How To Quit Video Game Addiction

Introduction

So if you’ve been wondering how to stop computer game addiction, you’ve landed on the right page. You may even be surprised to learn that video game addiction is a recognised mental health disorder. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) it is taken as seriously and treated as similar to other addictions, such as substance abuse. This is because of the impact on the brain’s reward system and the release of dopamine. But not just this, it’s because gaming addiction also affects individuals and their lives, just like other addictions do.

Video game addiction is not restricted to games consoles either, people can be affected if they play games on any device. According to the WHO, it is defined as a pattern of gaming behaviour (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterised by “impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences”. Indeed, it can be just as detrimental to life as any addiction so this article discusses the impact and several strategies to help how to quit gaming addiction. We also consider the reasons why some people are unable to overcome gaming addiction.

Why Do You Need To Stop Playing Video Games?

So before we look at how to stop computer game addiction, let’s understand the why of the situation. Firstly, there’s nothing inherently wrong with playing video games. Many of us wish we had more time to play video games but it’s likely you’re on this page because you’ve developed a problem with the hobby. Fortunately, the reason why many of us don’t have the time to play is because we’re doing things in life that are progressive and productive. So in moderation, there is nothing wrong with playing games, but when it’s skewed the other way it can impact many aspects of life.

Alas, gaming is something of a subtle and benign addiction but this doesn’t mean it’s not damaging. Yes, many issues arise with gaming addiction. For example, some studies show that gaming for more than three hours can significantly increase the risk of physical problems like eye fatigue, as well as wrist, hand, back, and neck pain. And because it’s quite sedentary, it can lead to weight gain and its associated health risks. This addiction can also cause anxiety, depression, and hyperarousal because the kind of constant stimulation from gaming can keep the brain in a heightened state of alertness, leading to difficulties with attention, impulse control, and managing emotions.

There are also negative effects on social skills due to increased isolation. This naturally affects personal relationships because family and friends are neglected, which can cause conflicts and breakdowns in communication. There is also a well-documented correlation between excessive gaming and poor academic or work performance because gamers often experience reduced concentration, impaired cognitive function, and lower grades or productivity due to the time and mental energy gaming takes​.

This can also lead to financial consequences if you neglect work or work ineffectively, and then there are the big price tags of games, downloadable content (DLCs), and all the extras they entice you with! Some people also experience disrupted sleep patterns and might sleep into the day, which also affects work or study, and physical and social activity levels. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of this, it could hint at a gaming problem. So, it might be a good time to review how to stop video game addiction.

How To Quit A Gaming Addiction

Set A Strick Time Limit For Daily Play

So this blog isn’t about how to stop playing video games, I wouldn’t be so unkind and unrealistic, and ask you to do something I am unwilling to do myself – a life without gaming – bah – let’s not get crazy over here. What would life be like without the cascading waterfalls and serene ambience of Zora’s Domain, or the luxuriously relaxing seaside resort of Galdin Quay, with its stunning ocean views? Pretty deprived in my view. So the next best thing is to set a strict time limit if you want to play daily (and let’s be honest, many of us do if we’re playing a game we enjoy). So this might start off at a little less than the current level of play and lessen each day over the week. So, let’s say you’re playing for three hours a day, maybe take off ten minutes more each day so by the end of the week, you’ll be down to under two hours. Over the next week you might reduce this by five minutes more each day until you reach a reasonable time limit, one that means you’re not neglecting other things and people and can improve overall health and wellbeing.

Keep Gaming Devices Out Of The Bedroom

Now if you’re wondering how can I stop playing video games as much as I do, then one good way is to restrict gaming spaces. And by keeping your bedroom a game free zone you can also improve sleep quality because you’ll be reducing your exposure to blue light, which can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Making your bedroom a game-free zone also signals that the bedroom is a place for relaxation and sleep, not for stimulating activities (or at least not virtual ones)​. You will simultaneously reduce the temptation to play games late at night​ and promote the development of a healthy bedtime routine, one that does not involve screen time, and contributes to better overall sleep hygiene. All of this can help to separate leisure activities from rest, improving focus and productivity during the day​. Less exposure to gaming-related stressors and overstimulation before bedtime can also lower stress and anxiety levels, leading to more restful sleep​. It concurrently decreases the risk of developing sleep disorders such as insomnia, which are exacerbated by late-night gaming​. Studies also show this helps boost the quality of relationships by maintaining a healthy balance between personal time and shared time with partners​. And then there is the benefit to physical health. If you’re not gaming in your bedroom, you’re likely to be gaming in a more ergonomically appropriate space, reducing physical strain associated with poor posture during gaming sessions in bed.

Try Apps Or Extensions To Block Your Access

Addiction is a complex beast and with a lot of addictions, it’s not possible to simply reduce the habit, as some of us are ‘all of nothing’ types of people. So you might want to know how to quit gaming addiction, either via reduction if that’s possible for you, or quitting for the long term (my deepest condolences if this is you). Thankfully, there are many apps for either of these aims. For example, Cold Turkey is a versatile app for Windows and macOS that can block websites, games, and applications. It allows you to schedule blocks, create lockable blocks, and use a “frozen turkey” mode that makes it impossible to disable the block until the timer runs out. Freedom is another app for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It can block websites and apps across all devices and allows you to schedule recurring blocks, start block sessions on the fly, and sync blocks across multiple devices. StayFocusd for Google Chrome is an extension that helps you do just that, by restricting the amount of time you can spend on time-wasting websites. You do this by setting a daily time limit for gaming sites, blocking sites entirely, and creating a “Nuclear Option” that blocks everything. Then there’s the interesting Forest app for iOS and Android. It helps you stay focused by gamifying the process of staying away from your phone. You plant a tree that grows as you stay off your phone. If you leave the app to play games, the tree dies. Please note, I have not trialled any of these so am not endorsing them in any way. Always do your due diligence via research.

Find An Alternative Interest

So if you’ve implemented some of the things already mentioned to help you when it comes to how to stop video game addiction, then you’re likely to have more time on your hands. This is great because it can help you tend to things you may have neglected but it can also free up time for something new. So if you’ve always felt like you’d like to read more, create an exercise regimen, see friends, learn a new language or skill, or meditate – now is the time! Alternatively, you might want to set professional goals, if say, you want to work your way up in your job, academically, or even start something new. Just having the time that gaming has been taking opens up a world of possibilities and creates many benefits. For example, by developing new skills or discovering hidden talents, you grow. Concurrently, finding a fulfilling alternative diverts attention away from gaming, helping break the addiction cycle. You can improve physical and mental health just by breaking the addiction and also feel more motivated and productive as you feel accomplished. You may go as far as learning about different cultures and ideas IRL, thus broadening your real world. And by diversifying your interests, you achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life, reducing the need to focus on gaming.

Start A Daily Journal

When seeking to understand anything, let alone the question of how do I stop playing video games, there are many benefits of maintaining a daily journal. Writing daily can help you reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, leading to greater self-understanding. This also offers a healthy outlet for expressing feelings, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. One of the ways this happens is because when we write regularly about positive experiences, we can improve mood and overall mental health. Another helpful, and maybe overlooked aspect about journaling is how this daily practice can improve writing abilities and make us more effective at communicating. A journal is also a record that documents goals and monitors progress over time. It can also help you stay present and mindful, fostering a greater appreciation for daily experiences. When we write down our challenges, we can also work out ways to solve them, improving this skill. In addition to all of this, keeping a journal can stimulate creative thinking and inspire new ideas, help strengthen memory because we more explicitly register things, and serve as a personal history that you can look back on to understand your journey and growth.

Schedule A Time For Self-Care

Just as we schedule time for everything else (including gaming, ahem), we might want to think about the very thing we often neglect. Self-care is one of the most underrated and overlooked things, but there are so many benefits. For example, regular self-care activities, such as exercise, healthy eating, and sleep, help physical wellbeing and are a tonic for preventing chronic illnesses. We can also lower stress and instil calm by allocating time for relaxation and leisure activities. This, and other self-care activities like mindfulness, meditation, and hobbies can improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. When all of this is at play, we can increase overall productivity and focus, preventing burnout. Recharging by taking self-care also makes us more present and available for our relationships with friends and family so we experience a new quality. And interestingly, self-care activities like journaling, therapy, or even spending time alone can help us process emotions and enhance emotional health. This regular investment in yourself and your wellbeing can boost self-worth and confidence too, and be another way how to stop video game addiction.

Ask Friends And Family For Help

With any kind of addiction, it is always helpful to take the support of those we have around us. So when you’re thinking of how to break video game addiction, you have to try to remember that it doesn’t have to be as lonely as it may seem. Asking others for their help can help in many ways. For example, first and foremost, you get support. If you’re fortunate enough to have people around you who want to see you succeed and will help you in this endeavour, then telling them what you’re doing will help because they can offer encouragement, help you stay focused and motivated, and you’ll have someone to celebrate milestones with. Telling people when we’re doing something can also be good because it creates accountability; we know someone is watching and will check-in with us. This means we will more likely want to report progress and therefore try harder to succeed. But also, when we struggle with our aims, we can ask for support, or if we have failed in some way, we can share and talk it through to understand what has happened and gain others’ thoughts and tips.

Join A Support Group For Gaming Addicts

You know, just as it’s important to seek support from family and friends by letting them know, another way you might help yourself is by seeking the support of those who know what you’re going through, it can be emotionally validating and a relief when you learn others experience similar struggles. It can also offer a sense of belonging, a safe space where you can openly share and not feel judged. You can learn coping strategies from people who might be able to answer the question; “how do I stop playing video games?” – or maybe you can help them by sharing yours. Support groups can also offer access to helpful resources, such as educational materials, workshops, and professional advice. They also offer structure due to the regularity of meetings. This provides routine and you will be held accountable and be able to discuss progress and troubleshoot setbacks, also increasing motivation. It’s also great for tackling loneliness and isolation which are often familiar companions for those who experience addiction. Through consistent attendance and the community that support groups offer, you can understand your behaviour and triggers, leading to personal development, growth, recovery, and prevent relapse. Notwithstanding, it must be said that some do not benefit from support groups so individual treatment might better suit if this is true for you.

Seek Gaming Addiction Treatment

Yes you may have tried support groups and realised they aren’t for you for various reasons. So how to stop video game addiction? Well, as numerous as the benefits are, some people need a more unique approach, one that is tailored just for them. Therapy can help with this as it focuses on your specific needs and goals. Where support groups offer camaraderie, there is also the risk of becoming lost in the group, not feeling able to share, or not having enough time to focus on each person due to the time limit. So what might happen in therapy? You can seek an addiction specialist who can help you to understand your specific triggers and patterns. Gaming addiction would be treated in a similar way to other addictions, but treatment should be tailored to your specific needs. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is helpful in this way and can provide techniques to help you change how you think and feel, but also how you react in situations. You can also understand yourself more deeply if you seek an integrative therapist. A deeper self-awareness means you can be more conscious about your motivations and what is ‘underneath’ them, offering you the option of a more conscious and informed response.

Look Into Rehab For A Severe Addiction

When it comes to how to stop an addiction to video games, sometimes you may have tried everything. You may be reading this and thinking “I’ve done all that and it hasn’t helped”. You might be surprised to learn then, that there are actual facilities for gaming addiction. Why might this surprise you? Perhaps because, as mentioned before, this addiction is not taken as seriously as others and people with this addiction can sometimes be thought of as being lazy, wasting time, or not having ambition in life. But also as mentioned, gaming addiction is officially recognised by the WHO as a Gaming Disorder in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11). In the psychiatric bible; the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), it is included in the appendix as a condition warranting more clinical research before it might be considered for inclusion as a formal disorder. Nonetheless, this all points to a need for more understanding and rehab centres certainly indicate a response to this need. These provide a range of treatment options, programmes, and therapies designed to help overcome dependence on video games and develop healthier habits for those struggling with gaming addiction. Interestingly, gaming addiction is recognised and catered for by rehab facilities cross culturally, in the US, Europe, and Asia, indicating its prevalence.

Why Do People Fail When They Try To Quit Video Games?

So, with all this information on how to stop video game addiction, you might assume it’s simple enough. But, as with any addiction, many people struggle to successfully overcome gaming addiction. Indeed there are several challenges individuals face when trying to navigate how to break video game addiction. Some common pit falls include:

• Lack of Structured Plan: Many try to quit without a clear, structured plan. As the saying goes; fail to prepare, prepare to fail. The lack of a clear plan also makes it difficult to stay on track and measure progress.
• Withdrawal Symptoms: Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, and restlessness can make it challenging to quit.
• Psychological Dependency: Video games often provide a sense of achievement, social interaction, and escape, leading to psychological dependency.
• Lack of Alternative Activities: Without identifying alternative activities to fill the time and provide similar satisfaction, individuals may relapse into gaming.
• Peer Pressure and Social Influence: Friends who continue to play can exert pressure to join them, making it hard to stay committed to quitting.
• Unaddressed Underlying Issues: Underlying mental health issues such as depression or anxiety may drive gaming behaviour, and without addressing these, quitting becomes more difficult.
• Inadequate Support System: Lack of support from family and friends can leave individuals feeling isolated and unsupported in their efforts to quit.
• High Accessibility and Temptation: Easy access to gaming devices and platforms makes it tempting to return to gaming.
• Habitual Behaviour: Gaming can become a deeply ingrained habit, making it difficult to break without significant effort and time.
• Lack of Professional Help: Not seeking or having access to professional help such as therapy or counselling can hinder the process of quitting.

The various challenges illustrate the need for a comprehensive and supportive approach when it comes to the aim of how to stop computer game addiction.

Conclusion

This article has aimed to help validate an often overlooked kind of addiction. You may have read this article and realised that you or someone you know experiences a legitimate mental health condition that you didn’t even realise was considered so. The next question arises; How do I stop playing video games? This can be worrying and scary, and it depends on the level of your addiction and its impact on your life. Maybe it’s not so bad but there’s a risk of escalation? Maybe it’s pretty severe? This article has therefore aimed to offer you several options, some things you can try and they may help.

But how do you know if you have a problem? Look at your life, do you feel it’s on track, or is gaming affecting you and making you neglect aspects and people? Be honest, is gaming causing avoidance and distraction from things that might benefit from some attention? Don’t ignore these areas, or the question of how to stop video game addiction, if any of this feels close to home.