What is Video Game Addiction?

According to the WHO, video game addiction is a mental health disorder that can have a wide range of negative consequences on a person’s daily life.

Video game addiction can create many different kinds of problems for the affected person and those around them, as it can affect their relationships with their loved ones.

Of course, not all those who play video games become addicted. It’s also worth emphasizing that playing a video game for a few minutes won’t make you an addict either; it all depends on the time spent playing and how important video games are to the person.

It’s clear that many people can enjoy playing video games without getting addicted in any way. However, there are certain guidelines you need to follow in order to prevent any possible addictions or negative consequences, but we’ll talk about that a little later.

The first step to combat an addiction is to identify it. The person needs to be able to acknowledge that they have a problem related to video games in order to start their treatment and find healthier options.

Video game addiction can be recognized by certain symptoms displayed by those affected.

The main symptom of video game addiction is that the person becomes completely dependent on the game. The video game becomes their main priority, and their day-to-day life revolves around this activity.

As a result, the person may begin to adopt patterns of social isolation. Rather than going out or fulfilling their usual tasks, the affected individual prefers to stay isolated in their room while enjoying that feeling of false rewards and values that video games provide.

This problem can further escalate depending on the severity of the person’s addiction. In adults, it can prevent the person from being productive. They may even lose their job and not have sufficient willpower to look for another one because of their need to play video games.

It can also cause problems with partners and dysfunctionality in the family. A person who is addicted to video games tends to neglect their loved ones emotionally by not spending enough time together; their gaming time is always their priority.

This is more likely to occur when the affected person is dissatisfied with their current situation, whether it be work-related, family-related, or financial.

In some games like World of Warcraft, of the MMO genre, players can develop an alternate identity by creating an avatar within the game with their preferences for class, race, and more.

Within the game, players can socialize with other people who, like them, have created their own avatars. With the chance to choose different classes and ranks, the player may feel drawn to the feeling of authority and domination that the game offers, especially if it’s something they aren’t used to feeling in real life.

This unusual, yet gratifying spiral can make the player feel better inside the game rather than outside of it. In turn, this can lead to feelings of disassociation and being isolated from reality, other identifiable symptoms of this addiction.

Children are a significant section of the target audience for video games, and they are quite prone to developing an addiction if they aren’t properly guided about how to play sensibly.

A common symptom of video game addiction in children is that they start to neglect their studies by spending too many hours each day on their game console or computer.

At the same time, the child may also lose interest in other activities that they previously enjoyed, such as going to the park to play or visiting a relative’s house.

This addiction can become noticeable in their refusal to engage in daily activities such as eating with the family or taking a shower, as both tasks require them to take a break from the video games.

Another symptom is the addiction to buying items within the game itself. In FIFA, for example, you can buy packs that contain random players to build your own team with.

Experts in the field have linked this method to gambling addiction because opening packs is a lottery. Spending a certain amount of money doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the player you want, which makes this system somewhat akin to casino slot machines.

In fact, in June of this year, Spanish authorities banned minors from accessing loot boxes in video games. Unfortunately though, age warnings in video games are too often ignored, and more stringent measures are needed to mitigate the problem.

However, if your child spends 6, 8, or even 10 hours a day playing video games, then they may already be addicted to video games or about to be.

It’s quite right for children to have things to entertain them, but they should be used healthily and in moderation.

• The person has a strong dependence on video games and makes them their top priority in life
• They spend an excessive amount of their day playing video games
• Social isolation – they aren’t interested in going out
• A drop in their school or work performance
• No desire to carry out daily activities at home
• Irritability
• Difficulty in sticking to a healthy sleep schedule
• A sedentary lifestyle – they often give up sports activities

In order to understand video game addiction, we need to be aware of the risks and any other factors that may cause this disorder.

We should also analyze the video game itself and understand its addictive nature. In doing so, it will be easier to counteract negative feelings that can affect the child in question.

Just like with other addictions such as cigarettes or alcohol, something that often strongly contributes to the development of an addiction is a poor family background.

Low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with life can make people more susceptible to addictions. So, when diagnosing an addiction, it’s important to take into account the person’s daily routine and background.

At the same time, video game addiction can also be linked to depression symptoms or chronic social problems.

Video games are portrayed as a social interface to connect with other people without having to reveal your identity. By using a fictitious name, people can create an alter ego without having to suffer the consequences of their mistakes or wrong behavior.

All this apparent ‘freedom’ that a person doesn’t find in their regular day-to-day life can end up in slavery – the slavery of addiction. However, this always stems from an initial feeling of discontent and apathy deep inside the person.

In the case of children, bullying at school can be a decisive factor in video game addiction. Playing these games helps children to escape from reality and feel valued, albeit in a completely fictional environment.

A child who grows up in an environment that makes them feel threatened, frustrated, or abandoned has a higher tendency to develop this type of problem.

The vast majority of video games function through objectives. Players have to complete certain missions and objectives while they play.

Upon completion, they receive tangible rewards in the form of new skills, credits, or something else that makes them feel they have been rewarded for their effort.

This time-effort-reward system gives players a feeling of fulfillment as they progress. In fact, one of the most challenging tasks for video game developers is to keep the player interested and engaged in the game as they progress, combined with good storytelling and other factors.

When playing a video game, especially if it’s a single-player game, the player knows that everything depends on them. They don’t need anyone else to help them progress. An ideal environment is created, one that empowers the player and helps them identify with a character capable of achieving their goals, regardless of the circumstances and setbacks.

What’s more, any mistake they make is penalized with a fictional death or the loss of recoverable items within the game. Making a mistake in a video game always gives the player the chance to take revenge; it rarely feels like a failure.

With their gameplay, video games are specially designed to entertain and engage players, using time-tested methods that have evolved over time.

If we throw in spectacular graphics, epic stories, and the chance to take on the role of your favorite idols (which is what happens in sports games), then video games offer us a perfect cocktail of emotions, entertainment, and innovation that is very hard for young people to resist.

As we mentioned previously, video game addiction can lead to a number of negative consequences in people’s lives. These can vary in severity, depending on the seriousness of the disorder and the behavioral issues that have surfaced since the person became addicted.

In the short term, video game addiction can cause a person to start isolating themselves and distancing from their loved ones – choosing to spend more time in front of the screen than with their families.

This behavior can first become apparent in everyday activities, and, if overlooked, the isolation can end up spiraling out of control.

In the same way, short-term video game addiction can start to affect a person’s academic performance, with their exam grades suffering; if they have a job then their managers may start to notice and it could even lead to dismissal.

People with this type of addiction may start to neglect their physical appearance. As they may not have any interest in socializing, a person addicted to video games might not bother about their appearance and their diet may start to suffer with poor nutrition.

Now, moving on to the long term, the consequences of video game addiction can be much more serious.

A video game addict may feel the need to completely isolate themselves from other people. In many cases, they will only prioritize social relationships in their gaming world, and sideline their family, friends, or partner.

At this point, the person may become a real burden to the family and it can be really difficult to find a solution to the problem. They often become extremely irritable and get very touchy if anyone suggests they should stop playing or reduce the number of hours in front of the screen.

Their dependence on video games may make them quite aggressive and they may even become mentally unstable. If things worsen in this way, then they will need expert rehabilitation.

Someone who is addicted to video games in the long term may completely detach themselves from their work or studies. Their lives revolve around video games, and anything else will take a back seat.

This is precisely why the first symptoms we mentioned shouldn’t be overlooked and the situation should be addressed promptly, otherwise it can lead to a much more serious addiction.

Despite all the risks associated with video game addiction, there are still several tools at our disposal to help prevent these problems.

As with many other childhood problems, giving them proper attention is always a crucial factor in trying to help them.

The key to preventing potential problems in children is to be aware of everything that is going on in their daily lives. Creating a healthy family environment with a stable family core will greatly help your child have a happy carefree childhood.

Of course, parents should avoid spoiling their children. Everything should have its limits.

When it comes to video games, the first thing you need to monitor is how long your child plays every day. Experts recommend having a break of 5-10 minutes after every 30-40 minutes of playing.

Although there are many different opinions in this regard, a reasonable daily playtime could be around 1 or 2 hours. The most important thing is to ensure that your child doesn’t neglect their duties by playing all the time.

It’s also important to supervise what type of video game they’re playing. Some video games have extremely violent scenes and others have sexual content, so you should ensure your child isn’t playing these types of games.

All you need to do is check their PEGI or ESRB age rating. If you still aren’t sure about the game, try watching a video about it on YouTube before you buy it.

There are different ways of treating and combating video game addiction and, of course, it’s always better to have the guidance of a trained expert.

However, parents can also take steps to try to tackle the problem.

Of course, if you see that the situation is getting out of hand and your child is behaving in a way you can’t control, then don’t think twice about consulting a psychologist who specializes in this type of disorder. There’s nothing to feel ashamed about.

The main purpose of video games, just like other forms of entertainment, is to entertain their audience.

To achieve this, they implement tried and tested formulas to create interest in the players and keep them engaged for hours and hours.

Some people may develop a certain addiction to these stimuli, as they will also give them a sense of progress, reward, and satisfaction.

However, with good supervision in the case of children and a good dose of common sense and responsibility in adults, playing video games doesn’t need to lead to any type of addiction.

At the end of the day, they’re a form of entertainment just like watching movies, TV series, and sports events. Video games can have some advantages, such as teaching children about other cultures, and helping them to practice a foreign language.

There are different types of players, depending on their interests. Some prefer to play multiplayer games or competitive games with friends and people from around the world, while others prefer adventures on their own.

However, from a more industry-related perspective, there are currently two types of players: hardcore and casual.

Hardcore gamers are a video game’s “default” fans – ones who are interested in having a console at home and are aware of the latest news from companies, studios, and more.

Generally, they’re experienced gamers who enjoy video games from a deeper perspective and may prefer niche titles or less popular genres.

Casual gamers are those who devote only a few minutes of their day to playing video games and they usually play them on their cell phones in their free time. However, some casual gamers also have a console and play on a casual basis with their friends or when a very popular game has just been released.

The mobile games market is almost exclusively aimed at this type of player. This is why cellphone games have such aggressive and structured monetization models.

Their aim is to save people time in these games, offering them advantages over other players in exchange for money. The mobile gaming industry has grown tremendously in recent years, and the most profitable games are found on this market.

Using this structure, companies conceptualize their new games and launch them onto the market taking into account all these factors.

As this is an increasingly popular industry, video game addiction is very likely to increase over time.

In a world ruled by social media and all its related content, people are more and more likely to get hooked and devote excessive time to leisure pursuits.

As a society, we all have the responsibility to raise awareness about the dangers of this type of addiction.

Unfortunately, many companies and studios will always try to get people addicted to their games to increase their profits. That’s why people need to be aware of the dangers and take steps to regulate and combat these practices, especially when it affects minors.

Video game addiction is becoming increasingly common in today’s society. For this reason, the WHO has classified it as a mental illness that creates dependency and causes serious problems for those affected.

Here are some important considerations to keep in mind about video games:

• Playing excessively can create addiction
• Addicted people often isolate themselves and suffer from additional problems
• This addiction is related to gambling with its reward stimuli
• It can be managed by developing other interests
• Doing sports and enrolling in sports academies can help prevent this disorder in children
• Video games can be a healthy and entertaining hobby, but they can become harmful when there is an excessive dependence on them
• Not every child or person who enjoys video games is addicted
• Video game addiction is a problem that affects society as a whole