Computer game addiction in adults: signs, how to fight, prevention


Gaming addiction

from computer games is one of the forms of psychological addiction, manifested in obsessive passion for computer and video games.

The strongest attachment is most often caused by online games, which drive their adherents to physical and mental exhaustion and even death. In 2005, a Chinese girl died after being immersed in World of Warcraft for days.

Gambling addiction is comparable in strength to addiction to alcohol and drugs; it provokes the release of a cocktail of hormones into the blood: adrenaline, endorphin, dopamine, cortisol. This causes a violent surge of various emotions - from euphoria to a feeling of hopelessness. And this is what forms an addiction, similar to drug addiction. A person again and again wants to repeat these emotions that virtual worlds give him.

Important In June 2021, WHO included gaming disorder in the 11th list of the International Classification of Diseases, which is planned to come into effect on January 1, 2022.

What is gambling addiction and how to treat it?

Addiction to computer gaming reality occurs in men and women due to a combination of two factors: social dissatisfaction and psychological problems. Neither the future gambler nor his entourage foresee danger at the initial stage, because this toy is a harmless pastime, a way of escaping problems and troubles. But some people immerse themselves too deeply in virtual reality, completely removing the real world.

In order to cure all the symptoms, it will take a lot of time and effort from the addict himself, his loved ones and the work of a psychotherapist.

The main treatment method for advanced gambling addiction is individual psychotherapy. Group psychotherapy also gives good results. A person must realize the problem, understand why he is running away into an illusory world, what does not suit him in real life, get rid of illusions and stop hiding in virtual reality. In particularly severe cases, treatment may take about a year and require a comprehensive solution:

• psychotherapy;
• hypnosis;
• drug support;
• help from loved ones;
• group psychotherapy;
• meetings of anonymous communities.

Is it possible to divide games into dangerous and non-dangerous?

In fact, it is impossible to name specific game genres that are 100% addictive. Any game made with sufficient quality, thought out, and color can attract a child’s attention and make him return to the screen again and again.

Unfortunately, game developers are forced to create attractive worlds with secret levels, interesting plots, and bonus systems, otherwise people will stop buying their products. And not all players become addicted.

If you consider the applications individually, you can find for each a set of key skills necessary for successful completion.

At the moment there are many classifications of games. We will consider one of the simplest, directly related to psychological aspects. Games are divided into six genres:

Actions

Aimed at the player's physical skills, success depends on reaction speed, good coordination of vision and motor skills. For these games, the characteristics of the computer or phone on which they are installed are very important, since human actions depend on the quality of drawing details.

A typical task for a player in this genre is to collect all the necessary items, defeat all the “monsters,” and find a way out of the location. Some games involve active teamwork. All this develops the ability to quickly make decisions, think strategically, calculate moves in advance, and also allows you to shed excess aggression. However, at the same time, action games are easily addictive and cause rapid fatigue of the nervous system. It is advisable to limit the time spent in such games in order to give the psyche a chance to rest and the body to stretch not only its fingers.

Simulator

An excellent opportunity for a child to try himself in different situations. For example, there you can manage an airplane or your own restaurant. The main thing to remember here is that the simulator does not provide a 100% representation of reality, but only shows part of life.

Strategies

Games that require high-quality thought processes. As a rule, the player is offered the role of the leader of a state, company or group, and a certain goal to which he must lead the people entrusted to him.

Periodic fascination with this genre develops strategic thinking, the ability to see a situation broadly and from different points of view, make ambiguous decisions, and think for the future. Here breaks are necessary to give the brain a break, otherwise the likelihood of making a mistake increases.

Role-playing games

They give the teenager the opportunity to become someone else. Not “the humble boy Petya,” but “the last descendant of the king of the elves,” for example. A very popular genre among children, especially those who are unsure of themselves.

These games, by the way, are found not only in the virtual world, but also in the real one. People dress up as their favorite characters and gather at various games and festivals to live a more colorful and unusual life.

If you notice that your child has begun to become heavily immersed in role-playing games, look at how eventful his real life is. Perhaps he lacks strong positive impressions. Since each character in the game has a different set of special characteristics, pay attention to what features your child chooses. Help him develop these qualities in real life.

Adventures (quest)

A light genre where the player, in the form of a character, goes through a certain journey, overcomes obstacles, and solves problems. Very often, such games are based on the plots of books and films. Reaction speed and strategic thinking are not important here - observation and logic are much more important. The player is offered puzzles, solving which he gets the opportunity to move on. These games can be played by the whole family. They are fun and useful. The main thing is to take a break on time.

Puzzles

Games without a special plot. The levels are built on the same rules and consist of solving logical problems with a gradual increase in complexity. The player requires concentration, logical thinking, a little strategy and intuition. In moderate doses, puzzles help develop a child's mental abilities.

Thus, there are no absolutely bad or absolutely good games - everything is good in moderation and on time. The main rule for both children and adults is to play for fun and at a strictly designated time. The risk of addiction is greatly reduced if a person leads an active, busy life, and the game acts as a pleasant seasoning to it.

How to distinguish “gambling addiction” from a hobby?

Computer game worlds themselves do not cause harm, and in many cases are useful for individuals and society. Thus, the steadily decreasing level of violence is also associated with video games: people can throw out negative emotions, reduce stress, and take a break from routine in a way that is safe for themselves and others.

How to distinguish addiction from hobby:

Hobby doesn't cause problems

• the person controls the video game time;
• if something important arises, he is easily distracted and interrupted;
• does not sacrifice work time, study time, or time with loved ones to the computer or console;
• does not spend excessive amounts of money on video games (no more than on other entertainment);
• a person has many other hobbies - reading, cinema, walking, museums, concerts, etc.;
• virtual reality does not change the usual way of life: sleep and rest patterns, meals;
• elements of the game are not transferred (or in a minimal amount) into everyday life: fan groups, clothing with characters, posters, game paraphernalia, etc.;
• his hobby does not spoil his relationships with others.

Addiction is characterized by the following manifestations:

The American Psychological Association (APA) has developed nine criteria for diagnosing video game addiction in men and women. Check if you have these symptoms:

1. The patient thinks a lot about playing, even while doing other things, and plans when he can play.
2. Feeling restless, irritable, angry, or sad when trying to cut down on activities or in situations where there is no opportunity to play.
3. There is a desire to play more time and use a more powerful computer for this.
4. The patient understands that he must reduce the time, but cannot control himself.
5. Refusal of other entertainment (hobbies, meeting with friends) in favor of video games.
6. The patient continues to gamble even if he is aware of the negative consequences of his addiction: poor sleep, being late for school or work, spending too much money, conflicts with loved ones and neglect of important responsibilities.
7. The patient lies to relatives, friends and other people about the amount of time spent in virtual reality.
8. The game is used to avoid solving current problems and emotional states.
9. Due to addiction, there is a risk of losing your job, breaking off relationships with loved ones, or losing other opportunities.

Personal characteristics of addicts

It has not yet been established exactly what comes first: personal characteristics or computer addiction, that is, the question remains open as to whether the computer causes the following personal changes or whether these characteristics are prerequisites for the development of computer addiction:

• perseverance and perseverance in achieving goals;
• high intelligence;
• disregard for social norms;
• developed abstract and creative thinking and a penchant for creative activity;
• focus on the process of activity, not on the result;
• coldness and unemotionality in communication;
• lack of empathy;
• conflict;
• egocentrism;
• lack of responsibility.

It should be noted that these traits are considered not only in the context of gaming or network addiction, but also in conditions of dependence on a computer for the sake of self-realization and self-development. If we assume that these traits are primary, then it is not surprising that computer addiction arises - in real life, it is difficult for an individual to fully socialize with such a very contradictory set. Then a person finds work online, friends online, educational courses online, etc.

Often the development of addiction is preceded by the individual’s discovery of the opportunity and ability to regularly increase knowledge and master new types of activities, which serves as a source of self-esteem. Along with this, an unexpected awareness of the individual’s own intellectual potential, new interests and hidden abilities or forgotten talents occurs.

For more information about what attracts people to the Internet, read the article “Pros and cons of Internet communication.”

Causes of gambling addiction among children and adolescents

Often parents themselves become a source of addiction for children and adolescents.

1. If they set an example by spending too much time on the computer and game console, they do not pay attention to the child and do not teach him to organize his own time.

2. Trying to “get rid” of the child: in order for him not to get in the way and not interfere, they themselves give him a phone, a tablet with “useful” programs downloaded into them. Many people do this from the age of one, and are even proud of the fact that “my child understands these technologies better than me,” but in the child’s fragile brain, excessive digitalization produces a bomb effect. He does not learn to live in the real world, does not notice its beauty and complexity, and has difficulty communicating with other people.

You can talk about gaming addiction in teenagers when you notice that they are losing interest in all areas of life: their academic performance is declining, their relationships with peers and teachers are deteriorating.

Symptoms of teenage gambling addiction include:

• aggressive protests to requests to leave the computer;
• anger and irritation when you still have to take a break from the gameplay;
• demanding money for game updates, improvements, for a more powerful computer/console;
• inability to determine and control time for hobbies;
• violation of sleep and rest patterns: the child does not sleep all night while playing;
• violation of eating habits: does not eat with the family at the table, eats sandwiches, chips, and other unhealthy “fast” food during the game;
• neglects hygiene;
• the mood improves only during the game, if you have to spend time with your family, demonstrates irritation and dissatisfaction;
• all his “friends” are interested in the same thing as him; he cannot or does not want to communicate with peers who do not play computers;
• neglect of household duties, studies, sports training.

Questionnaire “False bet scale”

This is the simplest test that allows you to distinguish an addicted gambler from a person who only plays “for pleasure” from time to time. It consists of two questions:

1. Have you ever felt the desire to invest large amounts of money in a game?
2. Have you ever lied to your loved ones about how much money you spend on games?

You need to answer briefly - “yes” or “no”. A positive answer to one of the questions indicates a tendency towards gambling addiction.

Fact. With this test, you can discreetly diagnose gambling addiction in a teenager by asking one or both questions “casually” in a conversation.

Causes of gambling addiction in adults

Statistics say: these three factors, individually or several in combination, lead to addiction:

The main factor influencing the occurrence of computer gaming addiction in adult men and women is the personal (psychological) factor: unstable psyche, inability to cope with stress, lack of self-control skills, dissatisfaction with real life and reluctance to take responsibility for failures, inability to communicate and build relationship.

Also, the formation of addiction is influenced by mental disorders: anxiety disorders, tendency to depression, social phobias. For such people, games provide an opportunity to escape from a society that frightens them, relieve stress from having to cope with difficulties, protect themselves from reality and achieve a sense of well-being at least for the time that the game lasts.

A disrupted reward system is a hormonal imbalance. In such addicts, dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and motivation, is produced in smaller quantities, and an additional strong stimulus is required in order to get vivid emotions. The same disorders are caused by other similar (non-chemical) addictions: gambling addiction, addiction to sports betting, addiction to the phone, etc.

Important The cause of computer addiction is the desire to escape from reality, which is a consequence of a state of deep stress and intense fear that a person cannot cope with.

Risks

Gaming or computer addiction in adults threatens problems in family relationships, including divorce. Financial problems often arise, such as unreasonable spending on a computer and the Internet (computer upgrades and fees for Internet services), due to taking out loans and going into debt (especially relevant for casino games).

Losing access to the Internet or failure in a game can cause a state of distress in an individual, leading to nervous breakdowns and emotional disorders. There have been cases of death due to chronic lack of sleep.

In the course of real communication and social interaction, a person learns social norms and values, gains experience and knowledge. With computer addiction and the accompanying social isolation, the individual loses the ability to interact with people. A person can communicate and assert himself in a circle of similar addicts, but in other respects he becomes untenable. For him, categories such as reflection, empathy, self-identification disappear, the ability to put oneself in the place of other people and imagine how others see the individual himself is lost.

For those people whose profession involves working on a computer (programming, writing articles, creating videos and photos, etc.), addiction borders on workaholism, that is, one addiction turns into another and vice versa. You don't have to just play on the computer to feel disconnected from reality. In terms of health consequences, all types of computer addiction are equally harmful.

Features of computer games

Computer games of the latest generation are very different from everything that came before and from other games, for example, gambling, in that they are built in such a way that a person looks at the virtual space through the eyes of the hero and identifies as much as possible with the character. This allows a person to lose touch with reality and completely immerse himself in an illusory world. For the addict, this becomes a trap.

The game allows a person to do everything and a little more: to die and come back to life, to fly, to kill, to love beautiful drawn women and men, but in reality, for some reason, you cannot pause the conflict, replay the problem, return to the beginning, or use a cheating technique to solve a difficult situation.

Thus, according to psychologist M. S. Ivanov, role-playing games pose the greatest danger, since the mechanics of the game itself consist of a person “entering” the game, merging with the computer, losing individuality and identifying oneself with a computer character.

Ivanov identifies the criteria for especially harmful games: the strength of immersion (how well-developed the game universe is) and the absence of an element of excitement or its insignificance for completing the game. In other words, a person simply “lives” in the game, not trying to win anything or defeat anyone, and this virtual reality completely replaces the real one for him.

Note! Addicted gamers need psychological therapy; their problems are an undeveloped personal life, dissatisfaction with themselves, loss of the meaning of life and ordinary human values. Statistics indicate that they are subject to serious psychological difficulties: reduced emotional background; low activity; increased levels of anxiety and stress; social maladjustment.

Stages of computer gambling addiction

Observations from loved ones and tests can only help identify the problem. But to determine what stage the disease is at and how to cope with it, it is important to consult a specialist. Internet gaming addiction is dangerous because the person suffering from it, as a rule, does not understand the depth of the problem. And if an adult at some point can realize that he has driven himself into a trap and admit this to a doctor or psychologist, then a child will never do this.

Doctors distinguish four stages of a dangerous condition.

1. Slight enthusiasm. Mechanisms of addiction are being formed. During and after the game a person experiences satisfaction. He likes realistic graphics, “live” sound, and unusual stories in which he takes part. All this causes vivid emotions and the desire to repeat these actions in order to get pleasure again. At this stage, the game becomes purposeful: the player feels the need to again “try on” the chosen role.
2. Passion. The first “acquaintance” is over, and the need to play already dictates the teenager’s daily routine. A new activity becomes a priority for him, while communication with loved ones, rest, school and home responsibilities fade into the background. His thoughts are occupied only with the game and the desire for it.
3. Addiction. A serious restructuring of the value and semantic structure of the individual is taking place. It places the need for play at the forefront, and the teenager’s self-esteem decreases. Fundamental value causes changes in character, behavior, mood, changes the rhythm and lifestyle. Swearing, scandalizing, being offended, lying, showing aggression even towards the closest people becomes the norm if this is necessary to achieve the main goal.
4. Attachment. The longest stage, which can last for years. During the game, a person may no longer feel the former surge of strength, interest or vivid emotions. Despite the fact that his gaming activity is fading, he lives “from game to game” and is no longer able to give up the habit.

“If you notice a gaming addiction in a teenager, do not delay in contacting a specialist,” advises Doctor of Psychology Natalya Zentsova. “It is important to diagnose it as early as possible and help the child refuse it. This condition cannot be treated on its own. We need a comprehensive professional approach and strict adherence by the teenager’s parents to the specialist’s recommendations.”

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Stages of gambling addiction

A gamer goes through four stages of addiction:

1. Adaptation process. The person is only slightly interested in a new game.
2. A period of rapid growth. A person already plays every day, for a long time, and returns to the game mentally more and more often throughout the day.
3. Dependency stage. The addict can no longer live without playing; most of his mental energy is directed there.
4. Attachment stage. The addict may even suffer from his addiction, but is unable to cope with it.

The decisive factor in gaming addiction is the inability to give up the game, despite the awareness of the uselessness and/or harmfulness of the gaming process.

How long does it take for the pathology to develop?

No one becomes addicted to a computer game overnight; sometimes addiction can take years to develop. At first, the problem is not obvious to anyone, including the patient himself, but as the addiction grows, the person becomes more and more impulsive, irritable, self-control is greatly weakened, relationships with family and friends deteriorate, and the mood always remains depressed except for periods of gambling.

It is important to recognize your addiction

Hegumen Luka (Stepanov):

– If a person is aware of his addiction and is ready to fight it, then it’s a win-win situation. If he often confesses, reproaches himself from the heart and exerts the will to expel this harmful addiction from his life, God’s help will not be delayed and the addiction will be rejected. If the damaged person considers himself happy with the opportunity to achieve the next stage of degradation for successfully completing virtual tasks, then things are bad. All that remains is to pray for him, and if you have power over him, simply prohibit the use of these soul-crushing devices.

Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev:

– The Scripture says: “Everything is lawful for me, but not everything is profitable; “Everything is permissible for me, but nothing should possess me” (1 Cor. 6:12). And any painful passion or addiction is dangerous for a person. For, as is well known: “Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave” (2 Pet. 2:19). In other words, when a person himself becomes a console for a computer game, then this is already an illness and a problem.

Consequences of computer addiction

Gambling addiction negatively affects all aspects of a person’s life:

• Sleep and rest patterns suffer.
• Eating habits change: the patient eats fast food so as not to be distracted from the game.
• Relationships with loved ones suffer.
• Work and educational processes are disrupted.
• The range of interests is limited.
• The character deteriorates, the patient becomes irritable and aggressive.
• Financial problems may arise due to unrestrained spending on upgrading your computer, purchasing the latest game console, various gadgets and programs.

Important According to neurologist Baroness Susan Greenfield, games are the cause of dementia, since modern means of entertainment lead to increased excitability of the nervous system. Over time, a person gets used to this condition, dependence occurs, and as a result, the risk of developing dementia increases.

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Is my child addicted or not? How to Know When to Worry

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether a child is just playing enthusiastically or is already addicted and cannot stop. In this case, you need to watch him for some time.

It is important to pay attention to the following points:

Mood

A child with addiction is often irritable, angry, and has poor control over his emotions, especially when it comes to computer games. However, he quickly calms down when given the opportunity to play. Here it is important to clarify that anger at a mother who snatched a gadget out of her hands is a natural reaction for a healthy teenager . The immature psyche works slowly, therefore, in order to avoid conflict and prepare the child for the end of the game, warn him in advance that time is coming to an end (“5 minutes left”). If after this time the child parted with the toy calmly enough, there is no problem.

Time in game

Gamers often simply cannot limit themselves to this pleasure. They are ready to give up food in favor of playing, go to bed poorly, and skip classes to sit at the computer or gadget. It happens that parents themselves provoke such a situation, initially denying their child the right to play. If the daily schedule has a clear time allotted for entertainment, the child is less worried about the game, he knows for sure that he will get what he wants on time and no one will punish him.

Financial expenses

The child begins to insist on the need to invest money in the game, in improving the technical characteristics of the phone or computer. He doesn't have enough pocket money. Theft from home is possible.

Communication with peers

The interests of a dependent child are greatly narrowed. With friends, all conversations ultimately come down to games. The gambler begins to reduce the number of walks with friends, under various pretexts being left alone with the game.

If your child is easily distracted from the game, calmly parts with the gadget, leads an active social life, and has no problems sleeping - everything is fine. Games are entertainment, one of thousands of possible ones. And it is unreasonable to scold a child for wanting to entertain himself.

How to get rid of gambling addiction as an adult

Despite the various causes of addiction, according to statistics, all patients are united by a weak ability to adapt, impaired socialization, the desire to avoid decisions and avoid problems, and low stress resistance.

To cope with the problem, you need to solve these difficulties:

1. Increasing stress resistance and increasing coping strategies (techniques that help cope with stress) will reduce the discomfort experienced in everyday life.
2. Develop positive thinking and combat negative cognitive patterns.
3. Increase self-esteem.
4. Work on regaining control of your own life and accepting responsibility.

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Support from loved ones

If you have a loved one who is a gambling addict who has decided to deal with the problem, then here is what you can do for him:

• provide him with full support;
• help develop new life guidelines;
• if you are passionate about something, introduce him to your hobby;
• if he breaks down and starts playing, don’t blame him, continue to support him;
• offer him help in monitoring the playing time, remind him that it is time to take a break;
• try to get him interested in spending time outside the home;
• suggest contacting a psychologist to treat gambling addiction.

Help from a psychologist

Treatment of gambling addiction should be comprehensive, and depends on the stage of addiction and the “experience” of the addict. An experienced gambling addict will have to be treated with the help of a specialist and a set of measures; only an experienced psychologist can save him from pathological attachment.

Psychologist

- will identify the causes of gambling addiction and help generate motivation to get rid of addiction,

- will help reduce the craving for games, replacing it with a rational hobby (at this stage, medications may be prescribed),

— will teach coping strategies and help you begin to solve real problems that led to leaving for the virtual world,

- will help develop skills of self-organization and self-control.

At all stages, psychotherapists help to get rid of such mental and psychological disorders as low motivation and self-esteem, a tendency to addictive behavior, problems with loved ones, and low stress tolerance.

Set a limit

Set a timer to help you with this. Even if you continue playing after his signal, you will still know how much time you spent. And knowledge is the key to your salvation. Perhaps it will help to develop a rule, for example, to play only with friends or only on certain days.

There is no need to limit yourself too much, this will make the situation worse.

In addition to the time limit, set a monetary limit. Determine how many games per month you can afford.

How to get rid of gambling addiction on your own

At the initial stage, self-healing is quite possible. If you realize that games are taking up all your time and are starting to negatively impact your real life, here's what you need to do:

You should stop playing completely!

Yes, it can be difficult, which is why we recommend limiting your play time to begin with:

• set yourself a daily gaming limit of 2 hours;
• Before starting the game, you must turn on the timer;
• Once the timer goes off, exit the game, no matter what stage you are on.

Be patient and disciplined, and if your willpower is not strong enough, ask someone close to you to intervene. They should ask you to stop when the timer goes off, and you should keep your promise.

Come up with a punishment for yourself for each limit broken: 10 push-ups, or learn 5 new words in a foreign language, it is important that the “punishment” is positive and brings you benefit, and also helps you form a new useful habit.

To finally get rid of computer mania, do the following:

• Each week, reduce the timer by 15 minutes until you reach an hour of play.
• After a month of playing an hour a day, you can give yourself one free day when you can play up to 4 hours. This can be done once a month.
• If there is a deadline ahead, you need to completely remove the hobby for this time.
• After finishing an important task, reward yourself with a game. Return it to its rightful place: “Game is not an end in itself, but a way of spending time and relaxing after work”

You need to strive for results - play no more than 2 hours in a row no more than 1-2 times a week

Also try to communicate with people as much as possible, meet them in real life and not in a game, play sports, find new hobbies, if this doesn’t work and obsessive thoughts about virtual reality do not go away, contact a specialist.

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All events

To avoid this, a gambling addict should set a spending limit on computer games. With the development of Internet banking, this is not difficult to do - just set a limit on online purchases on a bank card, or purchase a separate card and connect to it an automatic transfer of a certain amount. Of course, in this case, a person himself must clearly understand the prohibition he has created, so as not to try to look for workarounds for it.

Set your priorities

A person involved in a game begins to attach great importance to computer achievements, which gradually crowds out other significant aspects of life. Therefore, to get rid of addiction you need to try to change your way of thinking. It is necessary to realize the fact that as soon as a person changes the game (and with the development of this industry this can happen very quickly), all the achievements obtained in the game will lose meaning.

A person must figure out what is really important to him and direct his main energy in this direction.

OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION

Set a time limit

Before you sit down at your computer or laptop, you can set a timer for a specific time. As soon as the timer signals the end of the game, you will already know that it is time to call it a day. At first, the timer can be set to the maximum time, then the time can be reduced daily. In this way, you can train yourself to play for a very short time, and leave the computer with a feeling of accomplishment.

Set up a system of rewards and punishments for yourself

Learn to praise yourself for every achievement in the fight against gambling addiction, for following the rules, reducing gaming time, and success in real life. Think about what brings you pleasure outside of the computer and treat yourself as a reward. This way, a person will not only be able to get rid of gambling addiction faster, but will also feel the joy of life, ridding himself of depression.

If you don’t follow the established rules, you can punish yourself with physical exercise, memorizing poems or foreign words, that is, something that is very useful to do, but you don’t always want to do.

But in no case should you blame yourself in case of failure, as this will lead to a decrease in self-esteem and loss of self-confidence, which can ultimately result in depression and breakdowns.

Household issues come first

People addicted to games often do not perform simple daily household chores and leave them for later. Make it a rule to complete your home and social responsibilities (school, work, family, everyday life) before playing computer games. You can make it a habit to first wash the floor, dishes, iron the laundry, and for this, play a game as a reward. This way, the person will be motivated to do other homework, and will begin to understand that a person lives not only by playing games, and this is only part of an interesting and rich life.

Arrange yourself days of gaming fasting

Regularly giving up video games will help you rethink your life, find new hobbies, and communicate with friends and relatives. To do this, you just need to not turn on the computer or not use the gadget once a week or a month. You can come up with an incentive for yourself for such endurance. For example, buy a cake or rolls. A day free from games can be spent as interesting and fruitful as possible, then you will understand that in real life there is a lot of good things that you should not give up.

Take up sports training

Gamers spend a lot of time on the computer or phone. They don't notice that the muscles don't move and the fat accumulates. If you start doing physical exercise or jogging, it will help you take your mind off the game and benefit your body. Daily workouts will gradually become a habit, and you will no longer want to spend a lot of time at the computer.

Enlist the support of loved ones

Any addiction is a family problem, and therefore it must be solved together with all family members. Support from loved ones is an important part of recovery from addiction. Psychologists at the rehabilitation center always work not only with the gambling addict himself, but also with his family members, which makes treatment more successful and prevents the possibility of breakdowns.

Don't be afraid to seek medical help

There is no shame in admitting your addiction to people who can help you. Contact specialized psychologists - and they will definitely help you understand yourself and solve the psychological problems that caused the emergence of gambling addiction.

Prevention of gaming addiction

Like any other disease, computer game addiction is easier to prevent than to treat:

1. Increase your self-esteem.
2. Learn to work with stress and negative emotions.
3. Notice your needs and meet them in a healthy way.
4. Lead a healthy lifestyle - it reduces stress levels.
5. Learn self-organization skills.
6. Rest on time, do not bring your psyche to exhaustion.
7. Do not neglect family communication and friendship.

Keep track of time

Computer games are an exciting process.
We may not even notice how we spent several hours on it. It's quite easy to get lost in fantasy worlds and plot twists that will keep you glued to the screen for "another 10 minutes." Psychologist John M. Grohol believes that time tracking can help in this case. Write down what time you start playing and what time you finish. At the end of the week, calculate how many hours you spent playing games. Most likely, this figure will make you think again.

conclusions

Gambling addiction exists and it is a serious problem that can and should be fought. Statistics say that on average, treatment takes about 9 months and most patients achieve lasting results.

As a result of treatment, the patient’s mental and physical health is restored, the emotional background and relationships with others improve, self-esteem increases and the person begins to look to the future with confidence. Reality ceases to frighten, and real life turns out to be more interesting and richer than any virtual reality.

The information presented in this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional advice from a physician. If you notice signs of depression, consult a specialist!

Author: Editorial staff of the Help-Point.net portal

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Tags: how to understand that it’s time to seek help psychologist online addiction test locus of control test willpower consultation with a psychologist gambling addiction sports betting addiction phone addiction shopaholism

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Literature:

• Egorov A. Yu. Modern approaches to the treatment of gambling addiction. Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry. S.S. Korsakov. Special issues. 2014;114(5-2):46-52.
• Pyatnitsky N.Yu. Statics and dynamics of psychopathy in the concept of E. Kraepelin. Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry. S.S. Korsakov. 2021;121(7):104-113.
• Skokauskas I., Satkeviciute R., Burbv B. Some aspects of pathological attraction to gambling // Psychiatry. 2004. No. 3. P. 59-65.
• Darensky I. D. Gambling addiction // Modern achievements in narcology. Conference materials. M„ 2005. P. 44-45.

Article prepared by an expert

Terekhov Vasily Stanislavovich

Head of the prevention department, coordinator of rehabilitation programs.

Article read by an expert

Barinov Alexander Mikhailovich

Psychiatrist, narcologist, psychotherapist. More than 10 years of experience working with alcohol and drug addicts.

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Online gaming scams - theft

But the worst thing happens when a person begins to get involved in serious financial debts. This happens because online games always involve money! Only few people know about this. A network game is an excellent way to make money from players, not only for those who create or sell it. In an online game, a person always faces two dangers. These are scammers who will definitely profit from the player. And these are the creators of the game, forcing the player to pay real money using psychological manipulation techniques.

In an online game, players' passwords are always stolen, because any value in an online game has a monetary equivalent in the real world. Stolen goods are put up at online auctions. Virtual thefts bring real income.

It's easy to steal passwords. Player authentication is based on entering a password. There are several methods of theft. The player is offered to submit their passwords on the forum to receive help. They send out fake letters supposedly from the server administration, where you need to enter a password and confirm authenticity. And finally, hacker programs are introduced into the game - for example, Trojans. Few people know, but Trojans were created specifically to steal passwords for online games.

Lost interest in spending time together

When close people, partners, parents, friends offer an addicted person some kind of pastime, he agrees extremely reluctantly. And it doesn’t matter where exactly he is invited: to nature or to a concert of his favorite band, all this only annoys him, seems boring and pointless. Even if the addict still agrees to follow your lead, he will only think about when all this will end and he can return to the computer. Often he even becomes hostile and alienated towards the people around him.

If a person still has even the slightest opportunity to refuse to participate in the proposed event, despite the dissatisfaction and worries of loved ones, the addict will do so. His area of ​​interest is only content related to games.