Question

how to overcome game addiction ​

Answer 1

Treatment

Overcoming an addiction to video games, like all other addictions, can be a difficult process. However, in time someone can learn to enjoy them without being addicted to them. The following tips can be used to curb their addiction.

• Don't stop cold turkey. Video games, unlike other addictions, takes up a lot of time. Stopping altogether may leave a huge void in your life and cause you to relapse. The goal is to curtail how much time you spend playing.

• Play in moderation. Set a specific number of hours (or minutes) to play per day. Set a countdown on your phone. Once that timer goes off, stop playing.

• Eliminate how many systems you own. Between console, handheld, and other gaming systems, there just isn't enough time in the day to play them all. People try. Instead, only have one system you play games on. This will allow you to stay focused, without feeling the need to play games on each and every system.

• Avoid MMOs. If you have a severe addiction to games, MMO's are the worst games you can play. MMO's are huge time vortexes. People have been known to die while playing an MMO, as they play them for days on end without a break.

• Take a break every hour. For each hour of play, stand up, walk around, etc. for a few minutes. It's unhealthy to sit in front of a screen for hours at a time without a break.

• Limit how much money you spend on video games. If you set aside $60 a month for games, then, for the most part, you are just buying one to two games per month. If you limit your spending, you limit your addiction.

• Choose games with physical activity. Games are becoming more movement-based. Some require you to stand and move your body. While they are still video games, they can encourage exercise.

• Include your family. There are a lot of games that families can play together. Not only will it allow you to continue playing, but it will include your family in your hobby. Just remember to teach your children moderation, and if you have to, limit their game time as well. This may also increase addiction, so it may not be the right way to go.

• Seek help. There could be an underlying issue that causes such an addiction. Seeking a mental health professional is not a bad thing and is nothing to be ashamed of. You can talk to your primary care physician about it as well.

• Determine if there are other issues at play. An addiction to video games may be caused by something else in your life. The step above, talking to a mental health professional, can help you identify and possibly address that.

• Find other hobbies. Start a collection of some sort, do some gardening, etc. Something else to keep your hands and mind busy. Some of these you can also include your friends and family.

• Reevaluate your life. Look at your life as it is now. What could be better? Maybe there is a job you didn't get due to your video game addiction. Maybe you missed a child's event at school. Take those wrongs and try to make them right.