Internet Gaming Disorder

Internet Gaming Disorder is an addiction to online video games, role-playing games, or any interactive gaming environment available through the Internet. Online games such “Grand Theft Auto”, “World of Warcraft”, the “Dark Age of Camelot”, or “Diablo II” can pose much more complex problems. Extensive chat features give such games a social aspect missing from offline activities, and the collaborative/competitive nature of working with or against other players can make it hard to take a break.

Signs of Internet Gaming Disorder

Gamers who become hooked show clear signs of addiction. Like a drug, gamers who play almost every day, play for extended periods of time (over 4 hours), get restless or irritable if they can’t play, and sacrifice other social activities just to game are showing signs of addiction.

Warning signs include:

A preoccupation with gaming
Lying or hiding gaming use
Disobedience at time limits
Social withdrawal from family and friends

Video and Internet Gaming Disorder Test

Answer “yes” or “no” to the following statements to see if you may be addicted to video games or online gaming:

Do you need to play online games with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve the desired excitement?
Are you preoccupied with gaming (thinking about it when offline, anticipating your next online session)?
Have you lied to friends and family members to conceal extent of your online gaming?
Do you feel restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop online gaming?
Have you made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop online gaming?
Do you use gaming as a way of escaping from problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression?
Have you jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, or even risked your marriage because of your online gaming habit?
Have you jeopardized a job, educational, or career opportunity because of your online gaming habit?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you may be addicted to online gaming. These are common warning signs that you have lost control, lied, or possibly risked a relationship to support your gaming behavior. Why wait until it is too late to seek out help?

How can someone get help?

The first step is to determine if there is a problem. One of our counselors which is trained in identification and treatment of Internet addiction can effectively perform an assessment to determine what level of care is most appropriate. For a free confidential assessment, you can get in touch with us via our contact page. An assessment can be completed in 24 to 48 hours depending on our counselors availability. Once this is done, we will discuss together about your particular situation and will look into further steps and solutions.