Dealing with video game addiction

Video Game Addiction: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

The World Health Organization added “gaming disorder” to the 2018 version of its medical reference book, International Classification of Diseases. But the American Psychiatry Association’s manual, the DSM-5, didn’t. (So far, gambling is the only “activity” listed as a possible addiction.)

Signs to Watch For

The DSM-5 does include a section to help people and doctors know the warning signs of problem video gaming. These problems can happen whether you play online or offline.

Here’s what to look for in yourself or someone close to you -- your partner, a child, or a friend. You need to have five or more of these signs in 1 year to have a problem, according to criteria that were proposed in the DSM-5:

Thinking about gaming all or a lot of the time
Feeling bad when you can’t play
Needing to spend more and more time playing to feel good
Not being able to quit or even play less
Not wanting to do other things that you used to like
Having problems at work, school, or home because of your gaming
Playing despite these problems
Lying to people close to you about how much time you spend playing
Using gaming to ease bad moods and feelings

Of course, not everyone who plays a lot has a problem with gaming. Some experts say that it’s harmful to label people who might just be very enthusiastic about gaming. One thing they do agree on is that the percentage of players who meet the proposed criteria for addiction to video games is small. It’s estimated to be somewhere between 1% and 9% of all gamers, adults and kids alike. (It’s more common in boys and men than girls and women.)

It may help to start by asking yourself a few questions: Does your video gaming get in the way of other important things in your life, like your relationships, your job, or going to school? Do you feel like you’ve crossed the line between loving to playing and having to play? Might you be using gaming to avoid a deeper problem, like depression?

It can be hard to see a problem in yourself. The amount of time you spend gaming might seem fine to you. But if people close to you say it’s too much, it might be time to think about cutting back.

If you’re a parent who’s concerned about the amount of time your child spends gaming, look at how well they are doing at school and with friends. Having good grades and a good relationship with parents are signs that a child’s video gaming is unlikely to be a problem.

Getting Help

Get help from your doctor or therapist -- or your child’s pediatrician, if the person you’re concerned about is your son or daughter -- as soon as you think that gaming time is getting out of hand.

Studies about treating video game addiction are also in the early stages. One therapy that can help is called CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. This is mental health counseling that teaches you how to replace thoughts about gaming to help change behavior.

If you’re the parent of a gamer, a therapist can show you how to place limits on your child’s playing time if you have a hard time saying no. One study found that making parents part of a child’s treatment makes it work better.

Preventing a Gaming Problem

To keep the amount of time spent gaming under control, try these tips for adults and kids alike:

Set time limits for play and stick to them.
Keep phones and other gadgets out of the bedroom so you won’t play into the night.
Do other activities every day, including exercise. This will lower the health risks of sitting and playing for long stretches of time.

No one knows whether certain kinds of games are more likely to lead to problem gaming. For the time being, make sure that your child is only playing games rated for their age.

Video Game Addiction: How to Stop

It’s possible to find balance in your life while still enjoying today’s technology.

Many people have been playing video games since they were children. Today, gaming has only grown in popularity since the internet has made it more accessible, affordable, and we see more games.

The pandemic prevented people from spending much time outside of the home, and many turned to video games as a way to fill their days. They can be fun to play alone or with others while exercising and entertaining your mind in the process.

Video games can be safe and fun for most people. But some people may begin to show unhealthy patterns of addiction to gaming, which may lead to unexpected consequences. You may not see friends as much or find more joy in online gaming relationships, leading to prioritizing gaming over work responsibilities.

These consequences, among others, could be a sign that you or a loved one has a gaming disorder.

Gaming disorder is persistent and repeated participation in computer gaming for typically 8 to 10 or more hours per day and at least 30 hours a week.

But gaming disorder is not yet an official disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), and more research is generally needed.

Gaming addiction can be a severe disorder that may cause issues with:

personal health
mental health
relationships with others
work and school responsibilities

But experts are optimistic that more studies will shine a light on this condition and how best to treat it.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the disorder in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), naming it a medical condition.

Also, a small 2018 study indicated that the business of the video game sector saw worldwide growth of 8.5% in 10 countries, including the United States.

At the time, that was a significant increase. More growth can be anticipated as accessibility and affordability improve amid the emergence of new technologies.

Ryan Van Cleave, author of “Unplugged: My Journey in the Dark World of Video Game Addiction,” reflected how he would try to find any extra time to play online games. But he also noticed he was neglecting his family and career.

This example demonstrates how people can feel a lack of control over their gaming and even prioritize it over other parts of their lives, like friendships, exercise, and maintaining their jobs.

A person with gaming disorder may exhibit the following symptoms:

experiences difficulty controlling gaming habits
makes gaming a priority over necessity, work, and other daily activities
continues gaming after adverse health and social problems are identified
experiences withdrawal symptoms, like sadness and anxiety, when you can’t play
deceives loved ones about how much time you spend gaming

These symptoms are not exclusive to computer gaming. Whether you prefer to play games on your phone, computer, a gaming system, or other devices, the signs and symptoms of gaming disorder are the same.

Diagnosis

Gaming must cause significant distress in several areas of your life to meet the criteria of a gaming disorder diagnosis.

Research suggests there may be a link between a gaming disorder and other conditions, such as:

anxiety
depression
stress
obesity
sleep disorders

More research is still needed to draw further conclusions about the relationship.

Video gaming addiction can adversely impact your health and cause stress in your life. Here are some of its most detrimental impacts.

Vision strain

Playing video games over long periods can cause eyestrain, which can manifest as other vision-related symptoms, such as headaches and dizziness.

Muscle pain

A 2018 review presented data that suggested children may complain of pain in their hands and wrist from excessive gaming. You can also experience blisters, nail damage, and tendon injuries in your hands from frequent gaming.

Weight gain and obesity

Children in the United States spend about 25% of their time playing video games or watching television. This means kids may not be participating in exercise or activities that move their bodies, leading to weight gain.

Impaired social connections

You can make new friends and work on a team while remaining anonymous with an “avatar” in the game. This feature can allow those who feel socially awkward or experience poor self-esteem to value the game’s social aspect.

But social relationships can be significant and may benefit mental health far more than virtual relationships.

The virtual world does not typically improve self-esteem. Instead, it can lead to irrational thoughts about yourself and your environment.

Seizures

If you have been diagnosed with epilepsy, the graphics, lights, and colors can trigger a seizure. The event is also known as a “video game-provoked seizure.”

There is no cure for a gaming disorder, and many experts still don’t know enough about it. But there are ways you can cope.

Therapy

Therapy can be very effective for preventing symptoms of gaming addiction. Here, you work one-on-one with a therapist or participate in group therapy to identify gaming triggers and learn to manage your urges to play.

When gaming is your escape from the world and the challenges that come with it, therapy can help with:

building self-esteem
exploring your identity
increasing emotional intelligence
embracing your environment, rather than trying to escape it

Therapy can also help treat co-occurring and underlying mental health conditions that can complicate gaming addiction, such as:

depression
anxiety
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

If you feel you or a loved one may have gaming disorder, you’re not alone.

Seeking help from a therapist experienced in video game addiction can be a beneficial first step in feeling better. If you’re ready to get support but don’t know where to start, you can check out Psych Central’s guide to finding mental health care.

There are also helpful podcasts on coping with video game addiction, such as “The Gone Gaming Podcast.”

Being hooked on games can be a real addiction. But it’s possible to end the cycle of constant gaming and gain back balance in your life.

Gambling addiction, its causes, stages, symptoms and treatment

Gambling addiction today has acquired the scale of a real epidemic, and this is observed not only among children and adolescents, but also among adults. The average teenager spends up to six hours a day at the computer. Approximately 70% of children are addicted to games like "Game of Ware" - with plots of violence and cruelty. Killing them is the main element and goal of the game. Addicts begin to confuse real reality with virtual reality. nine0003

Such a mania is considered to be the result of significant psychological pathologies. With the help of computer games , people try to get away from life situations that worry them or to replace a certain missing element: the attention of relatives, the absence of a loved one, social status.

Causes

Possible causes of gambling addiction are considered to be:

Various mental disorders (psychopathy).
Features of the human character, complexes, shyness, often lead to the emergence of addictions of this kind. nine0016
Many people use games to realize their childhood fantasies and fears.
Lack of communication. A similar problem is very relevant among children and adolescents whose parents are constantly busy at work.
Intra-family conflicts. Often, in order to avoid family scandals, people plunge into an imaginary world, which only exacerbates the situation.
Social phobias, when a person is afraid of interpersonal relationships and real society. Computer games help him escape from real life, feel important and strong. The computer for him becomes an interlocutor and friend. nine0016

Stages of gambling addiction

Gaming addiction does not occur all at once , there are several stages in its development, each of which is characterized by certain signs and changes in the behavior of the addict. Each stage is characterized by the acquisition of new pathological addictions.

Preparatory stage ,
which develops increased susceptibility to games. Personality traits such as low self-esteem, inability to control one's emotions, lack of desire to accept criticism, aggression, impulsivity and hyperactivity, increased levels of anxiety, depression and stress, a tendency to plunge into a fantasy world, contribute to the development of gambling addiction in adults and children. And this applies not only to computer games. At the same time, a person develops an irresistible desire to take risks and maintain his self-esteem . Gradually, an unconscious craving for a certain type of games develops. If such a psychological state is not noticed and corrected, then the disease passes to the next stage. nine0003

Winning stage ,
at which the perception of the game is formed in the human mind as a way to realize oneself, and sometimes to get material benefits. The mind begins to fog up, and even a small win greatly spurs interest. An illusion is created that a person creates his own destiny, while being able to prove his superiority to others. At this stage the person is unable to understand the consequences of his actions . Dissatisfaction and criticism from relatives can be perceived very negatively, as a desire to question the self-realization and success of the player. nine0003

Losing stage ,
when gamers find themselves in a closed cycle of certain events. Their desire to play is not always supported by the presence of material opportunities. They spend all available money and even tend to borrow money . After a chain of losses for a while, their desire to play disappears and an imaginary understanding of their mistakes sets in. However, if there are some provoking factors (for example, advertising or material opportunities that have appeared), a person again follows his desire, and history repeats itself. The interval between cycles is shorter, the more advanced the disease. Difficult financial situation and constant losses increase the level of anxiety, the player becomes angry and irritable .

Stage of desperation .
Due to the systematic desire to play, the person loses interest in everything else . Problems arise at school or at work, the social circle changes, the psychological state does not allow him to exist normally in the family. Relatives get tired of constant deceptions, debts and negative attitudes and begin to gradually move away. The player often understands that the reason for everything is addiction, however, all attempts to control themselves do not bring a positive result. nine0005 A depressed psychological state often leads to the abuse of alcohol or drugs , which further exacerbates the disease. In such a state, people can break the law, sell existing real estate, valuables, take loans. The only solution a person sees is the opportunity to play further in order to win at once to solve their material and social problems.

The stage of hopelessness ,
in which the patient is aware of his dependence and understands that there is practically no chance of hitting the jackpot, nevertheless he continues to play. At the same time, they are ruled by desire experience the usual emotions during the game, which is a manifestation of psychological dependence.

How long does the pathology develop?

The development of gambling addiction occurs gradually and sometimes can last 3 years. At each stage, certain mental disorders develop. At first, the player is no different from healthy people, then he becomes too impulsive, he develops a tendency to obsessions. This leads to a permanent mental disorder. The lack of self-control and a change in self-criticism provokes the disintegration of the personality. The loss of moral values leads to a state of anger, oppression of positive emotional states, the player becomes indifferent to the suffering of people and all sorts of social problems. nine0003

Mechanism of formation of game dependence

The pathophysiological mechanism of formation of game dependence on computer games is based on stimulation of certain pleasure centers in the brain . This pathological condition can manifest itself as a feeling of euphoria while visiting the virtual world. Patients with computer addiction cannot plan their time at the computer. To stimulate intellectual activity, they begin to consume large amounts of caffeinated drinks and other psychostimulants. nine0003

The mode and quality of food is changing - beer and fast food are becoming the main products for gamers. A person begins to poorly follow the rules of personal hygiene: he stops combing his hair, brushing his teeth, taking a shower - he becomes indifferent to how he looks and eats . He tends to lead a sedentary lifestyle and sleep poorly. If a computer or smartphone suddenly breaks down, or if the player runs out of money for the game, he is in a depressed mood, can be aggressive with people around him, starts looking for a solution to the problem and, as a rule, does not think about his personal life, work or study . As gambling addiction progresses, the patient cannot give up computer games, although he begins to understand their futility. He regularly escapes reality and plunges into an illusory world, takes on the role of a character and lives his life.

Gambling addiction leads to overload of the nervous system , excitatory impulses enter the human brain and after a certain time a decrease in mood, well-being is observed, anxiety increases, adaptation in society is disturbed. Dissatisfaction with oneself is often formed, the meaning of life is lost, symptoms of major depression . Such people, as a rule, are closed, taciturn.

Game addiction in adolescents and children

This age category in most cases is addicted to computer games, which is severe . Children become aggressive and angry if they are asked to leave the computer even for a minute. Signs of this addiction in children are that they begin to skip classes at school, lie to teachers and parents . Games cause violence in teenagers, since their main plot is murder, followed by rewards in the form of points and bonuses.

The immature child's psyche is overloaded with the effects of the game, and in the child's mind virtual reality is no different from natural life. Addiction negatively affects health and learning, all thoughts of the child are directed towards the anticipation of the game . Teenagers often refuse friends, abandon their studies, become aggressive. Psychologists say that this mania can lead a child to limited mental abilities and disintegration of personality.

Treatment of gambling addiction

Addiction cannot be considered as an independent disease, since it is the result of serious mental problems. It is important to determine the root cause of this phenomenon and deal specifically with it. For the treatment of gambling addiction, psychotherapy, medications, and hypnosis are used. It is very important to apply comprehensive measures. With gambling addiction, autogenic training, psychosynthesis, family and behavioral psychotherapy are also used. nine0003

Psychotherapy should be aimed at correcting family relationships, eliminating psychological attitudes (isolation), problems, and treating fears. The method of gestalt therapy is successfully applied, which helps to “close the gestalt”, i. e. solve the problem.

Symptomatic drug therapy computer game addiction is aimed at treating depression, insomnia, increased anxiety and irritability. In this case, herbal preparations of a sedative effect are often prescribed, but most often, specialists prescribe antipsychotics and tranquilizers. To stabilize sleep, hypnotics and antidepressants are used, which relieve psycho-emotional overexcitation and normalize mood. nine0003

Treatment of gambling addiction should be comprehensive

Preventive methods

Prevention of this disease is also extremely important, especially in cases where gambling addiction occurs in adolescence and childhood. At the same time, parents are advised to have conversations with the child more often, take care of his employment, interest him in some kind of sport or creativity . It is necessary to constantly encourage the child for success, praise him, support his self-esteem . Prevention of gambling addiction should be carried out on a regular basis.

Based on materials from the websites psychologytoday.ru, syl.ru, hifi-expert.ru

8 tips to help get rid of gambling addiction

July 3, 2017 Games

A simple guide for those who decide not to waste time on video games anymore.

1. Keep track of time

Computer games are an exciting process. We may not notice how we spent several hours behind him. It's pretty easy to get lost in fictional worlds and plot twists that will keep you on the screen for "another 10 minutes." nine0003

Psychologist John M. Grohol believes that time tracking can help. Write down what time you start playing and what time you finish. At the end of the week, calculate how many hours you spent playing games. Most likely, this figure will make you change your mind.

2. Set a limit

Set a timer to help you with this. Even if you continue to play after his signal, you will still know how much time you spent. And knowledge is the key to your salvation. Perhaps this will help to develop a rule, for example, play only with friends or only on certain days. nine0003

Don't limit yourself too much, it will make the situation worse.

In addition to the time limit, set a monetary limit. Determine how many games per month you can afford.

3. Choose your games wisely

Some games take a very long time to complete. Discard them in favor of those that can be completed in a shorter time.

4. Don't be afraid to end the game if you don't like it

Many players try to choose harder games to prove themselves and everyone else what they are capable of. Pacify your gaming ego. This is just virtual reality. If the game doesn't give you pleasure, just don't play it. nine0003

Do not treat online games as a real competition. No one will judge you if you just quit the game. It's your life, and it's up to you to decide how you spend your time.

5. Earn some time to play

If you are neglecting household chores, work and personal life because of games, then you have serious problems. Try to earn the game. Do not sit down at the computer until you complete the current tasks. Remember that the goal is not to completely eliminate video games. It is important for you to realize that they are only part of your multifaceted life. nine0003

6. Watch video game streams

Many people find video game live streaming on YouTube or Twitch weird and useless. And in vain. Instead of wasting your time, you can watch how someone else does it. It doesn't have to be in front of a screen. You can do useful things, like cleaning.

7. Go on a gaming hunger strike

Not everyone will be able to abruptly give up video games for a while. But sometimes it works. If you feel that it's time for you to return to reality, try deleting all games from your computer or collecting all the discs and taking them to a friend for safekeeping.

Learn more