Video Games and Internet
A Hobby or an Addiction?
It's a great thing to have hobbies and to do what you enjoy - everyone needs that! Video games can definitely be a fun activity to enjoy solo or with others - both friends and family. It can be an activity that develops creativity, problem solving skills, or just a good stress relief. But at what level does it become an obsession, or even an addiction? Experts are still debating whether video games, internet, and even social media use could be called an addiction. Video games have been around for almost 50 years, but the research on any harm it may cause is still in its early development.
Whether or not a non-substance related compulsive behavior should be classified as an addiction has been debated, and researchers have reached different conclusions on the topic. The DSM-5 manual of the American Psychiatric Association does not recognize technology-based addiction as its own disorder, but it does have a section warning readers of the risks of problematic video game use. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) added Gaming Disorder to their 2018 medical reference book International Classification of Diseases. So there’s definitely debate among experts on whether compulsive use of both video games and the internet can be classified as an addiction, and the research is still maturing.
Signs of Video Game Abuse
Of course, there are people who are passionate about certain hobbies and not impaired or addicted. It could even be harmful to label those who enjoy playing video game as addicts. A rough estimate is that around 5% of all gamers may exhibit signs of compulsive behavior - and this is more common in men that in women when it comes to video games.
If you are a parent and you are worried about the time your child spends playing games, you can check if it’s a real problem quickly. First of all, check how they are doing in school, and that they have friends in school. Good grades and good relationships, with both friends and parents, would indicate that the video games are unlikely to be a problem.
Asking yourself these questions might also help to assess the situation:
Do video games interfere with other important things in your life?
Do video games give you problems in school, at work, or in relationships?
Do you play video games or browse the internet to avoid feelings like anger, anxiety, or depression?
Do you continue to play even when these problems persist?
Signs of Video Game Addiction
If you have a partner, friend, child or even if you believe yourself to have a problematic relationship to video games, there are signs to look for. According to the DSM-5, if one experiences five or more of the following criteria within 1 year, they could have a video game addiction:
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 enjoy
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
Take Action
If you think you or a loved one’s gaming has become out of control and is harmful, it is time to take action. Whether as a parent or for yourself, you could try the following techniques:
Set a time limit of how much to game every day or week, and make sure to stick to them
Keep phones, computers, or video games out of the bedroom so you don’t play at night
Have other activities planned, like playing sports or exercising
Get Help
Not all parents feel that they can control their child's gaming, or you yourself might have tried to stop but have been unable to do so. At La Jolla Healing Center we can offer both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Counseling to combat compulsive gaming. We believe that with an issue like this it’s usually best to involve both parents and children in the behavioral change.