Sarah says her 23-year-old son, Justin, is so consumed with playing video games that he dropped out of college, can’t hold a job, and is emaciated after losing more than 50 pounds. "I absolutely believe Justin's video game addiction is killing him," she says about her son, who can spend 30 hours straight in front of a computer screen playing video games.
Justin's stepfather, Graham, agrees that the situation is "dire." He says, "When he is gaming, he is completely tuned out. It's almost catatonic ... It's prevented him from launching as an adult." He and Sarah say they've tried cutting off the gaming and have given Justin ultimatums, to no avail. “At the end of the day, I think Justin is an escapist,” says Graham. “If you took gaming away, he would find some way to escape.”
Fighting tears, Justin admits, "I'd rather live in a virtual world than a real one ... I enjoy gaming more than I enjoy life."
What could be driving his behavior? Has his gaming become an addiction that actually could kill him? On Tuesday's episode of Dr. Phil, the entire family gets a wake-up call about the health dangers Justin may face. How can he get his life on track? Watch more here.
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