More About Video Game Addiction Treatment Centers
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines gaming addiction as severely impaired control over gaming, leading to negative consequences in work, school, social, and family life. This can look like prioritizing gaming over other activities and gaming more often, despite negative consequences. It can happen at any age, but is more likely in teens. Online video games allow players to chat and interact in real-time with other gamers across the globe, which can pressure you to be online at the same time as your friends.
Gaming activates (and changes) the same areas of the brain as addictive substances do, which is how gaming can turn into an addiction.
Signs of Gaming Addiction
Someone who spends eight hours with a new game or regularly plays favorite games during the evenings isn’t necessarily addicted; experts have come up with some ways to identify a video game addiction. If you think someone you love may have a problem with video games, look for signs like:
- Lying about the time spent playing games.
- Lying in order to play games.
- Irritability or anger when not playing video games.
- Inability to concentrate on outside activities due to constant thoughts about games.
- Using games to avoid emotional, financial or relationship problems.
- Giving up other interests to pursue gaming.
What Are The Potential Risks of Gaming Addiction?
Anyone who spends time gaming risks developing a gaming addiction. But these are some of the key risk factors:
- You, or your child, have an isolated social life or are only comfortable or interested in socializing within an online community
- You play games with continued rewards, levels, and challenges. A simpler, less competitive pass-time, like Minecraft, lacks the (addictive) satisfaction of final bosses to defeat, repeated victories, and team wins.
- You have strong negative emotions, trauma, or shame you are trying to escape. That’s a completely natural desire. But since gaming addiction can numb those feelings, it puts you at a higher risk.
- You have excess free time. Gaming may seem like a perfect way to kill time on occasion, but it can spiral into something deeper if you don’t make time for other hobbies or responsibilities.
What Are The Long-Term Effects of Gaming Addiction?
Gaming addiction can do long-term damage to your physical and mental health. In-game purchases can also deplete your finances over time. Gaming addiction can separate you from life beyond your screen, negatively impacting your relationships with family and friends, your ability to take care of responsibilities, and other hobbies.
You also risk medical issues like eye strain, carpal tunnel, malnourishment, and back pain.
Do Rehabs Treat Gaming Addiction?
Yes, many centres focus specifically on treating behavioral addictions, including gaming. However, one major difference between drug or other addiction programs and treatment for video game addiction is that it’s extremely difficult to avoid the main trigger for many gaming addicts: the computer. Facilities and counseling organizations that treat such an addiction should be capable of educating an addict on how to handle daily computer use without slipping into video game misuse.
These rehab centres will also treat co-occurring mental health disorders like depression alongside behavioral addictions. You can attend several levels of treatment for gaming. These include:
- Inpatient: You’ll live in a treatment centre or hospital-like setting and have 24/7 monitoring.
- Partial hospitalization (PHP): You’ll meet 5-7 times a week for a full day.
- Intensive outpatient (IOP): You’ll meet 3-5x per week for several hours at a time for more intensive care.
- Outpatient (OP): You’ll meet 1-2x per week with your provider and others in treatment.
Each level of care will likely involve 1-on-1 and group therapy sessions led by professionals. Therapeutic methods and treatment plans will vary based on your symptoms, medical history, age, and other unique factors. Most programs will offer some forms of evidence-based therapy throughout your treatment.
Joining a peer support group may also be part of your treatment and ongoing recovery. Examples of these groups include Gaming Addicts Anonymous (GAA) and On-Line Gamers Anonymous. These groups offer peer support, encouragement, and a community to connect with.
What Therapies Are Used to Treat Gaming Addiction?
As a recently recognized addiction, little research has shown a path to gaming addiction recovery. However, therapists identify cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a primary and effective treatment method. In CBT, you’ll explore the thoughts and emotions that trigger excessive gaming. This can help you learn new ways to find enjoyment, manage stress, and cope with strong emotions—without turning to gaming.
New hobbies and activities also help with gaming addiction. Sports can provide multiple benefits, including better physical and mental health. Playing sports creates a similar environment to online gaming, allowing you to work towards a common goal with a team.
While some antidepressants have also had success in treating gaming addiction, researchers agree a combination of treatment methods offer the most promise.
Psychiatrists and therapists often use a combination of different therapies depending on the unique presentation of your gaming addiction. Psychiatrists can also prescribe medication in addition to therapy, in appropriate cases. Ultimately, treatment aims to help the patient develop healthy coping skills and strategies to manage gaming addiction.
Questions to Ask Your Provider
Identifying potential questions ahead of time may help you navigate the beginnings of treatment and choose a provider. You can make an appointment with your primary care physician, psychologist, or therapist and ask the following questions for additional clarity.
- How would you describe the symptoms I'm experiencing?
- What treatments do you recommend for gaming addiction?
- What should I expect from treatment?
- What kind of side effects can I expect from the medications you prescribe, if any?
- What lifestyle changes can I make to help manage my gaming?
- Are there any support groups or other resources I can use to help manage my gaming?
- What kind of follow-up care do you recommend?
- How can I tell if my gaming addiction is getting worse?
- What should I do if my symptoms don’t improve?
- Do I meet the diagnostic requirements for any co-occurring mental health conditions?
Together, you and your treatment team can create a recovery plan customized to your unique needs and situation.
How Can I Find Support?
- Rehabs for Gaming
- Telehealth Provider
- Talk to a supportive friend or family member
- Talk to your primary care physician
- National Helplines