In 2022, the video game industry was worth an estimated US$217 billion. Since then, that number has only gone up. The video game industry is bigger than film, television, and music combined. It’s estimated that around 3 billion people around the world play video games through a variety of platforms such as mobile phones, consoles, and personal computers.

There are many people who play video games for fun, but with the number of people who play video games, it is unsurprising that there are those for whom gaming has become an addiction.

Like any other addiction, compulsive gaming can be treated with the right help. Liberty Home provides the help and support that can help a person take control over gaming.

Gaming Addiction Treatment at Liberty Home

Liberty Home’s treatment options are divided between two different centres in two different countries. Each centre focuses on different parts of the recovery process.

Primary Treatment

Our primary treatment centre in Cape Town, South Africa focuses entirely on inpatient treatment. While we do not offer detox services at this centre, we work closely with medical facilities that do.

While in this treatment centre, our patients will be allowed to use the internet only during designated tech slots. Otherwise, they are offline. The staff at this centre is available to patients 24/7, so patients will have access to professional care and support whenever they need it.

Treatment for Gaming Addiction at Liberty Home

Our treatment programmes are designed to comprehensively support our patients and give them the skills they need to overcome behavioural addiction. Some of our treatment options for addiction include:

CBT is a dynamic form of treatment that is focused on helping patients identify and change the thought patterns that can contribute to unhealthy behaviours. It can be used to treat gaming addiction by helping patients understand the reasons behind their excessive gaming.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

DBT can help treat gaming addiction by teaching skills in four modules: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.

These skills can empower individuals to manage intense emotions, cope with distress, become aware of triggers, and improve relationships, which can reduce their reliance on video games as a way to cope.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of treatment that is primarily used to treat trauma. By addressing underlying trauma that may contribute to excessive time spent on video games.

EMDR Therapy

Some people are ambivalent about their recovery. MI can help resolve these feelings about their patterns of gaming and enhance their motivation to make positive changes in their lives.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Our Reintegration Programme is focused on helping people develop the skills they need to navigate the world while being free from their addiction. This is done in a calm and secure environment, and the programme can last 28 days to a year. Afterwards, a patient can move on to our sober living programme.

Reintegration

Our Mindfulness/sober living programme is focused on helping patients make the choice every day to be free from addiction and to develop habits that will keep them from falling back into old patterns of behaviour.

Sober Living

What is Gaming Addiction?

Gaming addiction, or gaming disorder, is a condition characterised by an overwhelming urge to play video games. This can lead to persistent and uncontrollable gaming behaviour. Individuals afflicted by this condition often struggle to reduce or control their video gaming time. They may prioritise it over other essential activities.

This addiction can affect various aspects of a person’s life, including their professional and social lives. A gaming addiction is a recognised behavioural disorder, reflecting the compulsive nature of gaming despite potential negative consequences.

Gaming disorder can encompass a range of types of gaming, from online multiplayer games to narrative-driven, single-player experiences. Video games are designed to be as immersive as possible, with their engaging storylines and interactive environments. This can make it challenging for individuals to step away from gaming.

Awareness of this condition is essential for fostering a supportive environment to help individuals navigate their gaming habits more effectively.

Signs and Symptoms of Gaming Addiction

Gaming addiction can come with numerous signs and symptoms. The most prominent of which is a preoccupation with gaming. This is when individuals spend a significant amount of time thinking about or planning their next gaming session. They may spend considerable resources upgrading their equipment or buying video games and consoles, engaging in microtransactions with the game for new equipment, and purchasing peripheral equipment such as headsets and gaming chairs.

People with gaming addiction may feel restless or irritable when unable to play, and gaming may dominate their thoughts, even when they are engaged in other activities.

They may also be unable to cut down or stop gaming, even if they want to. They can also often play video games for longer than they originally intended. This addiction can cause neglect of personal responsibilities, such as work, school, or relationships, as the individual prioritises playing video games over other important aspects of life.

It’s also common for them to withdraw socially and neglect spending time with family and friends in favour of their excessive gaming. Physical symptoms can include fatigue, poor personal hygiene, and neglect of health.

Another sign that someone has a gaming addiction is if they struggle with withdrawal symptoms if they are unable to play video games.

Causes of Gaming Addiction

There are numerous, complex factors that can lead a person to develop an addiction to video games.

One major cause is the design of video games themselves. Games are meant to be engaging and immersive, and they are intended to keep players playing. Features such as kill streaks, levelling up characters with experience points (XP), and in-game rewards can stimulate the brain’s reward system, making it difficult for many people to stop playing.

Psychological factors also play a crucial role. For those with underlying mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem, gaming may be a form of escapism, or the in-game rewards and progression can give them a sense of accomplishment.

Furthermore, peer pressure and the desire to fit in with a gaming community can contribute to the development of an addiction.

The easy access to games can also increase the risk. Because video game addiction can often affect children, another factor that can lead to its development is a lack of parental supervision.

Stressors like academic pressure, family issues, or work-related stress may drive individuals to seek comfort in video games, reinforcing the behaviour.

Health Risks and Concerns of Video Game Addiction

Video game addiction can have effects on a person’s mental and physical health.

Prolonged gaming sessions can lead to physical health issues such as eye strain, headaches, and musculoskeletal problems, particularly in the neck, back, and hands. Gamers often spend long hours in the same position and strain their hands as they manipulate controllers.

Furthermore, long hours spent gaming can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which increases the risk of obesity and related health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Gaming addiction can also have a major impact on emotional well-being. It can increase feelings of anxiety and depression. It can also contribute to social isolation, as individuals often withdraw from face-to-face interactions and other activities they once enjoyed.

Late-night gaming sessions can also contribute to disrupted sleep patterns, which can result in chronic fatigue and decreased overall functioning, as well as exacerbating other mental and physical health conditions, as good sleep is vital for overall health.

What Happens at the End of My Treatment?

At the end of your primary treatment in South Africa with us, you can choose to go on to our secondary treatment facility, where you will learn to navigate the world without your gaming addiction.

Gaming Can Become an Addiction, But Our Treatment Can Help

Video games, at their core, are meant to be fun. They are meant to elicit joy in those who play them, the same way toys or sports are meant to. However, when gaming becomes an addiction, it can become a problem.

People can find themselves missing out on the real world because they’re too busy spending their time in a fictional one. But it is possible to retake control over a gaming disorder and return to the real world. With the proper treatment which Liberty Home can provide, a person can overcome process addictions like gaming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Therapeutic Approaches Does Liberty Home Clinic Use?

Liberty Home Clinic uses both evidence-based and holistic therapeutic approaches.

What Types of Mental Health Issues are Treated at Liberty Home Clinic?

They treat depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, mood disorders, and borderline personality disorder.

What Conditions Are Treated Using CBT at Liberty Home Clinic?

CBT is used to treat substance use disorders, borderline personality disorder, OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and severe mental illness.

How Common is Video Game Addiction?

Gaming addiction is fairly common. It’s estimated that there are around 60 million people across the world who struggle with it to some degree.

What Age Does Gaming Addiction Start?

Gaming addiction can start at any age. However, it primarily affects adults aged 18 to 34, although some estimates posit that more than 8 per cent of children under 18 are addicted to video games.