A video game addiction doesn’t feel like other addictions.
After all, it’s just a game. It can’t be as dangerous as drugs or alcohol, right? Because of this thought process, it can be hard for people to recognize the symptoms of video game addiction.
If you want to learn how to stop playing video games, take a look at these 10 warning signs you might be addicted.
1. Exhaustion
Continuing the game is so important for a video game addict they will often sacrifice their sleep to do it. Sometimes they’ll play for over 10 hours at a time.
This lack of rest will leave them sleep deprived and exhausted. Because of this, they might seem moodier than normal.
Many video game addicts make attempts to get off the game so they can go to bed. However, their addiction keeps them going even if they want to stop playing.
2. Physical Health Problems
Staring at a bright computer screen for multiple hours on end puts a lot of strain on the eyes. As the eyes continue to exhaust themselves, they can cause serious headaches or migraines.
Video game addicts can also suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. The symptoms include feelings of weakness in the hands, and the fingers might become numb or tingly.
Typing on a keyboard is a leading cause of carpal tunnel, so video game addicts have a high risk of developing the syndrome.
3. Uninterested in Normal Hobbies
Video games take up all their free time. This means video game addicts lose interest in the activities they used to enjoy.
People who are addicted to video games might also experience feelings of restlessness, anger, or anxiety when they are unable to play the game. If there are certain people who limit their access to video games, they might become aggressive toward those people.
When they do get to play their game, video game addicts will feel peaceful, calm, and ecstatic. These feelings may be more powerful toward the video game if they don’t ever feel them in the real world.
Video game addicts can’t pull their thoughts away from the video game when they aren’t playing. They’re either thinking of the last time they played or dreaming about when they can get on again.
4. Making Excuses and Lying
People who’re addicted to video games will make excuses for their behavior. They might tell themselves they aren’t doing anything wrong because they’re only playing a game. It’s not like they’re drinking alcohol or using drugs.
However, if left unaddressed, the video game addiction will get out of hand. This can make it just as dangerous as other addictions.
When friends and family begin to notice the addiction, the addict will lie about how much time they spend on the game. They’ll make it seem like they don’t play video games for longer amounts of time than other gamers.
5. Isolation
Because all their free time goes toward video games, addicts will begin to isolate them from their normal social circles. They’ll come up with excuses to miss family functions or social events. If they don’t have to leave the house, they can spend more time on the computer.
In their efforts to avoid friends and family members, they’ll start losing their friends in the real world. At the same time, they’ll replace these friends with people in the online community.
6. A Lack Personal Hygiene
Video game addicts don’t leave the house, so there’s no reason to keep up their appearances. They also struggle to leave the game long enough to wash their hair or change their clothes.
Many video game addicts stop doing these things altogether.
7. Weight Loss or Weight Gain
People who are addicted to video games tend to put off eating until they’re extremely hungry. And when they do eat, they do it in front of their computer.
These irregular eating habits can make a video game addict lose a lot of weight. However, this addiction also raises the chances of compulsive eating. This can cause rapid weight gain as well.
Playing video games involves a lot of sitting, which can cause a number of other health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and poor circulation.
8. Neglecting Other Responsibilities
The video game will begin to take over other parts of the addict’s life. If they are still a student, they will spend less time studying and doing homework. This can make their grades and school performance drop.
Working adults will find it harder to go to work every day. When they’re at work, they may be less productive than normal because they’re thinking about their video game.
They’ll stop doing other responsibilities at the home. This could include household chores, like laundry, dishes, food shopping, etc., or important tasks, such as going the taxes or paying the bills.
9. Spending a Lot of Money the Game
The paycheck will stop going toward food or bills and instead go toward in-game supplies. Video game addicts tend to spend excessive amounts of money on things like expansion packs, in-game tools, micro-transactions, new games, and upgrades to their computer.
Because of this, video game addicts might end up with a lot of debt.
10. Inability to Stop Playing Video Games
When someone is addicted to video games, they have a hard time pulling themselves away. They can’t go a single day without playing the game if the addiction is serious enough.
This can lead to feelings of guilt when they are unable to get on the game and help their other “guild members” or online friends.
How to Stop Playing Video Games: Seeking Treatment
Treatment for video game addiction is similar to other kinds of addiction treatment. The biggest problem is it is impossible for video game addicts to avoid computers in their day-to-day life. That means they have to learn how to live with computers without falling back into their addictive behaviour.
The rehabilitation process will involve behaviour modification strategies and counselling. A counsellor will also address external problems that might relate to the video game addiction and help the addict understand how to stop playing video games.
Is someone you loved addicted to video games? Take a look at these nine tips that’ll help you through a successful intervention.
