Video Game Addiction

Video game addiction, also known as internet gaming disorder, is a serious problem.

It can lead to you ignoring tasks you need to perform. Skipping lectures, phoning in sick from work, failing to pick up the children from school in time.

Some people are so caught up in the addiction that they spend days, literally, sat in a chair, urinating in bottles so they don’t have to get up. They eat dried snack food and the only thing that will stop them is a a power cut or an internet black out.

Millions of people in the UK play video games with no adverse effects. Only a very small number of people will go on to develop an addiction.

What is video game addiction?

Video game addiction is where someone lacks the control to be able to stop playing.

Even thought the person knows they have a serious problem, they just can’t help it.

Losing a job because you keep missing deadlines or calling in sick too often, failing exams or putting your children at risk because you are fixated on a screen all register with you but makes no difference.

People die from extreme cases of video game addiction. They become dehydrated which, quickly, renders them unconscious. Left untreated, you will not recover. Sometimes they drink so much water that they poison themselves and it becomes irreversible.

Is Video Game Addiction a Mental Illness?

A good question!

This is open to debate.

Unlike gambling addiction, there is no monetary gain from playing video games. However, the rush experienced when you win is exactly the same.

Feel good chemicals, that naturally occur in the body, are released leading to a sense of euphoria and pleasure.

Whether it is a mental illness or not doesn’t detract from the serious problems such an addiction causes.

Unlike some other behavioural addictions, video game addiction can kill. Not because of suicidal thinking but from exhaustion, dehydration or hypernatremia (drinking too much water).

How common is video game addiction?

It is usually young men in the teens and early twenties that experience this problem.

Researchers believe up to 10% of the population have video game addiction. Because there is disagreement on the diagnostic criteria the estimation range is quite large.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the signs of video game addiction?

Unlike heroin and alcohol addiction there are, usually, no physical signs.

Someone caught up in video game addiction will not be performing well at work, home or university.

Tell tale signs are:

• Tiredness during the day with poor performance at school, university and work.
• Not completing tasks around the home
• Extreme withdrawals when unable to play.
• Having to spend more and more time to achieve a sense of enjoyment
• Unable to stop even though they know the effect it is having
• Being dishonest with others about the time spent playing
• Playing video games to relieve stress
• Self medicating against low mood, feelings of hopelessness and guilt by playing.

What causes video game addiction?

Addiction is addiction.

It matters not what it is you are addicted to, the cause is always the same.

When you drink alcohol and take drugs elements of them sit on receptors in the brain. These cause the release or retention of naturally occurring chemicals.

Playing video games releases dopamine which is responsible for pleasure, reward and motivation.

In time, the only way you you will be able to trigger the release of these chemicals is to play.

Tolerance

When you constantly trigger the release of dopamine, the brain adjusts the way it works.

This will mean, in time, you will need more and more dopamine to have the same effect as when you started using.

This means that whereas you played for 30 minutes to get a rush, you now have to play all night.

Dopamine withdrawal

Dopamine makes you feel good.

It gives you a boost. It helps to regulate your normal emotional responses.

If you stop playing you will experience dopamine withdrawals.

This is perfectly normal.

Signs and symptoms of dopamine withdrawal

• inability to feel pleasure
• Heavy arms and legs
• Overthinking decisions
• No motivation
• Feeling detached from others and situations
• Mental fatigue
• Exhaustion
• Persistent anxiety

Your brain, in time, will rewire itself.

Within a fortnight you will start to feel better.

Behavioural changes

Due to the chemical changes that occur, someone experiencing video game addiction can present with some very worrying behaviours:

• Extreme reactions to perceived threats: The amygdala in the brain, because it is starved of dopamine, goes into high threat mode. Any noise can be misinterpreted as hostile.
• Restlessness and agitation: Dopamine withdrawal leaves your motor control circuits in a state of flux. This means you will feel significant physical tension. Pacing up and down is common.
• Panic: Your threshold will be completely lowered. If you experience panic without dopamine you will feel worrying heart palpitations, difficulty breathing and impending doom.

A lack of dopamine also causes headaches, nausea and tremors.

As with the other symptoms, after two weeks the symptoms will subside.

Video Game Addiction: Recovery is possible

Like any addiction, there is help available.

Recovery comes in four elements:

• Detox
• Therapy
• Relapse prevention
• Aftercare

Detox

While not the same as a heroin or alcohol detox, a period of supervision and monitoring by medical professionals is essential.

Dopamine withdrawal is serious and adjunctive medication may be needed to help you through the first week or two while your brain rewires itself.

Often, those seeking treatment from video game addiction can be in a poor physical state and may well need prescription only nutritional supplements.

In rehab you will not have access to any video games.

Therapy

No one chooses to be an addict.

It is not a career choice but it is a very serious illness. Video game addiction kills.

Therapy is there to discover what it is you are trying to escape from when you play.

While, in the latter stages, you play simply due to the physiological changes in the brain caused by playing, when you started you were trying to ignore or escape from something.

Without resolving the underlying reasons why you became addicted , a relapse is almost guaranteed.

All centres work on a group therapy model. Why? Because it works.

The person to your left in group might have a problem with heroin. The person to your right: Alcohol. It really doesn’t matter.

Everyone’s pathway to addiction is different but there are similarities.

Adjunctive and individual therapy

In addition to group therapy, adjunctive treatments can also be very useful.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy, motivational interviewing are all useful adjuncts in recovery.

All centres offer a weekly individual therapy session.

Relapse prevention

Relapse happens: FACT

It doesn’t happen to everyone, but if it does happen it is not a sign of weakness.

Addiction is a chronic illness just like diabetes or asthma. There will be periods of remission and periods of relapse.

If you are prepared for relapse, you stand a much better chance of getting out of the hole, quickly.

Acute video game addiction can be fatal. It is essential that you have the tools to deal with relapse.

Aftercare

The final link in the chain.

Having the ongoing support of the rehab centre, when you go home, will really boost your chances of long term recovery.

All centres provider a minimum of a years aftercare.

This is usually in the form of a weekly support group and regular telephone check in.

If you find yourself struggling, there will be a number to call for help.

Speak to an experienced addictions clinician

You can speak to an experienced addictions clinician for free, independent and confidential advice.

We do not charge for advice or treatment referrals.

A clinician can tell you what treatment you need and what you don’t.

Yoga with goats, organic herbal tea from the Himalayas and shakra realignment is all very nice but you don’t need it (and it will cost you money you don’t need to spend.)

We only signpost to legally registered centres.

Our service is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.