Test Papers – National Board Exam (IX-X)
Video Games & TV Addiction – How to Break it?
It is a common sight to see children playing with video game on gadgets such as mobile phone, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc. Parents initially feel excited to see their children handling gadgets with ease. Early access to gadgets will slowly become their addiction and once the children learn the handling of the technology, the way to learn other things opens up. They develop a kind of addiction which cannot be replaced with anything. Nowadays it’s difficult to send children out as they are busy either playing video games or watching cartoons on the TV. The addiction is not common just in children but it is equally common in adults. According to a study published in Pew Research Center 49% of adults are also addicted to games. 88% of youth in America play video games and develop addiction for it.
TV and Video Games Addiction Symptoms:
Social Withdrawal:
Children addicted to video games are less interested in interacting with family and friends. Their only way of communication is through mobiles. This can have a severe impact on personal relationships with loss of interest and trust in relation and friendship. With no face-to-face interaction there is emotional isolation and may later risk mental health issues.
Poor Family Relation:
The family members’ lose interaction with the member who is always into video games and tv. There will be tension and conflicts because of low interaction. Children start feeling their life is being remote controlled because of parents’ rebukes and supervision. They may try to hide when they play games. They may also try to hide their bad academic performance. It is a tough job for the parents of such children to handle the child.
Negative Effects of Video Games on Education:
As the students spend a lot of time playing video games or watching TV they procrastinate doing other important tasks. It becomes difficult for them to find time to complete homework, do projects or prepare for tests. Their only interest is video games. There will be decreased academic performance resulting in a low scorecard. Worst case scenario – Children may even try to bunk classes to play video games.
Cost of Video Games on Household Budget:
Children force parents to buy them expensive gadgets and video games. Certain games require payments to get the tools, service fees, and computer upgrades. De-addiction and Rehab of addicts is also expensive. Playing video games either on phone or laptop can cause injury which is referred to as “video gamer’s thumb” and “Nintendinitis”.
In recent time we have heard of blue whale challenge, where the last stage of the game was suicide and the addiction was so bad that many children have committed suicide while playing the game.
Treatment of TV and Video Games Addiction:
According to a study, TV and video games increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which plays an important role in problem-solving, memory, and attention. The levels of dopamine are high while doing pleasurable activities, so dopamine levels are high while playing video games or watching TV putting individuals at risk of compulsive behavior.
Tips to Balance Your Study and Play Time
TV And video games addiction is a severe form of addiction whose treatment process is the same as that for other addiction procedures. The students are required to be counseled for behavior modification and its adverse effect.
Individual therapy of the addicted student with a psychologist can help the student overcome the addiction.
- Individual therapy with a psychologist who specializes in treating computer game addiction or who has experience with addictions in general. There are only a few Computer game addiction specialists, but if your child gets the right psychologist, it will help in overcoming the situation faster. It will be a costly affair for the parents as such specialist’s fees will be high.
- Family therapy is the best and cost-effective option for an addicted teenager. All the members should work with each other to help the addicted child. A healthy family environment encourages the child to spend some quality time and also learn social etiquette and manners. Love and affection help the child get diverted from the gadgets.
- Wilderness therapy, the treatment program is scheduled at a center where survival skills, team-building, and self-confidence is boosted. The treatment program will be of minimum thirty days. The students will not be given any access to the video games. There are very few centers which offer such treatment and are quite expensive.
Video game addicts will show withdrawal symptoms in the form of anger, depression, boredom, loneliness, mood swings, and anxiety. It requires lots of efforts to abstain themselves from games. The counselors will determine the treatment required. During the therapy period, the students are forced to spend time with the nature and family and avoid contact with the virtual world of electronics and games.
It will be the joint efforts of the counselor and family to help the students get out of the habit of compulsive gaming. The family also needs to address the issues which are drawing the kids towards the obsessive gaming. The aim of the counseling session is to encourage the students towards activities which are healthy for social and psychological growth and positivity.
A behavioral health specialist would be the best guide for you. It is a mental health condition which is requiring more research for the health experts to understand and treat the disorder. Behavioral health specialist utilizes proven methods and techniques which will help the students with video game addiction to fight with depression, anxiety and anger management.
TV and video games are good when they are played in moderation. It is a casual way of relaxation to socialize with family and friends. Certain addiction forming games should be restricted or banned for both children and adults. Parents should put efforts to avoid the distraction of students towards the electronic equipment and give them a healthy environment.
Vikram Sarabhai and His Contributions to Science in India
Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai is popularly known as Vikram Sarabhai. is a renowned Indian physicist and industrialist. Dr. Sarabhai’s contributions in space research gave him recognition as the Father of the Indian space program. He was the innovator and creator of a number of institutions in the varied fields including but not limited to space, nuclear energy, arts, education, and management. His important contribution includes initiation of space research and development of nuclear power in India. He played an important role in convincing Government to initiate space research programs. He convinced the Government of India to form the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in 1962 and was the first chairperson of the committee. INCOSPAR was later renamed as Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969. He played an advisory role in the new setup.
Personal Life:
Vikram Sarabhai was born to Ambalal Sarabhai. The Sarabhais’ were the major industrialist and the family members were committed to Indian Independence. He belonged to Shrimal Jain community and practiced Jainism throughout his life. He was married in 1942 to classical dancer Mrinalini. The couple was blessed with two children, daughter, Mallika and son, Kartikeya Sarabhai. His daughter and son were activitist. His son was also an active person in science. He died on December 30, 1971, in Kovalam, India.
Education:
Vikram Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919, in Ahmadabad, India in the family of an industrialist. He has been to Gujarat College, Ahmadabad. In 1940s, Vikram Sarabhai went to the University of Cambridge, England and studied natural sciences. He was forced to return to India due to World War II but his quest for knowledge didn’t end and he started research on cosmic rays. He was under the guidance of physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (Bengaluru).
He did his doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 1945 and he wrote a thesis, “Cosmic Ray Investigations in Tropical Latitudes.” Upon his return to India, he founded Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmadabad.
Professional life:
The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) which was established from his residence in 1947 did research in cosmic rays. The institute was later established as the M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad, on 11 November 1947. The institute was in collaboration with Karmkshetra Educational Foundation and the Ahmedabad Education Society. The institute started with research on cosmic rays and the properties of the upper atmosphere. Later the research was extended to theoretical physics and radio physics for which grants were received from the Atomic Energy Commission.
He was a pioneer in establishing Operations Research Group (ORG), the first market research organization in India.
Apart from being a physicist, his area of interest included industry and business. He founded the Ahmadabad Textile Industry’s Research Association in 1947. His interest in professional management education in India, Sarabhai led to the formation of Indian Institute of Management in Ahmadabad in 1962.
He was instrumental in establishing the Indian National Committee for Space Research in 1962, which is now called as Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Apart from ISRO, Sarabhai was also responsible for setting up of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station.
Indian Space Program:
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is his biggest contribution to the country. Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, was the father of India’s nuclear science program. He supported Dr. Sarabhai for setting the first rocket launching station in India. Dr. Sarabhai’s discussion with NASA resulted in the launch of Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) (July 1975 – July 1976).
Know About: Dr. Homi Bhabha Balvidnyanik Spardha( HBBVS)
Dr. Sarabhai overtook the position of Homi Bhabha in 1966, as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India, after the latter’s death. He continued the work of Homi Bhabha in the field of nuclear research. He was responsible for the establishment and development of nuclear power plants. He has worked for Defense Ministry for developing nuclear technology.
Sarabhai initiated programs to take education to remote villages through Satellite communication programs. Sarabhai efforts led to the start of a project for the launch of an Indian satellite. The first Indian satellite launched was Aryabhata. It was put in orbit from a Russian cosmodrome.
Dr. Sarabhai started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian Satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian Cosmodrome.
Dr. Sarabhai was instrumental in establishing institutions such as:
- Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad
- Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad
- Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad
- Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad
- Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar
- Darpan Academy for Performing Arts, Ahmedabad
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram
- Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), Kalpakkam
- Variable Energy Cyclotron Project, Calcutta
Important Positions Held:
- In 1962 he was the president of Physics section in Indian Science Congress
- In 1970 he was the president of the General Conference of the I.A.E.A., Vienna
- In 1971 he was the vice-president Fourth UN Conference on ‘Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy
Achievements and Awards:
- Awards: Sarabhai was awarded Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Medal in 1962. He is the recipient of India’s two highest honors the Padma Bhushan (1966) and the Padma Vibhushan. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 1972.
- The Indian Space Research Organization located in Thiruvananthapuram is named in memory of Sarabhai as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, (VSSC)
- On his first death anniversary (30 December 1972) Indian postal services released a postal stamp.
In 1973, the International Astronomical Union named a lunar crater as the Sarabhai crater.
