Gaming addiction? The world of addictions goes far beyond substance abuse with alcohol or drugs. It is also possible to develop behavioral addictions, which involve performing certain actions in a specific context.
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Gaming Addiction as a disease that can be recognized, diagnosed, and treated. The video game industry is the fastest-growing, with millions of players worldwide.
Index
What is gaming addiction?
Types of video games
Types of players
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Consequences
Treatment
What is gaming addiction?
Gaming addiction is a pattern of behavior and thinking that causes clinically significant impairment or distress affecting people’s quality of life. This addiction is not defined by the number of hours played per day or week but by the consequences and impact it has on different areas of the person’s functioning. Typically, this dependency is not only manifested by an intense desire to start a game at any time but also includes difficulties in finishing the ongoing game.
Types of video games
- Classic video games: designed for a single player, offline, with a clear beginning and end. These games are not usually very addictive because once completed, the player considers the game finished. However, some of these games may vary each time they are played, such as strategy or sports games.
- Online video games: the player is no longer alone but has thousands of players worldwide to play with. The game offers endless possibilities, and each match is different from the previous one. The more one plays, the more skill is acquired, climbing the world rankings, and thus, more chances of winning. More hours of “training” are needed to acquire new skills gradually. Phenomena of tolerance (need to play more for the same satisfaction) and withdrawal symptoms from the game (anxiety to play, discomfort if not playing, irritability when forced to stop) start to appear. Online games are more addictive than those not connected to the internet.
- Online games with an element of chance: these turn out to be the most addictive because, in addition to playing online with other players, players can also buy packs or surprise chests. These elements randomly provide a card or an enhancement to use throughout the game. It has a mechanism similar to slot machines.
Types of players
Not all gamers are addicts. In fact, most teenagers play, and only a small proportion of them meet the criteria for addiction.
Social player: uses video games for occasional distraction, considering it a form of leisure. Plays occasionally when in the mood and can stop when desired. May even meet friends to play online.
Excessive player: dedicates excessive time to video games, more than desired or agreed upon with parents (in the case of teenagers). Despite this, they have not compromised other obligations such as studying, working, or family commitments.
Highly committed player: motivated to improve skills in one or more specific games to become a professional in the future, either by competing or recording gameplay. The hours spent playing may be justified if the goal is realistic.
Professional player: an individual dedicated professionally to video games. Although they spend many hours playing, they do so voluntarily to make a living.
Problematic player: when the player begins to show symptoms related to addictive behavior: cannot contain the urge to play, cannot stop, neglects obligations or commitments.
Addictive player: a person who meets the criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder.
Symptoms
The essential characteristic of an addictive player is the persistent and recurrent use of video games that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress. In gaming addiction, there is a progressive loss of control over the video game, as well as tolerance and withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, or sadness. The player cannot control the time spent playing or the number of times played per day, nor can they prioritize other obligations (study, attend classes, tidy their room).
Constant thoughts about the video game, daydreaming about matches, or remembering those already played.
Lack of communication, resulting from physical isolation and a tendency to daydream.
Tendency to play video games daily for many hours, overshadowing other forms of leisure.
Impatience to return to playing, a tendency to cut conversations short to return to the screen.
In children, tantrums and outbursts if the game ends against their will.
In adults, bursts of anger if the game ends against their will.
Neglect of social relationships, responsibilities, and personal care.
It is not necessary to present all these symptoms to have a gaming addiction problem, just as the presence of only one does not imply that someone has this type of dependency on electronic entertainment.
Diagnosis
Criteria for the diagnosis of Pathological Gambling
Adaptive, persistent, and recurrent gaming behavior, as indicated by at least five (or more) of the following items:
- Preoccupation with gaming (e.g., reliving past gaming experiences, compensating advantages between competitors, planning the next adventure, or thinking of ways to get money to play).
- Need to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired level of excitement.
- Repeated efforts to control, interrupt, or stop gaming.
- Restlessness or irritability when trying to interrupt or stop gaming.
- Gaming is used as a strategy to escape from problems or to relieve dysphoria (e.g., feelings of hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, depression).
- After losing money in gaming, one returns another day to try to recover it (trying to “hunt” one’s losses).
- Family members, therapists, or others are deceived to hide the degree of involvement with gaming.
- Illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft, or abuse of trust, to finance gaming.
- Significant interpersonal relationships, work, and educational opportunities have been risked or lost due to gaming.
- Reliance on others to provide money to alleviate the desperate financial situation caused by gaming.
Consequences
- Mental health: irritability, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, ADHD, gaming addiction.
- Physical health: vision problems, muscle or tendon injuries, sleep deprivation.
- Behavioral issues: challenging or violent behaviors.
- Functioning problems: cognitive function, family, social, academic, or occupational problems.
Family relationships are affected by the lack of control over the time spent playing. Parents’ discussions with their teenage children about the time spent playing and the inability to stop for dinner, go to bed, or study are very common. Aggressive responses from the addict tend to escalate into conflicts where the teenager ends up breaking an object or slamming a door, and the disconnected adult abruptly cuts off internet access.
Social relationships are also usually affected. The addicted player gradually distances themselves from their usual friends to focus on those they play with online, possibly never having met them in person. Romantic relationships often break due to the lack of attention and the little time the addict invests in them.
Treatment
The Equilibrium Therapeutic Center’s admission process includes a primary assessment of the patient’s condition and needs, usually with the family accompanying the person addicted to video games. It is crucial for the family to educate themselves about this problem to learn how to set limits. Otherwise, the player will find ways to continue without them noticing. The Equilibrium Therapeutic Center offers this service to all family members and loved ones who need guidance and support during crucial moments.
Treatment is conducted by a highly experienced therapist in the field because this addiction is complex, and individuals often have a cunning and manipulative mind.
Our program includes the following dynamics:
Workshops
– Anger management workshops.
– Recovery process workshop.
– Relapse prevention workshop.
Therapies
– Daily psychotherapy group sessions.
– Individual therapies.
– Motivational stimulus therapy.
– Art and recreation therapy.
Activities and Conferences
– Yoga/Meditation.
– Educational conferences on various related topics (open to the community).
– Sharing of the 12 steps and 12 traditions.
– Reinforcement for recovering former patients who have been discharged.
Family
– Ongoing care groups (with the collaboration of former patients and their families sharing their experience to help newcomers).
– Assistance and therapy program for the patient’s family.
– ACA – Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families Group.
