Video Game Addiction Symptoms and Treatment

Nowadays, it is not unusual for people of young age to spend most of their time in front of a computer or their favorite gaming console. Many gamers still manage to balance their time and meet the demands of school, work and other responsibilities. But for some, gaming becomes an addiction and causes one to neglect other more important things in life. Video game addiction can lead to relationship breakups and poor performance in school or work, among others.

What Makes a Video Game Addictive?

There are many characteristics a video game possesses that make it addictive. To start off, video games are designed to be addictive. Game makers are constantly looking for new features and add-ons to make their games more compelling. They gather information from gamers about which aspects of the game they love and which ones need improvements. Ultimately, they want gamers to increase the time they spend playing games. Also, there are certain features in a game that are almost ubiquitous that we do not realize that these actually hook us into the game. These include high scores, role-playing, and building relationships.

Video games also offer an individual the opportunity to behave in a way that he cannot exhibit in the real world. For instance, a shy and quiet kid can become very aggressive. Video games can also give the sense of power and authority through various scenarios such as commanding a guild and wreaking havoc in the virtual world.

Then there is also the social aspect of video games. Many young people find it difficult to make friends in the real world so they turn to games, particularly Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, to “meet”other people and befriend them.

Video game addiction is currently not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, the American Psychiatric Association continues to conduct studies to provide evidence that video game addiction is a mental disorder. According to experts, video game addicts exhibit behaviors similar to gambling addicts. Although it is still not classified as a diagnosable disorder, video game addiction is a severe problem and should be addressed immediately to prevent serious health issues and other complications.

Video Game Addiction Symptoms

Here are a few signs that indicate video game addiction:

1. Preoccupation.

A pathological gamer often exhibits strange behaviors when not playing. He may feel angry, irritable or depressed when away from the game. He also seems to talk non-stop about the game and refuses to converse about other topics.

2. Relationship Breakups.

Because of too much time spent on playing, a video game addict can seriously damage his relationship with his friends and family. He often chooses to play video games rather than spend time with his family or hang out with his friends.

3. Poor performance in school or work.

A video game addict may have trouble focusing in school or work. Assignments are left unfinished and deadlines are not met.

4. Lying about computer use.

A person who is addicted to video games may lie about computer use; saying that he needs to do something but really has the intention of playing. He may also lie about the amount of time he spends playing in order to prevent others from criticizing him.

5. Health and personal hygiene are neglected.

A compulsive gamer can be so involved in playing that he neglects his health and personal hygiene. The most common issue here is lack of sleep. It is very common for a video game addict to play without realizing how many hours have passed. He may also sit in front of the computer right after jumping out of bed without eating or taking a bath.

6. Denial.

Many compulsive gamers deny that they are addicted to video games. They can also be defensive about their addiction when confronted. They claim that playing video games do not affect their lives negatively even if people around them think otherwise.

Video Game Addiction Treatment

Experts say that treatment for video game addiction is similar to treatment for other addictions. There is just one significant difference: computers have become a necessity so video game addicts should learn to live with computers and make"good" use of it. Limiting one’s game time cannot get the job done so many experts suggest avoiding gaming altogether.

The difficult part in treating video game addiction is that it is hard to convince compulsive gamers that they are in trouble. It is important to show them that there are many things in the real world that they can find interesting and spend their time on.

When you notice that your child may be addicted to video games, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. To aid the doctor in addressing the problem, here are a few things you can do:

• Keep documents about the child’s behaviors toward gaming. Keep logs of when your child plays and how much time he spends playing.
• List the problems which you think are brought about by your child’s addiction.
• Take note of how your child reacts when you confront him and when you impose limits on his playing time.

Remember, video game addiction is no fun. Your child can start off as an innocent and recreational gamer but may end up as a video game addict. It is very important to address the problem as soon as possible to prevent it from worsening.