Video game addiction: how to recognize it and how to act

video game addiction is broadly defined as compulsive or uncontrolled use of video games that triggers problems for the person or a significant deterioration in important areas of his life. Can we understand the psychological roots that nourish it? What are the elements that encourage us to develop an addiction to video games? Are our children and adolescents in danger?

Video game addiction: what games does it refer to

When we talk about “addiction to video games” we include a whole set of games:

games on the computer online or offline.Console games.Arcade machine games.mobile phone games and advanced calculators.Games inserted in social networks like Facebook.

Is Video Game Addiction Worrying?

Since the 50’svideo games have become a powerful industry billionaire who has exponentially increased her profits during the pandemic. To give us an idea of ​​its enormous impact It has been estimated that some 670 million people play them in the world.

And, since a large part of its target population is children and adolescents, managing appropriate recreational use and the benefits it can bring (91% of children and adolescents play video games), has become a constant concern for many parents both because of their addictive potential and because they can lead to violent behavior in their own children. Insofar as it has been scientifically shown that frequent gambling in children predisposes them to a greater risk of developing a gambling disorder this concern is real.

Video game addiction: the root causes

In the development of an addiction to videogames, as in other addictions, there is no magic “recipe” that explains its development for everyone because a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved. But when a person develops a “behavioral addiction” we are before a serious problemaffects physical and mental health and there are even several registered cases in the world of people who went to the extreme of dying because they couldn’t stop playing.

In fact, a 2019 study from the University of London certified that between 1 and 16% of video game players meet the addiction criteria. And, between 2021 and 2022, the NHS, the English national health service, more than doubled requests for psychological treatment and increased the number of families requesting psychological help by 46%.

However, we must take into account when understand the elements that predispose us to develop an “addiction to video games”the key is to detect early the presence of a set of contributing risk factorsat higher rates in developing an addiction to video games.

These risk factors are:

Having low self-esteemHousing the feeling of having been neglectedUsing playing video games to regulate moodsScoring in Anxiety / NeuroticismHaving an aggressive personalityBeing depressedMaintaining a pessimistic view of lifeLonelinessHaving been subjected to an authoritarian upbringingSocial anxietyLack of empathyIsolationThe gender variable: it seems that many more Men than women are affected, although this does not mean that women cannot suffer from it.

Another important element is that the gaming industry, which proclaims from the four winds that its objective is to offer “fun” to the players, has developed a hardware and software becoming more and more sophisticated and subtle destined for the diabolical understanding of player psychology and to detect in-game elements that drive repetitive behavior of the kind that is likely to lead to addiction.

In fact, it is currently known that the games with the most addictive potential are the so-called online games that involve a group of players. According to the Journal of Behavioral Additions (2016) The appeal of these interactive games is that they are social, competitive, and happen in real time, but have a greater negative impact on physical health, sleep habits, and academic performance.

WHY VIDEO GAMES ARE ADDICTIVE

In general, until very recently, much of the research on people’s mental health and emotional well-being had focused on the physical and psychological consequences of “addictions” when it involved A substance” that consumed in excess caused a direct activation of the reward system of the brain that affected:

By reinforcing certain behaviors or behavior In the production of memories Even by activating the reward system so intensely, the person completely ignored normal activities. By then his life was trapped in a hellish circle that revolved compulsively around consumption.

Only fairly recently have we begun to talk in terms of “behavioral addictions” as is the case of thevideo game”, because despite the fact that a substance is not involved, it equally affects:

To the reward system of the brain To the systems related to impulsivity and lack of control

ADDICTION TO VIDEO GAMES: SYMPTOMS

It is true that to speak properly of “addiction to videogames”, gambling a lot would not necessarily equate to having an addiction as well as being very fond of or having a great time since, as we mentioned above, they are part of the Recreational activities of many people, but if you spend many hours of your day gaming we could start to evaluate if you make a “problematic use” that increases the risk that you will develop an addiction, that it creates anxiety and interferes with the development of a normal life.

You have to explore what role they play in your life and if you actually use them as an extreme maladaptive way of coping with stress in your life.

Despite the fact that the so-called “Golden Book” of reference for Psychologists and Psychiatrists, DSM-V: “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”, does not formally include the diagnosis of this behavioral addiction, Yes, since 2018 the World Health Organization has already included for its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) the “Video Game Disorder”, which refers to the use of digital games or video games, either through connection to Internet or without it.

However, researchers in general have reached a broad consensus regarding which symptoms must be present to speak of the existence of an addiction to video games.

You should pay attention to the following warning signs:

EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION TO VIDEO GAMES

Concern. It is impossible for the addicted person to sit still and calm while not gambling for a long period of time. He is restless and pacing, constantly getting up and going to bed, and not being able to participate in a task for more than five minutes can indicate that he is frustrated with not being able to play. Irritability. They quickly lose their temper and/or become critical of others if they are kept away from games for an extended period of time or if they are in a bad mood due to a recent unsuccessful game. Constant preoccupation with thoughts about previous or next game activity. Their thoughts get caught up in the game and they are unable to think of anything else.they lie about the amount of time they spend playing because they are embarrassed and don’t want to admit that what they are doing is unhealthy or even a problem.Isolation from others to spend more time playing. They end up abandoning their friends or activities that they used to enjoy.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION TO VIDEO GAMES

Fatigue Because many people play games for long periods of time, in fact, gaming-related fatigue has been a factor in numerous deaths, and they often sacrifice sleep to keep playing.

migraines: known to cause migraines even in those who have not previously suffered from them.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: A condition of the wrist that causes pain and tingling in the fingers and hands.

poor personal hygiene as a result of their prolonged play and/or because their isolation leads them to think that they do not need to make any effort in this regard.

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WITH A VIDEO GAMES ADDICTION?

In Spain the treatment of addiction to videogames has already been incorporated into the strategy of the National Plan on Drugs to the National Public Health System. Thus, for example, in the Community of Madrid, the AdCom Center (Center for Behavioral Addictions) has been opened, included in the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital and aimed at the detection, prevention, treatment and investigation of this type of addictions among others. There an initial process called SCREENING is carried out where a health professional defines your degree of addiction and if you have a psychological or psychiatric affectation to subsequently access the relevant treatment.

Guillermo Fouce, Psychologist and Coordinator of Health and Consumption of the Getafe City Council, explains that Treatment methods and models tend to be based on therapy in a similar way to that provided by other substance abuse addictions. There are currently Drug Dependency Care Centers (CAID) where these addictions are also treated to help change habits and control contingencies.

This type of public resources varies depending on each Autonomous Community.

Video game addiction: treatment

Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used in many interventions, there are many other models that propose an approach such as Individual and Group Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Motivational Therapy, etc.

The bottom line is that if you think you might be addicted to video games or your own family start questioning you and complaining go to a professional or specialized service who, after a careful evaluation They will tell you if this is the case and if it is, they will help you and design an intervention plan adapted to you and your family.