Jashore teen chained up by parents over video game addiction

A Jashore teenager addicted to online video games has been chained up by his parents in a bid to stop him from playing.

The 17-year-old boy hails from Sharsha Upazila. His father is a farmer.

The boy was studying at a local secondary school in the eighth grade when the pandemic hit, his father said.

“After his school shut down, he started playing online games like PUBG and Free Fire on his mobile phone and eventually became addicted to them. He stopped eating and listening to me. I couldn’t get him to stop playing and now he is out of control.”

The addiction became so intense that he got angry and broke furniture when the mobile was seized from him, the father said.

“He has been chained up because of this. I can’t even send him to school in this situation. He acts like a crazy person. I took him to a doctor and the doctor prescribed some medicine. I am feeding him that medicine now.”

The teenager was seen in the veranda of his house with his hands tied with rubber bands and legs shackled.

The boy said he started playing online games after seeing his friends play. He does not feel well if he doesn't play, he said.

He started playing after his school was closed, his sister said.

“He is acting crazy because of the addiction. He is being treated, but we are still worried.”

Eating and sleeping disorders have led to this situation, said Dr Aminul Islam of Jashore Sadar Hospital. The teen must be brought back to a regular life, he said.

Such patients need to be in the company of people to recover, said Aminur Rahman, a psychiatrist at the same hospital. They also need a lot of counseling.

The father advised other parents to remain cautious as many young people in the village have become addicted to games on their mobile phones.

“Don't give a mobile phone to your child. Find out what he is doing. If it's too late, he'll end up like my son.”