Online gaming addiction leaves 23-year-old Trinidadian critical

Trinidad and Tobago: A 23-year-old man is in critical condition after he was allegedly found hanging at his home by family members. Relatives claimed the young man had become depressed after his computer stopped working and had been struggling with an apparent addiction to online video games.

The deceased has been identified as a resident of Mount Hope, Trinidad and he remains in critical condition following the incident at his family’s residence on Monday night.

Reports claim that officers attached to the San Juan Police Station responded to a report at around 10:20 pm on June 15, 2026 and upon arrival, they spoke with the victim’s mother who said that she had last checked on him around 9:30 pm.

The mother further told police that her son had recently become withdrawn and visibly depressed after his computer stopped working. Sometime later, she allegedly found him hanging from a concrete rafter inside the house.

An alarm was raised immediately by her to which relatives living nearby rushed to her assistance. With the help of another family member, the male was cut down before emergency medical services were contacted.

He was subsequently rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where doctors attended to him and listed him in a critical and unstable condition. Police said that they are continuing their investigations into the incident.

This incident has once again raised concerns about the impact of excessive online gaming on young people. Over the years, several cases from around the world have highlighted the potential risks associated with gaming addiction, including mental health struggles, self-harm, prolonged stress and other health complications. Experts continue to emphasise the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between gaming and everyday life while seeking support when gaming habits begin to negatively affect wellbeing.