When love for video games turns into addiction

ARTHUR sat on his couch, picked up his smartphone to check a message, and clicked on an advertisement introducing a new game. He was not familiar with the style of play but before he knew it, he was so absorbed in the game that he forgot why he initially picked up his phone.

Michael spends most of his time in his room on the computer or smartphone, claiming he has online classes and assignments to complete. But his parents have noticed that his marks are deteriorating, and with the current online learning arrangement, it is also difficult for teachers to monitor their students’ progress.

Video games are indeed addictive. In 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that gaming addiction is a mental health disorder. In fact, WHO has classified gaming as a disease in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

Inclusion of “gaming disorder” in the ICD-11 necessitates the drawing-up of relevant prevention and hard treatment strategies to reduce its harm to personal and population health.

Online gaming is commonly described as being almost as stimulating or addictive as substance addiction. Early this month, a state-owned media outlet in China branded online gaming as “spiritual opium” and called for regulation to prevent “destroying a generation” of gaming addicts.

Symptoms of gaming addiction include:

> Preoccupation, i.e., completely absorbed and involved in gaming, forgetting all other activities;

> Constantly seeking reasons or excuses to continue playing;

> Loss of control, i.e. dysfunctional responses to emotions, such as getting upset easily and becoming anxious when the gaming source is taken away; and

> Exhausting all means to buy games.

Despite the negative consequences, game addicts persist or escalate their gaming behaviour by dedicating even more time and effort to sustain their addiction. Clinically, it takes at least 12 months of such prolonged behaviour to be diagnosed as gaming disorder.

Steps to prevent gaming addiction include:

> Setting and adhering to strict time limits for play;

> Limiting access to age-suited games;

> Keeping smartphones and gadgets away from the bedroom to avoid using them into the night;

> Engaging in other activities, especially exercise, to avoid sitting and playing over a long stretch of time; and

> Allocating specific family interaction time.

Treatment methods for gaming addicts include counselling by addiction medicine specialists, harm reduction approaches and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

If it is hard to eliminate altogether, parents can limit their children’s gaming time. In this instance, harm reduction could be a better approach than using an abstinent model of treatment.

Video game addiction affects only a portion (about 9%) of people who engage in gaming activities, but it is best to stay alert to one’s time spent in gaming activities. Any changes in one’s physical or psychological health or social functioning related to gaming deserve professional attention. Contact your local addiction medicine specialists who are ready to help.

DR PREM KUMAR SHANMUGAM

Solace Asia Addiction Treatment Retreat

Kuala Lumpur