Browsing: Addictions

If you’re wondering how to help your child addicted to videogames, you’re not alone. If you feel frustrated and at your wit’s end, you’re also not alone. Most parents, when they realize that their child’s gaming pastime has gradually become a gaming disorder, are at a loss for what to do. Here are some ideas on how to help your child addicted to videogames.

“Video games ruined my life.” If you’ve enjoyed gaming but have found yourself at a low point where you feel isolated and like you’ve lost things that were once important to you, you’re not alone. That feeling that video games ruined your life is the result of gaming addiction symptoms, and it impacts a staggering number of people.

When concerned about gaming disorder or gaming addiction, most people wonder: “How many hours of video games is too much?” After all, people who enjoy gaming can spend a lot of time in front of a screen, passing hours upon hours engaged in virtual worlds. Is there a threshold for addiction, a time limit for harmless playing beyond which gaming is excessive? The answer to the question about how many hours of video games is too much might surprise you.

Gaming disorder often arises from addicting games. It’s possible to become addicted to playing online games; usually, it’s a specific game that hooks someone and draws him or her in until the game gradually overtakes his or her life. These addicting games interfere in almost all aspects of someone’s life, and the consequences can be dire. Here’s a look at the five most addicting games, why they’re addicting, and how these video games affect your mental health.

People often wonder why video games are addicting. Some argue that they aren’t addicting at all and that they have no impact on the brain. To be sure, gaming addiction and gaming disorder are controversial topics. That’s why researchers are studying gaming, the brain, and addiction. They’re discovering that people can indeed become addicted to video games and that video gaming effects on the brain are significant. They’re also discovering why video games are addicting.

The question, “Am I addicted to video games and gaming?” isn’t always easy to answer. First, gaming disorder and the concept of video game addiction are still new, so researchers, mental health professionals, and gamers themselves are trying to figure things out. Also, as with any addiction, when you’re immersed in gaming, it can be difficult to tell if you have a problem. Use this questionnaire as a tool to help you answer the question, “Am I addicted to video games and gaming?”

Most likely, if you’re addicted to video games and online gaming, you’ve noticed that gaming has begun to negatively interfere in the quality of your life. Being addicted to gaming or addicted to a video game isn’t about spending time playing; instead, it’s about suffering consequences but continuing to play anyway, perhaps because you can’t stop or video game withdrawal is strong. Now that you’ve noticed this, the next step is to begin to take back your life. You don’t have to stay addicted to video games for the rest of your life.

Perhaps you’ll find this surprising: excessive time spent gaming is not among gaming addiction symptoms. While spending lots of time playing video games isn’t necessarily healthy and can contribute to gaming problems, including addiction, time spent gaming isn’t a criterion for gaming disorder or addiction.

Gaming disorder refers to a condition involving excessive gaming behavior with negative life consequences. It’s not an official diagnosis—yet. The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to release its latest version of the International Classification of Diseases, the ICD-11 in May, 2019. Gaming disorder is included.

The compulsive gambler will do anything to spend more time gambling and the impact can be huge.