at age 12, and started participating in my Study Groups. Neither medications nor my groups seemed to offer much benefit; The young man with an IQ in the gifted range progressively withdrew from family and friends as well. The source of the withdrawal was a mystery to the family and the numerous professionals whose advice the parents had sought. During the summer between 7th and 8th grade, Connor discovered Minecraft, a game that offered him such satisfaction that his screen time increased to disturbing levels—8, 9, even 10 hours a day! Parental attempts to curtail Connor’s use regularly resulted in what his mother called, “meltdowns.” On one occasion, he punched a hole through the wall, while on another he attempted to hit his father. This latter incident prompted inpatient treatment, during which the psychologist discovered that Connor had been severely bullied, but had told no one. With therapy and a support group for children who have been bullied, Connor was able to talk about his experiences, get out his feelings, and move on with his life. His excessive game play was the first sign that something was wrong, perhaps even an unconscious cry for help.

I have had video game addicts go on to be diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and numerous other mental health issues. When these underlying problems are addressed—and successfully treated— the Internet/gaming addiction almost always resolves. I see no inherent problems with video games. But we have to be extraordinarily careful when our loved one becomes dependent on them. Here are some signs to watch out for:

1. Emotional disturbances when the particular technology is removed from that person.
2. Disruptions in sleep often are the first signs that something is wrong (gamers and problem smart phone users often “use” into the wee hours).
3. The person has turned away from family and friends, and activities that he or she once found enjoyable.
4. Engaging in the screen behavior in ever-increasing amounts.
5. Unable to cut back on the behavior, in spite of a stated desire to do just that.

If you have a computer-oriented loved one, Minecraft is a great game to get him or her involved in. You also need to insist on a balanced life: exercise, face-to-face friend contact, and good performance in school. As Jake, a member of one of my cyber recovery groups said: “Yes, I’m a geek. But the world needs people like me who are great with computers. I just have to make sure that my life doesn’t get completely consumed by the screen.”

14 Comments

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    • Suzette, many of us fall into the trap that things nowadays are so much worse than they used to be. School shootings are nothing new, but now we have a massive media presence that is constantly on the lookout for spectacular stories to fill airtime. Thank you for pointing this story out. It helps us all put things into perspective.

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      Posted on by Kevin (Author)
  3. Hi Kevin: I couldn’t wait to share this article. My son Bryan loves Minecraft and I believe he does not have the ability to self-regulate the amount of time he spends playing it. For his 13th birthday party he had 4 select (fellow Minecrafter’s) spend the night. Each friend brought their laptop and in fact one of his friends brought his desktop system. None of them slept…not one. For his birthday he asked for the new Sim City game….which I allowed in exchange for him joining a program or club. Effective 09/07, he is only allowed to game (computer or gaming system) Friday after school through Sunday afternoon. This
    includes You Tube videos of Minecraft…which he could watch all day if I let him! I hate that I had to go to such extreme but we had tried different measures to allow for him to regulate his game time during the week to no avail. My hopes is that he finds another interest and gets to the point where he can take it or leave it.

    Posted on by Beth
    • It sounds like you have things under control. Teenagers thrive when firm, compassionate boundaries are maintained. Thanks for weighing in, Beth. There are a lot of parents out there who need help and guidance in setting appropriate and healthy limits for their children!

      Posted on by Kevin (Author)
  4. I was quite happy to read your musings on this particular subject. My daughter is now 12 and has been diagnosed ADHD/ODD and mild Aspbergers. She had discovered Minecraft last year and absolutely loves it. I had concerns about time spent on the game and the social interaction aspect and closely monitor it, as I hear and read negative things about over indulgence and simulation. Thank you for you musings on the subject where I can feel some relief that my instincts weren’t off when I felt this was a good game for her and perhaps I can even relax my concerns about her interaction with the online community as well. Thanks Kevin.

    Posted on by Andy
    • Andy, thanks for chiming in. You are not alone in your struggles. It is important with the online community issues to have FREQUENT conversations about not giving out her contact information, and to inform you if anyone tries to contact her outside of the game, just for an extra level of security. Please feel free to email me if I can offer any assistance, and I really appreciate you reading the blog, and especially appreciate your leaving a comment. It helps affirm me that I am doing the right thing! I need all the support I can get, too!

      Posted on by Kevin (Author)
  5. Very accurate description of over use of screen time and the detrimental effects it can induce. I have witnessed these in my son and they are magnified in times of stress. I agree that screen time over two hours per day is problematic. I have seen my son seemingly lose track of time while on a game. He also experiences a “constant need for stimulation” like state when coming off a game. He will relate he is “bored” with everything else in the world. This quickly goes away when redirected, but it’s interesting. I think my son has had a great deal of new ideas sparked by Minecraft and it opened an area of interest in design, building and computers/internet workings that he didn’t have prior to this game. He also has had some improvement in social skills through the game interaction.

    Posted on by Donna G
    • Thanks Donna. How has his Minecraft-sparked interest in design manifested? Has he picked up any other games, or applications that have deepened his interest in this area?

      Posted on by Kevin (Author)
      • Yes he took a summer camp program where he learnwd how to use Blender, a 3 D design aoftware where objects can be designwd and then printed on a 3D printer.

        Posted on by Donna G
        • Your example is a good one! I hope some other mothers are reading this. You demonstrate how to work with a computer-orientation, not against it.

          Posted on by Kevin (Author)
  6. I have 2 boys that are borderline cyber addicts. Kevin’s book helped me as a parent to really understand how to help my kids understand their role in their decisions to chose games that have a social component and to help them understand the difference between online “friends” and real friends. Thanks Kevin!

    Posted on by Cindy
    • Thank you for commenting, Cindy. I am glad to help!!!

      Posted on by Kevin (Author)

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