Hooked on your game, like a powerful drug I can’t get enou-ou-ough. Someone, stop me. I’m this close to actually making this entire song into a gaming parody. I shouldn’t. I know.
As you could tell, or not, this blog post will be all about being genuinely addicted to gaming and what to do. Because you see, “they” (my so-called friends) suggested I should seek help after reading my blog post about the guilty pleasure games. Little did they know that there are in fact people who are actually struggling with gaming addictions. And no, I don’t mean me. Shut up. You’re addicted.
All jokes aside, I effectively did some research on this subject and there’s tons of information and facilities available. I’d like to briefly explain what a gaming addiction actually is and how to recognize it. At the end of my blog post I’ll leave some contact information in case you’d want to ask for help or just extra information.
What is a gaming addiction?
A gaming addiction can actually be defined by the compulsive need to win or simply play. This newly created obsession displaces the notion of basic needs. They “forget” to drink, eat, and even sleep. In most cases even hygiene has lost its importance. Lastly, gaming addicts get into a complete social isolation.
Characteristics of gaming addiction
- The game comes before everything
- The need to improve or win increases gradually
- Restlessness when not playing
- Social isolation and unaware of what is going on in the real world
- Denial
Consequences of a gaming addiction
As mentioned before, the main consequence is the social isolation. Gaming addicts can’t perform in the real world, whether this is at home, school or at work. In many cases, drugs and alcohol also play a role in this addiction. They use these substances to perform better in their games.
Seek help, you’re not alone in this.
If you feel as if all this can be applied to you, perhaps you should consider seeking help. There are facilities built especially to treat this. Most of us think that there’s only a cure against alcohol or drug addictions, but this is a common misconception. This has become an increasing modern problem, we can asure you you won’t be the only one battling this.
A well-known addiction center in The Netherlands is the U-Center. You can reach them on 0800 22 24 446. To all our fellow Belgians out there, SolutionS may give you the help or information you need. Call them on 03 202 08 80.
Love always, Hannelore.