Can I be addicted to gaming?
Gaming addiction, gaming disorders, problematic gaming, excessive internet gaming all attempt to label the same problematic pattern of gaming. Now, there are some genuine clinical distinctions such as withdrawal symptoms and escalating use that researchers may disagree on but for the rest of us: If your gaming is interfering with your life and you have trouble keeping control of it then you might benefit from therapy with a psychologist. On top of the addictive pattern, sometimes there is shame related to problematic gaming. It is often seen as a pointless and immature activity, so stigma is often attached to prolonged play.
Source: Ella Don M, Unsplash
Now, research is quickly demonstrating that problematic gaming has addiction-like properties. Some of this is due to innovative game mechanics itself. For example, in Star Wars battlefront, the concept of loot boxes where you can pay for the chance to win a valuable game item was met with public outage because it resembled gambling. In less controversial games, just having variable prizes that are semi-randomly rewarded to players after killing a boss or character has similar effects.
In other games, there are other mechanics which you invest repetitive virtual labour for game items. Sometimes it’s part of the game where upgrading your character might mean you may have to kill low order enemies repeatedly in order to get a high value item (“grinding”). In other games, , a cycle of incremental challenge and reward, with moderate effort is enough to motivate players to keep doing it. Angry birds and Candy crush is thought to capture this repetitive cycle perfectly. So there are internal game mechanics that promote prolonged play, which can contribute to gaming addiction. Let’s move a little away from how the game design can be addictive to our personal experience of gaming.
How can our experience of gaming can be addictive?
Some games are completely immersive and are a powerfully aesthetic experience. Sandbox and open world (Red Dead Redemption, GTA 5), MMORPG (Skyrim, WoW) games allow gamers to have freedom to develop a virtual self and embark on memorable adventures. Some researchers believe that having a virtual life as a game avatar is another factor to gaming addiction. Some online games continue to evolve and grow while we are offline, so leaving the game temporarily might some trigger anxiety of missing out or falling behind our peers (affectionately known as FOMO).
Other games have a large social component where you play against equally skilled players and develop your skills in the game. You can experience a sense of flow as you begin to master and develop strategies. You learn to “get good” and overcome your challenges. This experience alone can drive some high challenge games such as “Dark Souls”. Some challenges are based on tribal success such as DOTA and League of Legends. Where success depends on real time coordination and team work, which adds further to how meaningful and fun it is.
But I think people forget that gaming in general is really enjoyable! And it’s easy to get carried away in the sheer pleasure of playing, regardless of social, mastery, aesthetic or immersive reasons. Gaming brings almost instant pleasure at low cost, at anytime you choose.
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Here is a case to consider.
For a non-problematic gamer who just comes home from a hard day at work, turns on their pc and has a 4 hour late night session with their internationally based friends, this gaming session is not technically a problem. In fact it’s a fairly reasonable short term solution to the occasional difficult day. But this can become problematic when this solution is used too frequently. Sometimes gaming becomes the solution to every significant life stressor and milder negative experiences (such as boredom and annoyance). The trap that addicted persons fall into is: using a reasonable short term solution repeatedly as a long term solution.
Once this pattern is set and frequently repeated, it’s not uncommon to see negative life consequences such as being late to work, repeated fighting with loved ones, disturbed sleep, irregular diet and more. It’s a vicious cycle because your default solution might be to game even more when these negative events happen. If you have an anxiety or depression issue, you’re at greater risk of gaming disorders (or any addiction such drug addiction, gambling addiction or porn addiction).
Bottom line is that no-one ever plans on becoming addicted to games, porn, gambling or drugs. Mostly, it just happens. Digital addictions are a function of repeated choices (that are reasonable short term solutions but problematic as long term ones). Repeating for years, problematic choices can become a pattern by itself, and your habits and even your thoughts are altered.
The best news, psychotherapy can help you break that pattern and help you overcome addiction.