ENCORE: The Hero’s Journey and Immersive Gaming with Dr. Huu Kim Le (#75)

In this episode, Melanie speaks with Dr. Kim Le, a child and adolescent psychiatrist based in Adelaide, Australia. He completed his psychiatry training in New South Wales and in 2015, Dr. Le received a federal grant to collaborate with an Internet Gaming Addiction Clinic for teenagers in Singapore. He has a special interest in “Gaming Disorder," which was recognized by the World Health Organization in 2018 as a mental health disorder. 

Dr. Le shares his professional journey that led to his interest and passion in treating families struggling with gaming addiction, and he is committed to increasing community awareness of the negative effects of online games on a child’s development. 

Melanie and Dr. Le discuss how the game designers capitalize on the business aspect of video games that leads to the scientific development of the immersive design that hooks the player. Dr. Le introduces the idea of "The Hero's Journey" archetype that appears to meet the psychological needs of children but disconnects them from reality. They discuss why moderation is not encouraged, but rather to change the focus on family values in changing your family's routines. Identification and prevention of screen addiction are also discussed as Dr. Le shares stories of families he has worked with struggling to address issues of gaming addiction with their children. This is a must-listen episode for all parents, and we encourage you to share this with friends!

Dr. Kim Le's TedTalk

Learn more about Dr. Le's practice

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Production Team:

• Host: Melanie Hempe
• Producer & Audio Editor: Olivia Kernekin