Gaming Disorder
Playing video games are fun. It's a great way to explore worlds, complete quests, solve problems, learn teamwork, talk with friends, and make new ones. How great does it feel after you finally beat that level you have been stuck on for days?! It can feel amazing when you do something hard in a game. Gaming can also be a way to respond to life problems.
​
If you are stressed, gaming is a great way to take your mind off of things. Rather than worrying about grades or work, jumping into a game can distract you and give you relief. It's a good way to relax. After a long day of classes, listening to your favorite band while farming gold or collecting resources can be super chill.
​
Maybe you are bored and looking for excitement. A first-person shooter, MMO, MMORPG, MOBA, or RPG game offers heart-pounding fun for hours on end. Why spend time with your boring family when you could be owning noobs with your friends in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Or maybe you have to work on a science project, but you really want to level up that new barb in World of Warcraft. When you are not experiencing excitement in real life, video games can be enticing.
​
Our relationships can be stressful. Maybe your parents have been fighting every night for that past year or your peers are jerks to you. Maybe you feel you don’t have any friends. Games can provide an escape from relationship challenges. The games you play can feel accepting when real relationships have failed you.
​
With so many reasons to game, it’s hard not to! Many games are free to play and can be accessed on almost any device. Although gaming can be fun and may appear to offer solutions to all of life’s problems, it can also be the cause of them.
​
The more you play Fortnite, the more you find yourself not completing your homework assignments. Your grades start to drop, and your parents get upset. You used to love to play baseball and go out with your friends, but now you would rather game than do anything else. You were interested in someone at school and wanted to ask them out one day. But now, you don’t care about dating anymore because you just want to focus on your game.
​
Maybe problems are happening at work and with your family. You have been staying up all night gaming and missed some important deadlines. Your boss has talked to you about your work performance and you’re worried you are going to lose your job. Your relationships with your family have suffered and you get into fights with your spouse or partner all the time. But hey, at least you have a level 80 Sorcerer with the best items. Worth it, right?
​
Games do not have to be the only way to deal with life problems. Ranking up in your game does not have to be the only thing you are interested in. There is a fantastic life you can experience in the real world. There is great benefit from gaining resilience and learning how to cope with stress and relationships. You can find freedom from the issues that led you to problematic gaming. Call Jeremy to start the process to be free from your gaming problem. You and your future are worth it.