Gaming Addiction – Facts and Symptoms You Should be Aware of
Going by the figures revealed by a University of New Mexico study, 6% to 15% of all the video gamers show signs of addiction at some point of time. In most cases, the symptoms and signs of gaming addiction are very difficult to ascertain.
Although video games can be extremely healing and entertaining in certain ways, it is also a fact that video game addiction is a real thing and a diagnosable disorder today, recognized by the AMA (American Medical Association). It has also been officially named a mental disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It’s not just video games that people are getting addicted to, a large number of them are addicted to online casino games too. Authorities around the world are coming up with unique ways and means to help people tackle this problem. GamStop is a UK based program that allows gamers to voluntarily exclude themselves from online casinos licensed by the UKGC. Many prominent websites and online magazines are doing their bit by highlighting this issue on their portals. For instance, here’s a popular Music and Culture Online Magazine where an article describes that casino sites are being urged to sign up with Gamstop in order to prevent such addiction among UK gamblers.
Types of Video Gaming Addictions
When it comes to video games, there are two major types of addictions. In case of standard video games played by single players, involving a clear mission, for example rescuing a princess, the addiction is usually related to beating the highest score or completing that mission.
The other video game addiction is to do with multiplayer online games. The gamers who enjoy such multiplayer games often form relationships with other players through their online character. It works as an escape from the day-to-day reality for them; they like staying in that virtual world all the time. For some players, the community offers them a sense of acceptance which is missing otherwise.
Causes behind video game addiction
There can be several causes of gaming addiction. Amongst the biggest reasons is the fact that these games are actually designed to be addictive. The designers of videogames, like any professional, are in constant pursuit of profit. They want more and more people playing their games, and playing them for longer time periods. A way to accomplish the task is by making the games so challenging for players that they keep coming back for more, yet avoiding going overboard with regard to their difficulty level.
Signs of gaming addiction
As is the case with any addiction, there are warning signs in gaming addiction too. As per the Illinois Institute of Addiction Recovery, symptoms of gaming addiction can be physical as well as emotional. Let’s go through them briefly below:
Physical symptoms of gaming addiction
- Poor personal hygiene
- Constant fatigue
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) caused due to extensive use of computer mouse or game controller
- Migraines caused by eye strain or non-stop concentration
Emotional symptoms of gaming addiction
- Isolating oneself from people to spend more time playing video games
- Telling lies to family or friends regarding the time spent on videogames
- Constant preoccupation with thoughts related to previous gaming session or anticipation of the next gaming activity
- Constant feeling of irritability and/or restlessness if unable to play