Video Game Addiction

 

Warning Signs and Useful Strategies for Avoiding or           

Dealing with Addiction

 

Signs of Video Game Addiction

 

Psychological Signs of Video Game Addiction

 

·      Lowered interest in school achievement

·      Feelings of anger and frustration when not allowed

       access to the video game

·      Feeling depressed or anxious when not playing the game

       (especially for a prolonged period)

·      Thinking about the next gaming session when not online

·      Dreaming about the game

·      Experiencing calmness, peacefulness, or euphoria while playing (especially if these            emotions are not experienced otherwise)

·      Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities

·      Downplaying the impact of the excessive habits

·      Justifying excessive use ("Others play more than I do")

·      Excessive frustration or anxiety when "the server is down"

·      Distorted perception of time (e.g., suddenly realizing that several hours have 

       passed in what seemed like just one hour)

·      Feelings of guilt when unable to join clan or guild members on a quest

·      Difficulty abstaining from video games for more than a few days

·      Experiencing a loss of personal control while playing

·      Feelings of guilt or regret after spending much more time than intended with the game

 

Physical Signs of Video Game Addiction

 

·      Sleep difficulties or significant change in sleep patterns

·      Decreased personal hygiene

·      Poor or irregular eating habits (e.g., waiting until extremely hungry before eating)

·      Headaches

·      Dry or red eyes

·      Sore fingers, neck, or back

·      Poor physical health or weight gain

·      Carpal tunnel syndrome

 

Behavioral Signs of Video Game Addiction

 

·      Decreased academic performance

·      Less time spent on homework and studying

·      Decreased work performance

·      Aggression towards those who prevent or attempt to limit access to the video game

·      Frequently playing the game while neglecting important responsibilities

·      Spending more and more time with the video game

·      Playing at the first available opportunity (e.g., as soon as getting home from

       work or school)

·      An inability to quit despite attempts to do so

·      Saying up late into the night to play

·      Eating meals while playing or skipping meals entirely

·      When not playing, discussing the video game in online forums

·      Large amounts of money spent on new games, expansion packs,

       micro-transactions, and computer upgrades

·      Occasional gaming "binges" of 10 or more hours nonstop

 

Relational Signs of Video Game Addiction

 

·      Lying to others about how much time is spent with the game

·      Declining social invitations so that game playing can continue

·      Less time spent with family and friends

·      Increased concern expressed by others at the amount of gaming time

·      Blaming others

·      Relationship difficulties resulting from excessive play

 

Tips for Parents

 

1.      BEWARE of the “first person shooter,” killographic games. Instead, pick non-lethal games that require the player to come up with strategies and make decisions in a game environment that is more complex than punch, run, and kill.

2.      LIMIT game playing time. (Recommendation: no more than one hour per day, at most)

3.      WATCH for warning signs of video game addiction. Stop obsessive playing before it gets out of control. Encourage your child to play with friends “off line” away from the computer.

4.      TALK with your children about griefers and cyberbullying. Establish house rules of “netiquette” and follow through with consequences if rules are broken. Encourage your children to talk to you if they see inappropriate behavior online.

5.      DISCUSS the content of games and explain why you object to certain games.

6.      SET clear house rules around Internet and game use and time. Require that homework and chores be done before playing.

7.      DO NOT PUT video games or computers in kids' bedrooms. Place video game consoles and computers where it is easy to monitor.

8.      MEETING online gaming friends can be seriously dangerous. Your kids may feel quite close to other gamers they meet online. Remind them that these people are still strangers and that it isn’t safe to meet them alone.

 

Tips for Everyone

 

1) Set limits on your online or video game time

 

An important strategy in recovering from video game addiction, computer game addiction, or internet addiction is to set specific limits for allowable time and use.

 

Many people who are addicted to computer games or the internet find themselves playing or logging on at the first available opportunity. Common "danger" periods include:

 

·      Immediately upon returning home from school or work

·      Immediately after dinner in the early evening

·      Late at night when other family members are sleeping

·      Weekends

 

After you have identified your danger periods (you may find it helpful to keep track of your daily use with this downloadable form), you have to answer three main questions:

 

1) Am I working towards moderation or abstinence? Abstinence is generally considered best for WoW addiction, and for most games classified as MMORPGs.

 

2) If I am working towards moderation, how many hours per day / per week are reasonable? You may want to get a second opinion from a trusted friend or family member.

 

3) What times of day are the "safest" and most responsible periods for use?

There is no magical time of day or permitted length of time that works for everyone. For example:

·      A 7-year old may be permitted 1 hour of play on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

·      A 15 year old may be permitted 1 hour of use during weeknights after homework and other responsibilities have been attended to. Perhaps this is extended to 2 hours per day on the weekend.

·      A single 20-year old student may allow himself to play in the evenings 10:00 - 11:30 after studying.

·      A married man with children may schedule 1 hour of play in the evenings from 10:00 - 11:00 only after the children are asleep.

 

You may notice a few common themes in the examples above:

 

1) Scheduled video game and internet time happens only after other more important responsibilities are taken care of (e.g., studying, work, family, etc.)

 

2) Two hours per day of recreational internet or video game play is a general limit for most adults and older teens. One hour per day for children and 1.5 hours per day for younger teens can be thought of as age-appropriate guidelines.

 

In order to break excessive online or video game habits, you will most likely need to introduce additional structure into your schedule. For parents with children addicted to video games, this structure obviously has to be externally enforced (i.e., clear rules on allowable times).

 

However, for adults with a video game or internet addiction, the motivation to create this structure and not exceed self-imposed limits has to come from within. That is, it requires dedication and self-control. If you set aside 10:00 - 11:00 PM as your only permitted time for play, you need to stick to this time.

 

If necessary, take extra steps to help you keep to this schedule (e.g., a timer next to the computer, allow a family member to remind you to quit, schedule your computer or game console to turn off at a specific time, etc.).

 

2) Most Addictive Video Games

     

Given that the vast majority of American and Canadian households now have computers, internet access, and in many cases game consoles, access to video games has never been easier. Videogames are a multi-billion dollar industry and sales increase steadily year after year. An eagerly anticipated new game title can easily surpass the box office receipts of major movie releases. For example, Halo 3 for the XBox 360 brought in $170 million in its first day while Spiderman 3 earned $59 million on opening day.

 

Considering the size of the game industry, consumers have an almost overwhelming selection of titles to choose from. However, some choices are better than others...

 

When parents shop for a new game for their child they are able to check the ESRB rating printed on the front of the box to see if the content is appropriate for the age of their child. For example an "E" (Everyone) rating indicates that the game is "suitable for ages 6 and older", while a "M" (Mature) rating indicates that the game has content "suitable for persons age 17 and older".

 

How can one avoid the most addictive video games? Unfortunately there is no rating to indicate the potentially addictive nature of the game. Of course it would be nearly impossible to devise a rating system for "addictiveness" - and TechAddiction certainly does not believe that this is a practical solution. As we have written before, most people can play most games without becoming addicted - they know when to stop and are interested in many activities other than gaming. However, there are certain games which do seem to have a higher risk of turning into an addiction.

 

What are the most addictive video games?

 

Based on the clients I see in my own clinical practice, from speaking to other therapists, and from newly emerging research in the field, you may want to reconsider your decision to get involved with the following games due to their potentially addictive nature. A list of the most addictive video games may include:  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Grand Theft Auto, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, just to name a few.

 

The easiest way to be a non-smoker is to never start. Similarly, the best way to avoid becoming addicted to a game is to not buy it. Simple, but true. Hopefully, being aware of some of the most addicitve video games should help you avoid bringing these games into your home.

 

If you are considering buying one of these video games, ask yourself if it is really worth the risk. What do you have to lose by starting one of these games? Well, depending on who you are: Your marriage, your boyfriend / girlfriend, your school grades, your university degree, your scholarship, your savings, your friends, your health, your job...

 

There are literally thousands of other video games which are less likely to become addictive. Again, we realize that most people can play these games without becoming addicted, but if you haven't already started playing, why take the risk? When you see these games in a store, you may want to just keep walking - you have nothing to gain and potentially a lot to lose.

 

One final thought: You may have noticed that all of the most addictive video games listed above are MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). In next month's tip, TechAddiction will outline why this type of game seems to result in addiction more than any other genre.

 

3) Turn off your computer when not in use

 

This is perhaps one of the simpler tips for dealing with excessive internet, gaming, or computer use.

 

Many people, especially those who are addicted to the internet or online games, keep their computers on all the time. In addition to being a waste of energy (at least several hundred dollars per year compared to having it on only when in use), an instantly accessible computer is an obvious temptation to go online or play games.

 

In the same way that people who are trying to lose weight will sometimes store unhealthy, high-calorie food in hard to reach places (e.g., on a high shelf, at the back of the refrigerator), shutting down your computer when you are not using it will make future online or gaming session less tempting.

 

The additional task of having to boot up may not seem like much of deterrent, but every strategy you put in place to reduce temptation will help you regain control over the addiction.

 

Obviously, this tip alone is unlikely to be enough to break the pattern of excessive use. However, if you combine simple strategies like this with other methods of reducing online or gaming time (for example as described in The Internet, Computer, and Videogame Addiction Workbook available here.), your recovery is definitely moving in the right direction.

 

4) Keep a record of your internet use

 

“I didn't realize just how much I actually play."

 

In order to address a problem, change an unhealthy habit, or make a "course-correction" in your life, assessing the extent of a problem is the second step (the first step is of course, recognizing that there is a problem to begin with).

 

An example: Imagine that after experiencing chronic headaches for two weeks, you decide to visit your physician. Within one minute of telling him/her that your head hurts, you find yourself on an operation table awaiting brain surgery. Not an ideal sequence of events, is it?

 

Although this extreme example is rather unlikely (thankfully), the point is that in order to properly address a problem (be it physical or psychological) you need adequate information before you proceed with a treatment or recovery plan.

 

Given that you have found this website, you probably already recognize that you have a problem with excessive internet or video game use (or perhaps this applies to someone you know). This may be the equivalent of saying "I have a headache". However, in order to set clear, detailed, and achievable goals you need more information.

 

Yes, it is possible to estimate just how much time you spend online or gaming, but in my experience this information is often inaccurate. It is important to know:

 

- How many hours per week do I really spend online or playing video games?

 

- What times of the day are the most "risky"?

 

- What am I doing just before going online?

 

- Which activities, games, or websites seem to take most of my time?

 

Keeping a detailed record of your online activities for at least one week is a useful exercise which will give you a much more accurate assessment of your internet and gaming activity (note: keep the log right next to your computer). With this information, you will then be in a better position to set specific goals for your recovery. Additionally, many people find that simply maintaining a record makes them more accountable for their behavior and results in less time online.

 

Additional Resources

 

Many books are currently being written about video game and internet addiction.  Go to www.chapters.ca or www.amazon.com and search “video game addictions”.  Browse and review some of the more recent publications. Books such as “Playstation Nation: Protect Your Child from Video Game Addiction” by Olivia and Kurt Bruner may be quite useful.

 

When Olivia Bruner saw video games overtaking her young sons' lives, she decided to learn the facts behind addiction. What she found was shocking: that most games are designed to be highly addictive-triggering physiological reactions in the brain similar to those associated with substance abuse-and that one out of five kids becomes addicted to computer and video games. And while many parents screen the content of games to protect their children from violent and sexual themes, few understand the forces causing their children to become hooked on the "digital drug." This book arms parents with the facts they need and concrete steps to protect our children from this very real epidemic. A must-read for all parents.