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Gone are the times when we would go to arcade and play games with a few coins. Gaming disorder is a new-world concern, and it affects the lives of many young individuals. Gaming is now a multi-billion-dollar industry that, in a way, has become globally influential.
There are some advantages of gaming for growing children. However, the cons superimpose any benefits that you may experience. Mental health researchers, after much consideration, placed it into the category of addictions, due to its pervasive, long-term, and harmful dependency.
What Is Gaming Disorder?
Gaming addiction disorder, formally known as Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM V, has also been recognized by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) as a formal diagnosis. The pandemic forced us to shift to an online mode, making even schoolwork and office digital. This typically has made it very difficult to regulate screen time these days.
Not just games, but even the lessons and meetings are all online, and many instructional videos are on You-Tube. Parental controls often become useless against smart kids who have figured out how to bypass them. Now, more than ever, it has become difficult to monitor screen and gaming time.
Video Game Addiction Symptoms
By formally recognizing gaming disorder, we have taken a huge step in making care available to those in need. That said, there’s still a long way to go in terms of access to care, research, clinical understanding, and awareness of internet and technology related addictions.
Like other forms of addictions, perhaps the most characteristic symptom of gaming disorder is increased dependence. Think about your day and the amount of gaming involved through the day. Gaming addiction is not the same as being a professional game player. Even if you are a professional, you can still develop an addiction.
How does it feel like when a game is taken away from you? Do you experience withdrawl symptoms? Do you become angry and agitated? For a person with an addictive personality, these symptoms become very apparent, and it becomes difficult to separate the game from their real life.
Games typically take precedence over any other activity. You may skip your work, make no time for your relationships, or even miss important events to complete that one particular level. It is important to remember that games were designed in a way that give you an instant dopamine kick. However, it is never enough. You are pulled to game more and more into gaming disorder.
Video Game Addiction Causes
In the 1990s and early 2000s, online gaming experienced a significant surge in popularity. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), like World of Warcraft, captured the imaginations of millions of players worldwide. As the world became smaller, our need to play became intense. We played not to compete with a neighbor, but a global society.
The number of cases of gaming disorder especially rose during the pandemic, due to social isolation. As our dependence on devices increased, and in-person contact decreased, we succumed to screen time. A lot of individuals found comfort in these devices. The internet community became their support and AI systems became their best friends.
Addictions generally become a coping mechanism. They may distract you from symptoms of anxiety or depression and help you temporarily. Little do we initially know that this is an endless cycle. As the accessibility increased, the number of users increased as well, making gaming the norm. It is crucial to keep your eyes open for your loved ones falling into the shackles of gaming disorder. A mental health professional can help you learn healthy coping mechanisms as well as manage your addiction.
For many, this piece of writing can be triggering, but it all starts by being informed and becoming aware. Research on the effects of screen time on mental health is not new and continues to impact cohorts of individuals. It is essential to draw a line between fun and addiction.
Gaming addiction affects the whole family and not just the individual. Mental health professionals provide comprehensive care and intervention training for addiction, mental health, and trauma that continues until the individual and the family are healthy and in recovery.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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