Two Secrets of Breaking Gaming Addiction That No One Talks About

In the late '90s as a child, I was gifted my first ever GameBoy and boy has it been quite a thrill from there.

From that time and throughout his life, the young boy has gone deep and long as much as he can on gaming from his childhood to his teenage years - so much that it has sucked various opportunities from him.

So upon reaching adulthood that boy has finally snapped out of it and decided to control his urge for gaming with one crucial step...

I decided to detox from my generation-old gaming addiction.

But What is Gaming Addiction To Begin With?

A Definition.

Gaming addiction is a form of behavioral addiction that is related to the obsessive playing of video games. It is characterized by an inability to control playtime, which in turn can lead to problems in both work and social life.

As with any other type of addiction, gaming addiction has its side effects. These include insomnia, weight changes, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure.

If you can imagine the above statement with the "boy-gone adult" taking in more responsibilities - man was I out of control.

Losing quality sleep, failing to meet with schedules, the missed chores, and the resulting trash build-up - gross!

So one day, wanted to identify my patterns. Patterns that ends up triggering my gaming habit.

The Science in the Solution.

Identifying patterns - what did I do exactly? Let's dive in.

Video games have grown in popularity over the years and gaming addiction is an issue that has risen along with it.

A recent study found that 12% of gamers between the ages of 13-20 are afflicted with this problem.

The addictive nature of video games can be attributed to many different factors. One key factor is the social aspect: interacting with peers is a big part of online games, and so video game addicts may find themselves withdrawing from social situations in order to play more. Additionally, gamers may find themselves playing for hours on end because they enjoy the feeling of accomplishment they get from completing a level or beating a boss.

As with any other type of addiction, gaming addiction has its side effects. These can include insomnia, weight changes, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure. There are different types of treatment for this addiction depending on the severity of it; one such example would be cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has been found to help in up to 80% of cases.

So throughout these years I have been grinding in games to get better but in reality I was my own boss to beat all these times!

I had to think differently about gaming and my habits - but most importantly I had to think and believe.

Just like that?

No.

Controlling the Effects of Gaming Addiction

For some people, gaming addiction has been diagnosed as an impulse control disorder. For others, it is categorized as a type of behavioral addiction that is related to the obsessive playing of video games.

It's not easy - this impulse is a true, recurring cycle even to me today.

Some would probably have thought to try one of the few third-parties options to 'cope' with these impulses:

• A therapist specializing in behavioral addictions to provide treatment for the addiction

• A psychologist may use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness therapy

• A physician can prescribe anti-anxiety medication or antidepressant medications

Read more about gaming addiction and other different approaches to tackling it right here.

The Core Principle to Habit

But personally, I didn't find the need to go as far as third parties professionals - it ended up boiling down to two initial and internal steps for me:

• Just switch off and stop;
• step away and stay that way.

When the tide of impulse hits - rinse and repeat.

If you think you have a gaming addiction, the first thing to do is admit it to yourself. Self-awareness is the core to recovery as it is a recurring process.

So my advise is in order for you to get better, you must be able to see when you are playing too much and take steps to limit game-time.

Conclusion

I personally have carried over these self-awareness-based principles as a new habit builder and have realised multiple successes in other aspects of my adult life.

I have beaten various boss versions of myself in different stages! Yay!

Just believe in yourself. Because if it was possible for a 28-year-old adult-boy to build a self-controlled habit and achieve success, it’s possible for you to do the same.

Whatever type of approach you choose, and if it has affected you highly negatively seek the help of professionals. Just remember to stay committed and consistent with your plan in order for it to work.

Gaming addiction is a serious problem that people are willing to overlook. It's important to understand the consequences that can come from gaming addiction. Not being able to stop gaming can lead to serious consequences, but fortunately it is possible to stop gaming.

Read more about gaming addiction and other different approaches to tackling it right here. And if you’ve enjoyed my little corner here, let me know in the comments and leave a ❤.