Fortnite Addiction: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Introduction

Who hasn’t heard of Fortnite, the hugely popular online multiplayer game with its massive global following? But have you heard about Fortnite addiction? Yes, this is actually a thing because this game has a highly addictive nature. Why? Because of its engaging gameplay, social elements, and regular updates. These are all great aspects for the game, demonstrating the game designers have done a great job. And although gaming can be a healthy hobby, with people like Elon Musk describing it to Joe Rogan as a way to help him gain insight into how effectively he manages stress and frustration, or gauge his level of focus, for others, gaming is not so beneficial. Indeed, whilst one of the geniuses of our time can use the immersive and controlled gaming experience as a mirror to understand where he’s at mentally, for others gaming becomes the cause of mental health problems because it veers into unhealthy levels. Yes, Fortnite addiction is a growing concern, especially among young people and this article discusses causes of Fortnite addiction, symptoms to watch for, and practical steps for treatment and prevention.

What Is Fortnite?

If you’re someone who’s only heard of the popular online game because you know people playing Fortnite, you will need to first understand what you’re dealing with. So what is Fortnite? Fortnite is a free-to-play battle royale game developed by Epic Games. It combines survival, shooting, and building mechanics, making it engaging, fun, and strategic. It also offers multiple modes of play. For instance, you can play solo, duo, or as a team. This gives the game a wider appeal. Due to all this, Fortnite is popular across age groups and platforms, including consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. This wide appeal makes Fortnite addiction an inevitable outcome because of the level of exposure the game has, and the success it has achieved. But, when a game begins to affect an individual’s real world daily life, like Fortnite may for you or someone you know, we could be talking about signs of Fortnite addiction.

Causes Of Fortnite Addiction

Socialising With Friends

Fortnite is a great way to socialise because it allows players to connect with friends in real time, making it a social platform as well as a game. This social component means people can spend more time in the game, because they don’t want to miss out on shared experiences. Also, because of the group play option, there is the added sense of belonging that comes into play (pun intended). This, also, could be a reason people stay on longer, rather than quitting, making it a potential reason and sign of video game addiction. If you think this is true for you, it may be time to think about how to break Fortnite addiction because by socialising in this way for hours at a time, might you be missing out on real world social contact, and other activities? And what else is playing Fortnite taking you away from? Could your time be better spent?

Low Barrier of Entry

Fortnite is free to play, this makes it easy to access by a wider audience. On top of this, you don’t need high-end equipment to play which further reduces barriers to entry. This kind of easy access encourages prolonged play, which can contribute to Fortnite addiction. Think about it this way, Fortnite is designed to engage people, and it accesses the reward centre of the brain when played, this is how it creates a chemical addiction because we’re talking about the release of several “feel-good” hormones and neurotransmitters due to the reward, pleasure, achievement, and social elements of the game. Now imagine you were trying to watch your weight and were given a year’s supply of your favourite treat! Having access to all your favourites would only hinder your aims, because it’s so readily available and food also releases those feel good chemicals in the body.

Triumph Circuit

The “triumph circuit” is when winning or performing well releases dopamine, reinforcing addictive behaviours. This is why Fortnite addiction is real. Let’s understand the triumph circuit better. Say the word “Triumph” Doesn’t it feel good even saying it? The word comes from the Latin term “triumphus.” This was a ceremonial procession celebrating a victorious Roman general. It was a grand public ritual where the victor paraded through the city, displaying spoils, captives, and soldiers to honour a significant military victory. The word has since broadened out beyond this specific ceremony, coming to signify any form of victory or great success, especially one involving public celebration or the overcoming of obstacles. In modern English, “triumph” denotes a noteworthy success, achievement, or feeling of exultation following a win or accomplishment. The term still carries echoes of its origins as it often implies a sense of glory, joy, and public recognition. The “triumph circuit” thus creates a positive feedback loop, keeping players hooked in pursuit of more victories. This feeling of achievement can lead players to prioritise gaming over other activities.

Dopamine Hit

Back to the chemical addiction element, specifically the release of dopamine which is triggered by Fortnite’s gameplay, creating feelings of pleasure and excitement. When we feel good from doing something it reinforces the behaviour. The release of dopamine when playing Fortnite makes the desire to play, stronger, as players seek to repeat the rewarding experience. As mentioned, this kind of chemical response is similar to other forms of addiction so the question of “How to stop a Fortnite addiction?” becomes a valid one and should be treated as seriously if it affects important aspects of a person’s life, especially if the consequences become longer term ones. Gaming disorder is recognised by psychiatry for this reason so it’s important to understand the risk factors, including the chemical and behavioural nature of gaming addiction.

New Features and Events

As mentioned, the game Fortnite is very cleverly designed to keep people engaged. It regularly updates with new events, skins, and seasons. The frequency of these updates create a “fear of missing out” (FOMO) which makes people want to log in frequently so they can keep abreast of all the new, shiny things. Indeed, new things offer novelty, the novel nature of new features can, in and of themselves, make it harder for players to disengage from the game. There’s also the need to be current. For younger players, knowing about new updates and items in the game can be a talking point, a way to bond, and show how cool they are because of their Fortnite knowledge. They may also be competitive and not wish to be unpopular because of their lack of knowledge, making it more important to stay up to date and ignore Fortnite addiction symptoms.

Signs And Symptoms Of Fortnite Addiction

Mood Swing When Not Playing

If you or someone you know shows signs of irritability, frustration, or upset when they can’t play Fortnite, it may be time to consider how to stop Fortnite addiction. Of course it is normal to feel these sorts of feelings acutely, in passing, and this does not necessarily imply a problem. But when others, like parents or friends, notice drastic changes in mood that relate to game access, there may be something more serious going on. Yes, mood swings that are contingent on your access to the game, may very well be a sign of dependency, showing that you’re using the game to regulate your emotions, because it is only when you play that you feel okay or good. This may also helpfully highlight deficiency in other areas of your life, especially if you only look forward to playing Fortnite and lack interest in other activities, people, or life aims. So if you experience mood swings when not playing on a consistent basis, and if others have pointed this out to you, you may need to consider how to overcome Fortnite addiction.

Jeopardizing Important Responsibilities

Addiction of any kind is defined as such because of how it impacts life areas in negative ways but still cannot be controlled. In much the same way, Fortnite addiction often leads players to neglect school, work, or personal responsibilities. People may not see this as a problem, because they are simply doing what they enjoy – what could possibly be wrong with this? And it’s true, gaming could be a harmless recreational activity that helps you blow of steam and relax, like how Elon Musk and others use it. But, if your gaming sessions often take priority over other responsibilities, such that this prioritisation is having negative consequences on your academic, professional, or social areas of life, you may be denying your addiction. Think about it this way, the people who created the game aren’t sitting around playing games all day (at least not for recreation), they’re working and achieving some cool things in their professional and perhaps personal lives. You can do the same if you use the game in a healthy way. But, if you’re letting it consume your life in ways, you’re doing a great disservice to yourself because of how you harm your life prospects.

Loss of Interest in Other Activities

One of the bigger Fortnite addiction symptoms is a loss of interest in other activities. If you, or someone you know plays Fortnite and seems to have lost interest in the hobbies once enjoyed, like sports, exercise, or spending social time with family, this indicates a shift in interests. This shift is a strong indicator of excessive gaming behaviour because it demonstrates how gaming has become the main source of pleasure and fulfilment. This makes it important to consider how to stop being addicted to Fortnite. Because of the way this kind of immersion, in just one activity, especially an online virtual one, can affect mood, relationships, and life areas, like work and academia. They say everything is good in moderation, and excess is harmful. This is why it is necessary to honestly review your relationship with Fortnite, and maybe gaming in general, rather than ignoring the signs. This is perhaps more important when an addiction is more subtle and benign. It appears harmless because playing Fortnite is not generally frowned upon, and is perhaps overly normalised, and seen as a good thing by one’s peers. But, an addiction, whether subtle or not, negatively impacts life.

Isolation

Another way a Fortnite addiction harms life is when it causes people to withdraw from in-person social interactions because they prefer online gaming friends to real-life relationships. This is a difficult issue because on one hand, online friendships can be great for people who would normally be isolated for some reason or another. Indeed, I have seen this in my work with clients. However, I have also seen that it can be the very reason people do not seek out social contact in the real world, because they become comfortable with what they have online. This means they only have a very specific form of socialisation, and when people drop out of online groups, or when text based spats occur, people are more easily able to walk away. This leaves the individual with little recourse, in terms of social engagement. Even if they have many friends through gaming, the quality of these friendships may be lacking, and still create a sense of isolation, on a deeper level. This naturally worsens mental health, contributing to feelings of loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, and possibly anxiety. This is because we need social contact in the real world. So consider how to stop a Fortnite addiction, if you recognise this problem for you.

Develop Unhealthy Habits

If playing long Fortnite gaming sessions has resulted in the development of other unhealthy habits, you may have an addiction. So what kind of unhealthy habits are we talking about? Well, if you’re spending a lot of time gaming and have noticed it affect your diet, such that you opt for quick, convenient, and unhealthy or less nutritionally diverse or dense meals, you’ve developed poor eating habits. You may also be spending too much time playing so that you don’t get enough sleep, resulting in sleep deprivation which is also bad for your health. Playing Fortnite for a lot of time may also mean you’re not exercising because of the time dedicated to gaming. And because it’s a sedentary activity, it’s even worse. Also, if you’re not socialising in the real world anymore, or are neglecting other responsibilities, you may be developing unhealthy habits in those life areas. When we think about how excessive gaming can impact in these ways, we can see how these unhealthy habits can have serious physical and mental health consequences. So if you notice these lifestyle changes in someone you know, because of Fortnite, you might observe them as warning signs of a Fortnite addiction.

Being Deceptive

It may be time to learn how to stop Fortnite addiction if you’re lying about the amount of time you spend on Fortnite. When individuals know they have an addiction, or something on the spectrum of one, they will use deception because they feel guilt or embarrassment over excessive gaming, or some other vice. Interestingly, people who secretly indulge in their vice may still not consciously view it as an addiction, because they’re in denial. But, their shame or guilt may be a way to help them realise there’s a problem. So if you know someone who you suspect is lying to you, it can be quite difficult to, in the first instance, get them to admit the deceit, and in the second instance, the underlying reason for the lies; addiction. This kind of behaviour can erode trust in relationships with family and friends which is another indicator of the harmfulness of gaming addiction. This is also because the lies don’t just have to be about the gaming time itself, they may relate to excuses made to avoid socialising in the real world, or lies about having done school work, or even making excuses for why they cannot attend school or work, only to game.

How To Stop Fortnite Addiction

Have a Conversation With Your Kid

This one is fairly obvious and it’s one you’ve likely already tried if you feel concerned about your child’s Fortnite habits. It’s important to approach the subject calmly, rather than allowing any frustration you may be feeling to come through. The aim should be to try to understand why Fortnite is so appealing to your child. By focusing on taking an understanding approach, one that means you genuinely listen, rather than judge, you’re more likely to get a warmer reception. Indeed, if you can show an open, listening, understanding, and calm approach to your child, it’s more likely that they will try to give you some of the same. If they are more open to you, rather than closed off and defensive, you can talk about the effects of excessive gaming and encourage open communication by showing how it’s done. If your child is able to share why they spend so much time on Fortnite, you may see areas that you can help them to address. This may even create opportunities for you to bond as a family, and at the same time, give your child reasons to want to stay in the real world. It’s difficult to get children to do something that’s in their best interests, but against their wishes, which is exactly why effort and energy will be required. Your child will need your focused attention to help them overcome Fortnite addiction, and they likely won’t thank you for it – at least not straight away.

Play Together

You may need to do some field work yourself to understand your child’s mind and motivations. This may entail you joining them in a Fortnite session so you can understand the game and its appeal by experiencing it for yourself. You can also use this opportunity as a time to bond because while you play you may be able to talk about the game, or about other things. This is one reason why therapists often use distraction via play – it helps children open up. So playing together may help your child open up to you. Playing with them will also allow you to observe how they interact with the game. You may think this is a counter-intuitive suggestion, but it’s aimed at being a starting point toward discussing healthy gaming habits. It will demonstrate to your child that you’re not completely against the idea of Fortnite, and you’re open to their interests. By extending this olive branch, you not only help your child feel more open to you in return, but you also model being open, showing them how to do it. You may even be surprised by what you learn. For instance, you might enjoy the game yourself and agree a way you can share this interest together, but in a moderate way. Or you may learn things about your child, strengths they seem to have when it comes to the game. Acknowledging these can help your child feel praised and boost their self-esteem. You may even think of ways they could hone and transfer their skills in other ways.

Limit Their Fortnite Game Time

This suggestion can work inline with the others mentioned. It is important that you are able to create boundaries for your child’s game time, as you would with other activities. This is about setting reasonable daily or weekly time limits for playing Fortnite but also explain the purpose of these limits to your child so that you can agree them together. This may involve using timers or parental controls to help enforce the limits you have agreed but also agreeing that this will happen. It may also help you and your child if you can help them occupy them with something else. This may be time you spend together, or time they spend on meaningful activities. It may help to set gaming “off hours” so that family meals, bedtime, or study hours are times that gaming is off-limits. This will help promote a healthy routine and structure for those activities. You might also want to link playtime to responsibilities. For example, you could encourage your child to complete homework, chores, or other responsibilities first as a “prerequisite” to gaming, teaching them about priorities and self-discipline. This way they will have earned their game time, which gives it a sense of value. It also means they are doing other productive things that take up their time. Also, do remember that if your child’s gaming is excessive, you may have to reduce it gradually to help them adjust and avoid resistance. It may be helpful to go a step further and balance your own screen time and engage in other activities.

Set Rules

It’s important to have a structure around gaming time so establishing guidelines for it will help do this by helping your child prioritise other responsibilities. Make the rules clear and specific. You can also make it fun by rewarding your child when they comply with the limits you’ve agreed. For example, you could offer small rewards. This will reinforce their positive behaviour and encouraging healthy gaming habits. Clear and specific rules relate to things like establishing specific gaming hours, limiting in-game purchases, “no gaming times,” as previously mentioned, setting limits on consecutive days played for balance, emphasising good behaviour, limiting device use in bedrooms, not allowing gaming before bedtime, encouraging communication about when your child start and stops playing for accountability, re-evaluating rules periodically so you allow for adjustments based on your child’s progress and feedback, and displaying the rules in a common area so they’re easily accessible and visible, serving as a constant reminder of what has been agreed. When you create a set of clear rules that are reasonable and agreed upon, you provide structure around this activity which can help your child enjoy a more balanced gaming experience. Moreover, by involving your child in the process of creating this kind of structure, you empower them, rather than make them feel a lack of control and a sense of oppression that many children will revolt against.

Make a Reward System

We briefly touched on positive reinforcement via reward. Let’s discuss further how offering rewards for following gaming rules can help you achieve that structure and balance. Indeed, a reward system can encourage discipline and reduce dependency on gaming over time. So how to do this? Firstly, it’s necessary to set achievable goals by designing a reward system around attainable milestones, like completing homework on time, maintaining grades, or meeting screen time limits, which encourages consistency. Also, it helps to vary rewards by offering both small rewards (like an extra 10 minutes of play) for daily achievements and larger rewards (like a weekend activity or outing). This will help motivate your child to stay on track. It’s also good to include rewards that are unrelated to gaming, such as a favourite snack, a family movie night, or new art supplies, which can also encourage engagement in other interests. It also helps to make rewards predictable by clearly outlining what behaviours earn which rewards – a bit like a trophy system. This way your child understands exactly what’s expected and the benefits of following the rules. Tracking progress visually can also help, via a chart or calendar so your child can track progress toward rewards, helping them see their achievements and feel more accountable. Involving other family members in the reward process, like a family dinner out for meeting weekly goals can create a supportive environment too. All this helps avoid punishment-only systems which do not emphasise rewards. By focusing on encouraging positive behaviour instead of only penalising missed goals, you create a constructive approach.

Encourage Offline Relationships

It’s important to support and encourage your child’s engagement with activities that include face-to-face interactions. This might be hobbies, sports, or group activities so they can build offline friendships. By building a strong social life outside of gaming, your child can reduce reliance on Fortnite for social connection. This can be done in various ways: for instance, you can encourage your child to invite friends over or join group activities. This reinforces the value of face-to-face interactions outside of the digital world. You can also suggest sports, music, art, exercise, or other clubs where your child can develop social skills and form connections around shared interests. You could also schedule regular playdates or outings with friends and family to give your child enjoyable offline experiences that reduce the dependency on online connections. It’s also important to model offline engagement by spending quality time with family, attending events together, or interacting with friends yourself. Get the whole family involved by suggesting other offline activities for the whole family. Things like board games or hiking, which foster bonding and offer an enjoyable way to socialise together, without screens. It’s also useful to educate your child about the benefits of diverse friendships, helping them understand the difference between virtual friendships and in-person connections that provide emotional support. Also, remember to give positive reinforcement by giving positive feedback for offline socialising because recognising and encouraging the effort to build offline relationships, helps reinforce the importance of these connections as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Parental Control in Fortnite

You can also use Fortnite’s built-in parental controls to manage game access to reduce temptation. It’s important to discuss these controls with your child to set clear expectations around gaming. Another function of the game’s parental control settings is to manage who your child can interact with, limit in-game purchases, and monitor playtime, reducing exposure to potentially harmful interactions. It’s also a good idea to review and adjust communication settings to limit chat access, enabling interaction only with approved friends, which helps create a safer online environment. And there’s the option to use the parental control settings on the gaming console or device to set specific times for gameplay or to lock the game after a certain amount of time, enforcing agreed playtime limits. Then there’s settings to restrict spending. This means in-game purchases have to be approved so you can manage spending and prevent impulsive buying. Another helpful thing is that Fortnite offers customisation options to restrict more mature or intense in-game content, which can make the game more suitable for younger children. And did you know you can get gaming reports from PlayStation or Xbox to see weekly summaries of playtime and in-game behaviour, giving insights into your child’s habits? Remember to talk to your child about these controls and why they are in place. It can also help to review them regularly together, so your child understands their purpose and sees them as part of a collaborative effort. Also, think about re-evaluating and adjusting parental control settings periodically to adapt to your child’s changing gaming habits, ensuring ongoing support as they grow.

Tips For Adults Addicted To Fortnite

So even though much of the above discusses Fortnite addiction from a parental perspective, this does not mean adults are not affected by it. So if this is you or someone you know, it’s important to treat it just as seriously. The first step, as with any addiction is to acknowledge the addiction. This means recognising and admitting the impact Fortnite has on your daily life. Only then can you move on to the next necessary steps. For instance, then you can start to set personal boundaries. This means limiting playtime to avoid interference with work, relationships, and responsibilities. It will also be important to create offline hobbies so you can develop interests outside gaming. This may be things like reading, sports, or learning a skill. Then there’s the importance of practicing self-discipline. This could mean setting specific times to play and sticking to them, and avoiding spontaneous gaming sessions. It may also be an idea to connect with friends, family, or online support groups to help manage gaming habits, if you think the extra support will help. You can also refer to all the advice offered above, except this time you’re your own parent. You have to control the adjustments you make, but you could ask someone else to get involved and hold you accountable by checking in with any self-regulating rules you make.

Final Thoughts

So while Fortnite is a popular and engaging game, it is these very things that gives it the potential to become addictive. So it’s about creating healthy boundaries. It’s therefore helpful to take some proactive measures to identify your gaming habits so you can manage them before they become a problem. It’s about understanding the signs of addiction, this is key to fostering balanced gaming, whether for kids or adults. And do remember, if you’ve tried but the addiction feels to hard to manage alone, you can always get in touch for support.