Stigma of Self-Harm in Healthcare Services

Stigma of Self-Harm in Healthcare Services Self-harm a deliberate attempt to self-poison or self-injure regardless of the incentive or suicidal intent is a growing problem in the United Kingdom with a heavy burden on health-care systems. Despite this escalating crisis, attitudes from health professionals who treat self-harmers remain negative and the quality of care is deteriorating. The myths of why people self-harm play a substantial role in health professionals perceptions of self-harmers, which impacts on the efficacy of intervention and recovery rates; however, these myths are far from the reality. This article will reveal the stigma that self-harmers encounter from those at the front-line of our healthcare services and will seek to explain the real reasons behind self-harmful behaviour. By increasing public awareness and educating health professionals on the motives behind self-harmful behaviour, misconceptions and negative attitudes can be diminished. Studies show that self-harm is a common pattern among adolescents and young adults 13-25% has reported a history of self-injury. Although many young people only engage in self-harm once or twice, others go on to become chronic self-harmers, with studies evidencing that 6% of the college population do chronically self-harm. Still, these figures may be underestimated as many self-harmers do not seek help. Due to the lack of knowledge and negative misconceptions, those who do seek help report unsatisfactory care from paramedics and emergency staff, who are often the first point of contact. Front-line professionals are in a rare position to interrupt the cycle of self-harm; however, with inadequate rapport between staff and patients, the cycle will continue to have devastating consequences on individuals in need of help. The following misconceptions are put forward. The first misconception of why people self-harm is the desire to end ones life. In a systematic review of attitudes towards people who self harm, it was found that suicide-risk was a common reason for self-injury as agreed among most clinical staff groups (Saunders, Hawton, Fortune Farrell, 2012). Whilst self-harm is the biggest predictor of suicidality, those who self-injure do so as a means to manage their distress and cope with negative feelings. The affect regulation model of self-injury proposes that it is a method to relieve acute negative feelings and emotions. It is suggested that early environment may play a role in affect regulation by teaching poor coping strategies to deal with emotional distress. It is also suggested that those with a biological disposition for emotional instability may be more prone to resort to this strategy to manage their emotions. In a systematic review of self-harm (Edmondson, Brennan House, 2015), affect-regulation was found to be the most commo n reason for the behaviour. Quantitative studies revealed that the majority of participants (93%) favoured affect-regulation items such as to get relief from a terrible state of mind or calming myself down. This was further supported by qualitative studies which reported that the majority of participants (92%) endorsed in reasons such as relieving emotional pain or to calm myself when Im incredibly emotional or upset. In further support of the affect-regulation model, research has reported that self-harmers have a poor ability to regulate emotions when experiencing negative affect, as indicated by MRI scans revealing greater amygdala activation (Davis et al., 2014). Consequently, this research shows that self-harm is often carried out for the purpose of reducing negative emotions and to avoid attempting suicide, as opposed to the misconception of health professionals. The second misconception of why people self-harm is attention-seeking and manipulation. A study which examined nurses perceptions of self-harmers revealed that labels were used to describe patients such as attention seekers or time wasters (Shaw Sandy, 2016). Although some self-harmers agree that self-injury is an attention-seeking act, most insist that it is a help-seeking strategy. The interpersonal-influence model argues that self-harm is undertaken as a means of influencing people in the self-harmers environment. It is argued that self-harm is a cry for help, an avoidance of abandonment or an effort to ensure that they are listened to. To support this, research has found that the second most commonly reported reason for deliberate self-harm is a cry for help motive, including reasons such as to show how desperate I was feeling or to hope that others notice something is wrong (Muehlenkamp, Brausch, Quigley Whitlock, 2012). In a systematic review (Edmondson et al., 2015), interpe rsonal influence was a common reason for self-harm. Quantitative studies revealed that a large majority of participants (87%) favoured interpersonal influence items such as to seek help from someone or letting others know the extent of my physical pain. This was further supported by qualitative studies which reported that over half of the participants (56%) supported interpersonal reasons such as I received the warmth, love and attention I had been looking for. Reasons such as to frighten someone or to shock or hurt someone are least commonly endorsed. This research supports the view that self-harm is a call for help, unlike the misconception which suggests that self-harm is an act of manipulation. A third misconception is that self-harmers can stop if they want to. Although this is true for some, studies have shown that self-harm can become an addiction. In substance addiction, there is a positive reinforcement which is associated with increasing dopamine levels in the brain and negative reinforcement which is associated with relieving negative mood states. Research has found that negative reinforcement plays a part in self-injury. Participants generally experience negative feelings before self-harming, including sadness and frustration but subsequently experience positive feelings after the act, including euphoria and satisfaction (Klonsky, 2009). In a qualitative study, participants compared their self-harm to having a drug addiction (Brown Kimball, 2012). They declared that self-injury was a reliable fix for overwhelming feelings and they had experienced highs from their self-harming behaviour. Participants also stated that their need to self-harm progressed over time, inc luding the frequency and intensity, and when trying to stop the behaviour they would feel a greater urge to continue. Furthermore, biological research has found that self-harmful behaviour releases endorphins in the brain which produces a euphoric state, reducing pain and alleviating emotional distress (Sher Stanley, 2009). Therefore, self-harmful behaviour can be overpowering and can be a challenge to cease, unlike the misconception that one can easily stop if they want to. Although the code of professional conduct states that health professionals should be kind, respectful, compassionate, non-judgemental and show an appreciation of diversity and equality, it appears that many hospital staff are not following this important regime. Whilst these misconceptions are circulating healthcare systems, perceptions and attitudes toward self-harmers remain unchanged. Discrimination towards those vulnerable can be direct and indirect. Research has revealed that some staff deliberately distant themselves from self-harming patients because they hold feelings of irritation, anger and frustration towards them, especially those who frequently return to hospital (Conlon Tuathail, 2012). Some health professionals may not be aware of their attitude; however, their demeanour and manner towards patients can appear obvious to the recipient. As a result, self-harming patients become less of a priority compared to those with a physical illness; consequently, influencing their entitlement to care. Correspondingly, many self-harming patients feel ignored by health professionals and believe that they are perceived as harder work or time consumers (Chapman Martin, 2014). Research has found that young people who self-harm have reported avoiding the access and emergency department due to their own and others previous unsatisfactory experiences. It has been reported that patients have experienced discrimination and have been denied care, such as pain relief, because they have caused their own injuries. Patients were also denied information and were talked about in an ignorant manner. They were also told by health professionals that they were selfish, inconsiderate and were wasting time that could be spent on real patients. Consequently, negative attitudes reinforced the feelings of shame and worthlessness leading to further self-harmful behaviour. This influenced their future decisions to avoid help from health professionals (Owens, Hansford, Sharkey Ford, 2016). Although some health professionals can be stigmatizing towards self-harming patients, other professionals such as nurses feel helpless, powerless and dissatisfied when caring for these patients due to lack of knowledge and training. Nurses feel frustrated as the emergency department is not helpful in treating patients who self-harm the busy nature of the environment, lack of time, privacy and resources all of which prevent the development of therapeutic relationships (Martin Chapman, 2014). Nurses feel that treatments and interventions are insufficient and self-harm patients require specialist treatment which the emergency department cannot provide (Gibb et al., 2010). Research has found a negative relationship between staff members negative attitudes and knowledge: health professionals who have an accurate knowledge of self-harmful behaviour show a more positive attitude overall and feel more effective at treating patients. Moreover, when nurses are keen to empathise with self-ha rming patients, the rapport between the nurse and patient is generally more positive (Tzeng, Yang, Tzeng Chen, 2010). Research has shown that when nurses are provided with mental health training, their attitude changes towards those who self-harm. For example, nurses become more empathetic and patient-orientated. Nurses also described having more confidence to communicate effectively with patients. This positively influenced feedback from patients and the team atmosphere (Karman, Kool, Gamel Meijel, 2015). Key findings: There are three main misconceptions surrounding the motives and intentions of self-harm self-harmers are suicidal, attention seeking and/or manipulative, and they have the ability to stop self-harming when they want to. Psychological theories (the affect-regulation model, the interpersonal-influence model) and research challenge these misconceptions and claim that people self-injure in order to manage their emotions or to seek help from those around them, and their ability to stop can be hindered by the addictive nature. Health professionals direct and indirect behaviour can influence the care that a self-harming patient receives, potentially increasing the risk of further self-harm. Health professionals report feeling powerless when caring for self-harming patients due to the nature of the environment, lack of resources, skills and knowledge. Self-harming patients are receiving unsatisfactory care which suggests that there is a lack of knowledge and procedure for managing these patients. The national guidelines are designed to influence local and departmental policies to lead front-line staff; however, this system appears to be failing, as the procedure to care for those who self-harm remains ineffective (Rees, Rapport, Thomas, John Snooks, 2014). Health professions working in the National Health Service are already under strenuous pressure, working long hours and coping with increasing workloads and organisational changes due to the lack of resources and funding. At present, this is an on-going struggle for staff, so with the accumulation of further education and training, this may be seem like an impossible challenge. Nevertheless, patients are priority in the code of professional conduct and it is an ethical issue if health professionals continue to ignore this code. In any case, there is a strong link between self-harm and suicide, despite many self-harmers agreeing that suicidality is not a motive. Therefore, these patients should be taken seriously and health professionals should be made aware of the risk of suicide, especially those who are inexperienced. Consequently, there are many suggestions that can be made in order to reduce stigma and improve healthcare for those who self-injure. First, health professionals should be educated on the motives behind self-harmful behaviour and the context in which it occurs. Education may not work alone; therefore, it may be beneficial if a trainer with personal experiences of self-harm shares their story in order to inform professionals through a traditional-transference approach (Karman, Kool, Gamel Meijel, 2015). This will provide professionals with a deeper understanding and will help to change perceptions of those who self-harm. They should also be educated on communication and interpersonal skills, which will help to enhance therapeutic relationships between staff members and patients. In addition to education, on-going training for health professionals should be provided to continuously update their knowledge and skills to care for those with self-injuries. Training should cover knowledge, understanding, attitudes, behaviours, risk assessment and management of self-harming patients. Staff should also be trained to identify risky behaviours and to understand the barriers that self-harmers encounter, as well as understanding their mental health needs and helping them to seek advice and guidance. In addition, refection in practice should be encouraged when caring for people who self-harm. In short, policy documents, care pathways, protocols and local guidelines should be reviewed and revised so that education and training needs of health professionals are met. This will potentially influence the care that self-harmers receive. Health professionals should treat self-harming patients as any other sick patients on the ward and communicate sensitively. They should aim to develop rapport with patient in order to improve patients engagement with the services. Nevertheless, health professionals who work on wards where self-harm is severe may also require extra support from colleagues and managers or may require psychological support such as debriefing. If the pressure is too intense for health professionals, a brief screening tool could be introduce to help identify those at risk of suicide. Alternatively, there could be a specialised clinician working on emergency departments supervising front-line staff. Thus, a multi-disciplinary framework may be the ultimate approach to success which will also relieve some pressure off front-line staff. The context which care is provided to patients and the lack of training and support from managers can challenge professionals ability to do their job which affects their confidence and increases feelings of frustration and negativity.

Forensics 1.06 Critical Thinking

Review QuestionsWhat is forensic science? Forensic science is the application of science to the criminal justice system.What three tasks or responsibilities does a forensic scientist have? A forensic scientist can collect and analyze data from crime scenes, and train other law enforcement individuals. Forensic scientists can work in the lab, go out and collect data, or teach at colleges and universities.What criteria might be used to establish someone as an expert witness? Courts take in the educational degrees that the person has, any publications that they may have, how many years that they have been involved in their field, and any professional organizations that the person is a member of.What are two of the ways that a forensic pathologist might use to help determine the time of death? A forensic pathologist can use rigor mortis and liver mortis to figure out time of death.What does a forensic anthropologist do? A forensic anthropologist specializes in identifying and examining s keletons and skeletal remains.Critical Thinking Questions1) Why do you think it is so important to use proper methods when collecting evidence from a crime scene? It is important to use proper methods when collecting evidence so that you can be able to analyze it correctly and get the correct information. If you do not use proper methods and collect the wrong information, then even the most experienced forensic scientist cannot analyze it and the criminal will get away, and you will never know the truth of what happened.2) Why do you think forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system? I think that forensic science has been increasingly used by the criminal justice system because it is science, which is easier to analyze and to understand exactly why and how things happened. It also makes it easier because you’re not just listening to two sides of the story, or even one side of the story, and deciding from that. Instead, you’re using actual evidence to find out exactly what happened, which is what makes forensic science so effective, especially when used by the criminal justice system.3) Which of the forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most challenging? Why? I think that the most difficult responsibility of a forensic scientist is being an expert witness. I think that it would be challenging because you’re testifying in a very important court case, you’re under pressure, and you cannot lie, leave out details, or stretch the truth. Whatever you say affects whether or not the criminal in the case is found guilty or walks free, which can be very stressful to think about.4) Which of the forensic scientist’s responsibilities do you think would be the most interesting to you? Why? I think that the most interesting responsibility of a forensic scientist would be analyzing the data. I would always want to be the one to piece together a puzzle, and to solve a crime to fig ure out exactly what happened in a case. I think that it would be challenging, but it would also be interesting to join in on a case and examine and analyze the data to figure different things out.5) Which of the specialty areas do you think you would most like to work in? Why? I would be more interested in participating and working in forensic pathology. I would really enjoy doing autopsies and finding out time of death and the cause of death of people. I would enjoy working with blood and tissue samples, and I would feel very accomplished when I finally solved a mystery.

Strategic Benefits of Effective Diversity Management

Abstract Diversity management acknowledges the reality that people are different with respect to factors such as gender, marital status, age, disability, social status, sexual orientation, personality, ethnicity, religion, and culture. If a company values diversity in its workforce, it can manage its employees in a way that creates harmony in all work practices and higher standards of collaboration and teamwork. Effective management of workplace diversity results in an innovative culture where creativity has no boundaries and ideas continue to flourish. Thus, it is of paramount importance for companies to integrate diversity in their daily operations. Introduction Diversity entails understanding, acknowledging, accepting, celebrating, and valuing differences among people based on their class, ethnicity, age, physical and mental ability, gender, race, language, religion, and sexual orientation (Hubbard 2004, p.27). In the contemporary world, effective management of diversity is essential because the work-environment is characterised by a wide range of employees from different cultural, social, and religious backgrounds. Moreover, the success of any organisation is highly dependent on how well the employees integrate and collaborative with each other at the workplace. In order to ensure teamwork and collaboration among employees, it is imperative to have effective management of diversity in the workforce (Combe 2013, p.273-277). In most cases, diversity management involves removing barriers and allowing job applicants and employees to have equal access to employment opportunities and promotion; hiring a workforce that reflects the communities wi thin which the organisation operates; empowering all workers to reach their full potential, and encouraging personal growth, as well as professional development among all employees (Paludi 2012, p.123). This paper aims at exploring the strategic benefits of effective diversity management, how diversity is handled at UKRD Group, and it provides some recommendations on how to enhance diversity at UKRD. Literature ReviewBenefits of effective diversity managementDiversity confers various benefits to companies, and as a result, many scholars suggest that it should be a feature of every aspect of an organisation including employee development, succession planning, reviews, performance management, and rewards. To start with, employees from diverse social and cultural backgrounds bring unique skills, perceptions, and experiences to the table while working in teams. Pooling the diverse skills and knowledge from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees’ productivity, and responsiveness to varying conditions (Buhler 2010, p.91). Furthermore, in a diverse workforce, each employee possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses, drawn from their diverse backgrounds and their individuality. If a company ensures effective diversity management is in place, it is possible to leverage the diverse strengths among employees, and compliment the weakness of each employee to mak e the productivity of the workforce more than the sum of its parts (Griffin 2012, p.241). By bridging together employees from various backgrounds, businesses can market their products effectively to clients from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. This is because by ensuring the workforce reflects the region within which the business operates, it is usually easy to know the expectations, demands, tastes, and preferences of their consumers. As a result, the company will be able to produce goods/services, which conform to their client’s expectations and demands (Thiederman 2008, p.3). Moreover, effective diversity management strengthens the company’s relationship with a given category of customers by making communication efficient. This is achieved by pairing customers with customer-service representatives from their social or cultural background, making them feel comfortable and satisfied. For example, a company operating in the southwest of the U.S. can employ bi-lingual customer representatives in order to serve Spanish-speaking clients in their native language (Guffey & Loewy 2010, p.99). Companies that fail to foster diversity in their workforce experience higher turnover rates than those that treasure diversity in the workplace. This is because they portray a hostile work environment, and consequently, make most of their employees to quit. Inability to retain most of the qualified personnel leads to high turnover-related costs, which a company can avoid by embracing diversity. Losing an employee is highly detrimental to the company’s success because it results to lowered productivity; overworked remaining staff; loss of knowledge and skills; and loss of company’s time while conducting interviews (Griffin 2012). In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas. Since the group members come from a host of varying cultures, they often propose creative and unique solutions and recommendations, unlike when they come from same backgrounds (Paludi 2012, p.93). In other words, group diversity eliminates groupthink, which is often witnessed in companies that do not foster diversity in their workforce. Groupthink makes participants in a team to think that their ideas and actions are valid, and those objecting them are either sabotaging their efforts or are uninformed. However, multicultural teams are not affected by such problems since the participants have different perspectives (Aswathappa 2013, p.769). By having a positive approach toward diversity at workplace, a company signals an ethical stand. Consequently, it can build and maintain a positive corporate image. A positive corporate image enables a company to have stronger relationships with existing clients, as well as broaden the consumer base by attracting more customers. A strong consumer base is a direct incentive to a noteworthy competitive edge, and it enables companies to face various challenges in the market such as the recession (Mor-Barak 2011). Diversity is also a key aspect in the creation of effective global relationships. Employing international talent helps in enhancing the company’s reputation through outwardly encouraging cultural diversification to a broader consumer-base. If a company hires employees from different countries, it stands a greater chance of expanding and seizing global opportunities by establishing a network of languages and cultures (Guffey & Loewy 2010). Additionally, by creating an environment of inclusion and by making commitment to valuing diversity, managers can boost employee morale and motivation. This is because acknowledging and accepting a person regardless of their social or cultural background makes them feel honoured, and as if they a part of the family ‘company.’ As a result, they will devote all their efforts toward realization of the organisation’s goals (Abiodun 2010, p.82-87).Managing diversity at UKRD GroupUKRD Group is a multi-media company, based in the U.K. The company owns and operates a portfolio of websites, a software-licensing firm, and 16 local commercial radio stations. The company has been ranked number one for three years in a row on the U.K’s top 100 best employers (Toten 2013). Diversity management is central to the company’s human resource strategic goals, which include the development of an inclusive and integrated workforce. UKRD Group acknowledges the benefits of a diverse workforce, and it invests much in ensuring that the work-environment is free from discrimination. Moreover, the company endeavours to promote the principles of diversity in all its operations with employees, job applicants, suppliers, clients, recruitment agencies, contractors, and the public (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). According to the company’s CEO, William Rogers, one of the key goals of the company is to build a supportive culture, based on various fundamental standards of behaviour including honesty, fairness, openness, professionalism, and fun. For instance, employees have the liberty to express their disagreement with anything the group purposes to accomplish. However, they are expected to observe fairness and professionalism when presenting their views. Having such a splendid value-based culture portrays a good image of how the company is investing in diversity management. Furthermore, the company does not have a structured human resource department. All the HR functions are outsourced. It has adopted such as strategy in order to encourage the management to have a greater responsibility for their employees. By having a structured HR department, the company’s management believes that the relationship between managers and employees would weaken, since matters such as discipline m ay be shifted from one department to another, and as a result, they may not be handled effectively. This is a viable strategy toward strengthening of the manager-employee relationship, which is key to the effective management of diversity (Toten 2013). All employees as well as anyone who acts on behalf of the company is required to adhere to the company’s set principles of equality and diversity. Any sort of unlawful discrimination in the workplace is not condoned, and the company has put in place necessary measures to prevent its occurrence. Specifically, UKRD Group purposes to ensure that no job applicant or employee is subjected to unlawful discrimination based on gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, age, part-time status, or religion. This commitment is taken into account at all aspects of employment such as training, recruitment, promotion and career-development opportunities, grievance handling and the application of disciplinary procedures, and terms/conditions of employment. Because of the evolving nature of the job market and the legislation changes, the company often reviews its policies regarding diversity, and implements relevant changes (UKRD Group Ltd, n.d.). Recommendations In order for the UKRD Group to be at the forefront in ensuring diversity prevails in all its operations, it is necessary for its management to take into consideration the following suggestions. To start with, it should ensure it has a wide recruiting base. This can be achieved by adopting tools such as online job boards, where anyone with an access to the internet can view the job opportunities being advertised by the company. The company should also have a standard evaluation form. By having a standard evaluation form, instances of discrimination will be eliminated, and it allows the hiring team to use the same criteria for all candidates (Thiederman 2008). Moreover, managers of UKRD should explain the benefits of diversity to the employees, and familiarize the new hires with the company’s culture. For instance, they can clarify the roles the new hires are expected to execute, and explain to them the values treasured in the company (Hubbard 2004, p.85). Conclusion The above discussion has explored the strategic benefits of diversity management, and examined how diversity is handled at UKRD Company Ltd. Since the market is becoming increasingly global, it is necessary for businesses to understand, acknowledge, and embrace diversity in their day-to-day operations, and in their workforce. Effective management of diversity is the key to leveraging the benefits, and reducing the drawbacks associated with diversity in the workplace. Companies reap huge benefits through effective management of diversity. For instance, pooling the diverse skills and experiences from different cultural and social backgrounds increases employees’ productivity and responsiveness to varying conditions. In addition, when employees are working in groups, diversity enables them to generate more and better ideas unlike when they come from the same social or cultural background. Based on this discussion, it is worthwhile arguing that companies should ensure diversity is well managed in order to thrive successfully. Bibliography â€Å"Diversity & Equal Opportunities Statement.† UKRD Group Ltd -. (n.d.). Available from . [14 August 2014]. Abiodun, R. A. (2010). Leadership behavior impact on employee’s loyalty, engagement and organizational performance:. [S.l.], Authorhouse. Aswathappa, K. (2013). Human resource management: text and cases. New Delhi, McGraw Hill Education. Buhler, P. (2010). Human Resources Management All the Information You Need to Manage Your Staff and Meet Your Business Objectives. Cincinnati, F+W Media. Combe, C. (2013). Introduction to management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Griffin, R. W. (2012). Fundamentals of management. Mason, OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2010). Business communication: process and product. Mason, OH, South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hubbard, E. E. (2004). The manager’s pocket guide to diversity management. Amherst, MA, HRD Press. Mor-Barak, M. E. (2011). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles, SAGE. Paludi, M. A. (2012). Managing diversity in today’s workplace: strategies for employees and employers. Santa Barbara, Calif, ABC-CLIO. Thiederman, S. B. (2008). Making diversity work: 7 steps for defeating bias in the workplace. New York, Kaplan Pub. Toten, Mike. â€Å"Employee engagement case study: UK radio group.† Workplace Info -. Available from . [16 May 2013].

Video Games Effect On Children - 948 Words

â€Å"Video games are a ubiquitous part of almost all children’s and adolescents’ lives, with 97% playing for at least one hour per day in the United States† (Granic, Lobel and Engels 66). Video games are a big part of life in America and around the world. Technological advances allow for many different devices where video games can be played, so it is not hard for children to get their hands on video games. There is also a wide variety of games, from building games to board games to war games. There is a game out there for everyone. Video games have become a very common activity for children, but at a price. Playing video games is harmful because it can create addiction, desensitize players to violence, and cause depression. Although playing†¦show more content†¦The link between video games and cognitive skills has also been studied. One study found that people who played shooter type video games showed, â€Å"faster and more accurate attention allocation, high spatial resolution in visual processing, and enhanced mental rotation abilities† (Granic, Lobel and Engels 71). Research has shown that there are several benefits of playing video games; they can increase the player’s education, mood, and social skills. While research has shown that there are some benefits to playing video games, it has also shown that video games can be addictive, desensitize a player to violence, and cause depression. When video games are played with many people online, it can create an environment of compulsive play (Xu, Turel, and Yuan). Kids work together and then feel obligated to play and help their team. This feeling of obligation can lead to hours of playing time, which can lead to addiction. Also in these multiplayer games, there is no end. The games are constantly updated with new tasks to complete (Xu, Turel, and Yuan). A need to finish the game or get to the next task can create an addiction as well. A video game addiction can hinder grades, family time and sleep. Video games may also desensitize a player to real life violence. One study found that even 20 minutes of violent video game exposure decreased the