Teenage depression is a silent epidemic that is spreading through our increasingly complicated and fast-paced society. The average age of the onset of depression is now fourteen-and-a-half years of age…..and it is mostly boys.

Is it any wonder that so many of them choose to inhabit the risk-free world of computer games. I am not talking about those violent, savage games such as Grand Theft Auto but of the mythical, charming world of Final Fantasy.

Yes, they are fascinating, compelling and a haven for so many stressed-out teenagers. But are the safe. In the direct sense; yes. But they have an insidious quality which makes them a very real danger for our kids. In the end, many of our youngster prefer the virtual world to the real one….and that has very many dangerous implications.

At 8.OOpm on  ITV’s Tonight  I revisit three boys I interviewed three years ago about their computer game addiction. I wanted to see if they were off their drug of choice and working their way back to the real world. Two have made good progress but a third is still deeply immersed in his struggle.

This report has particular relevance to me since my own son developed a compulsion for computer gaming while I was making the original film. He has turned a corner…..but it has been a long and tiring three years…for him and for the rest of our family.

We under-estimate the lure of these games at our peril. The challenge now is to connect with our teenagers and make every effort to make real life a safe place to be.