Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction [Paperback]

Olivia and Kurt Bruner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2006

When Olivia Bruner saw video games overtaking her young sons' lives, she decided to learn the facts behind addiction. What she found was shocking: that most games are designed to be highly addictive-triggering physiological reactions in the brain similar to those associated with substance abuse-and that one out of five kids becomes addicted to computer and video games. And while many parents screen the content of games to protect their children from violent and sexual themes, few understand the forces causing their children to become hooked on the "digital drug." This book arms parents with the facts they need and concrete steps to protect our children from this very real epidemic. A must-read for all parents.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Olivia and Kurt Bruner live in Colorado Springs, where they write and speak for Focus on the Family. Kurt is Vice President of Focus on the Family Resource Group. They are the proud parents of three sons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 161 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (September 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931722749
• ISBN-13: 978-1931722742
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High school counselor and mom, October 8, 2006

By 

Marie Link (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction (Paperback)

This is a chilling book as it describes the addiction to video games that are of serious concern regardless of the good or bad content of individual games. Boys and young men are becoming addicted to games that are interferring with their high school and college years and even into their marriages. One of the chapters is appropriatly entitled "Lost Boys". I grieve for the lost potental stolen away by video and computer games. I recommend this book highly to parents who are struggling with trying to control video games in their homes and achieve balance with something that was supposed to be for recreation but is now taking over all of their kid's free time. The behavior that I have observed regarding my own sons, their friends, and students at school is accurately described in my book.

24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wake Up Call for Parents, December 17, 2006

By 

M. R. Wilson "melphd" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction (Paperback)

This is not another false alarm from overly anxious 'experts'. The research is compelling: video games are highly addictive. I have four boys who play and I see the signs of addiction: loss of interest in other formerly enjoyed ctivities, inability to stop playing or set limits on their own behavior, willing to risk negative consequences for more play time (sneaking, whining, etc.). I see video games the same way I see alcohol. Many people can drink alcohol without becoming addicted. Many kids can play video games without becoming addicted. Regardless of which category you believe your kids are in, read this book. Educate your kids and parents of kids who clearly have a problem limiting their play. I'm returning all video games this Christmas and am giving my kids board games instead.

22 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Experianced Gamer, February 5, 2007

By 

R. Brown (Kamloops BC, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction (Paperback)

I used to play many games all the way from the first Nintendo through to Playstation 2, and still feel the aftermath of addiction. Most of my gaming experience consisted of RPG's (Role Playing Games) and MMORPG's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). I am currently married and have a child on the way, and have many friends that play video games on a regular basis (When ever they are not at work). They shared much of the same enthusiasm as I did, and always talked about the newest games, and the amount of development their characters went through. I have mostly found that gaming allowed me to be someone I could not, in real life. Playstation Nation has helped me to realize most of the addictive qualities in the gaming industry. This should be no surprise considering Gamboling, Smoking, Drinking, and doing Drugs, are all Billion Dollar industries, and you look at the sticker on PC games: "40 Million Sold" (you would think they would add the same addictive qualities targeting children and adults alike).