What is a gaming addiction?

Video games have become an essential part of life. They are a daily outlet for many, both young and old. Gaming is relaxing, it challenges you, and it can even bring you great online friendships.

But there’s a catch. Games are designed to keep your attention and reward you often enough for you to become addicted to them. The more often you play, the better you get at the game and the higher the score and status you gain. Quitting is no longer an option because you can easily lose your wins and skills again. 

Gaming isn’t usually something you do alone. You are part of an online community that is very competitive. It can create a lot of social pressure. 

A gaming addict leads a double life. In the virtual world, life is a lot more exciting, challenging and manageable than in reality. If your gaming environment becomes more appealing than your day-to-day life, or if you use gaming to escape from an event you can’t quite cope with, it can be detrimental to your relationships and yourself. The longer you play, the greater the risk of addiction.

Often clients tell us that they have been labelled with a dual diagnosis. At intake and admission, we always do our own clinical screening. This is because it is difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of the addiction itself and other causes. Many symptoms specific to and resulting from addiction and/or trauma are ‘controlled’ with medication, but this isn’t always necessary, and the medication can be tapered off where appropriate.

The first and most important step is admitting you have a problem. The moment you cross that difficult threshold, a multidisciplinary and experienced team is ready to guide you.

Together we will find the most appropriate solution for you. You can be helped on an outpatient basis or opt to be admitted to our home environment.