Some people hold the belief that there’s no such thing as gaming addiction. The truth is that there’s a thin line between playing games for fun and getting addicted to them.
The most common sign is when you’re too immersed in playing games for long hours to notice that it’s starting to affect your physical health and that of those around you.
But acknowledging you have a gaming addiction is only half of the journey; learning how to stop it is another.
Are you unsure about getting addicted? Knowing the signs of addiction will go a long way to help.
Signs You’re Addicted to Video Games
Although the DSM-5, the American Psychiatry Association’s manual, is yet to add games addiction to the list of addictions, only gambling has made it to the list.
However, the World Health Organization described game addiction as a Gaming Disorder and categorized it as a mental health condition.
Gaming addiction is real, and it’s something to watch out for. Signs you’re addicted are;
- The urge to spend long hours playing to reach a particular level of fun.
- Disregard for family and loved ones, hobbies, and other recreational activities.
- The great decline in self-care.
- Display of distress, resentment, and irritability when distracted or forced to stop playing for a while.
- Low accomplishment in house responsibilities, work, and school because of gross engagement in games.
- Using games as an escape route to avoid circumstances needs to be addressed.
- Neglect of meaningful sleep and loss of appetite.
- Sudden outbursts or agitation when prevented from playing.
- An uncontrollable habit of playing games.
- Resorting to spreading lies regarding involvement in games playing.
If you can identify with any of these signs, then it shows you might be addicted to gaming. Thankfully, there are ways to stop gaming addiction.
Keep reading to find out.
Here’s How to Stop Gaming Addiction
Breaking from video game addiction can be difficult. Nevertheless, the steps explained below are easy to follow.
All you have to do is understand them and then execute them carefully.
Organize Healthy Daily Routines
Do you notice that playing games takes up your entire day? By organizing your daily routines, you can reduce that.
Fill your day with meaningful activities, and replace them with the long hours spent on games.
Follow the saying, “Rest is sweet after labor,” and promise yourself to only play games when you’re done achieving meaningful activities.
Replace Game Playing with Meaningful Recreational Activities
You’ll stop your gaming addiction by taking away moments spent playing games to engage in recreational activities such as spending time with loved ones, going to the gym, drawing, writing, engaging in outdoor games, taking up jogging or going for walks, reading, and engaging in other fun activities you enjoy.
Perhaps, you’ve forgotten the activities you enjoy, sit and think to remember or you can just take up new ones.
Limit Daily Involvement with Games
You should consider total abstinence from video games if you’re deeply addicted to them.
Limiting the hours on games daily will go a long way if you find it difficult to abstain completely at first.
Two hours daily is enough for students, while adults struggling with gaming addiction should limit it to a minimum of half an hour.
To avoid getting carried away while playing, set the alarm/timer on your smartphone or other timing devices to alert you when playtime is over.
Other timing devices that keep track of playing periods include;
- BreakFree or Offtime apps keep track of your playing period, set limits, and block access to the games when the limited time has elapsed.
- Extensions such as LeachBlocked (Firefox) and StayFocused (Chrome) are superb choices for monitoring your playing time in the browser.
- One of the PC programs, Game Boss, can be used to set limits on gameplay. These PC programs can also block access when gameplay is over.
Create Time for Personal Care
It’s no news that gaming addiction can take away all your time to the point you neglect self-care.
Now that you know your problem, this is the right time to pause and re-strategize!
Take care of your physical appearance, bathe and brush regularly, eat healthily, and get enough rest and sleep.
As a young student, 8-10 hours of sleep every night is perfect, while an adult addict should take 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Perhaps you find it hard to remember things; a reminder note or a present friend who checks your schedules and reminds you of the to-do list is all you need.
Seek Professional Advice and Guidance
So you’re following the above steps on how to stop gaming addiction, but there’s no success yet; the next step to take will be to get professional help.
Professional help ranges from your parents, therapist, counselor, and doctor. Having an addiction isn’t something to be ashamed of; it’s terrible you have an addiction; however, choosing to take care of your problem gives you an edge over many people with problems out there.
Tell them everything associated with the addiction; also, make sure you’re seeking professional help from people who are experienced and can be trusted.
Ask Your Doctor about Addiction Medications
Bupropion is an antidepressant medicine. It could help greatly, so consult your doctor to know if you can use it.
If your doctor approves, inform him or her of any other medications you might be using.
Be a Part of a Gaming Addiction Support Group
Knowing that you’re not alone and meeting people who have passed through or are passing through what you’re experiencing Is a lot of relief.
You won’t realize this until you join a support group. A standard support group can be formed with the help of your counselor or doctor.
Members in this group often share their addiction experiences and how they conquered and are standing on top today.
Furthermore, they offer words of encouragement and advice on how to overcome obstacles, and the forum is always open to questions.
This is to make you understand you’re not going through something strange. You can opt for online support groups, such as “Game Quitters,” “Online Gamers Anonymous,” and “Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous.”
Note that we all go through problems; addictions are one of them, and anyone can have them.
Above all, you’re doing the right thing by taking steps to eliminate your addictions. You can have relapses, as many former addicts did, and you’ll only smile at the end if you choose not to give up and give it all it takes to get rid of your gaming addiction.
