As a parent, you, of course, want the best for your loved one. But teens rarely see problems sneaking up on them, such as addiction to video games. What a teen confuses as a love of these games or passion for them can actually cause significant problems in daily life. To help your teen who struggles to live beyond a video game controller, then first get to know video game addiction symptoms.
Is Video Game Addiction Real?
Video game addiction is a real problem millions of people deal with worldwide. According to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases ICD-11, gaming disorders act much like other addictions, such as drug or alcohol dependence. This means that your teen gives gaming priority over everything else in their life, to the extent that it causes many problems. Also, according to the WHO’s ICD-11, this activity makes your teen stop pursuing important daily activities or fulfilling their responsibilities. Your loved one keeps gaming, even knowing it causes considerable life damage. The only way to end that damage is through Internet addiction treatment. But knowing whether your teen simply spends a lot of time gaming or experiences a legitimate addiction is essential. The difference between having fun playing these games and addiction is how gaming affects daily life. So get to know video game addiction symptoms to see the difference between fun and addiction in your teen.
Video Game Addiction Symptoms
According to the American Psychiatric Association, nine warning signs point to a real video game addiction. These signs of video game addiction include:
- Strong focus on video games throughout each day
- Withdrawal signs when you take away games
- Need to spend more and more time playing these games, in a condition called tolerance
- Inability to control video game play
- Lost interest in other aspects of life
- Continued gaming despite the damage it causes
- Lying to others about the amount of time or money spent gaming
Two more signs of video game addiction include broken relationships because of video game play and use of these game activities to improve mood or escape other life problems. As you can see, these symptoms look much like an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Only the substance is different, but the effects are the same. If your teen meets five of these signs of video game addiction, get the help your loved one needs. That help takes place in a licensed treatment center with programs for video game addiction, also called Internet addiction.
Treatment Your Teen Needs for Video Game Addiction Recovery
Your teen needs particular care and support to end video game addiction. This help includes an array of programs and therapies, including:
- Inpatient, PHP or IOP program
- Family treatment
- CBT and DBT
- Mindfulness, yoga and rock therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Alumni program support
Through this treatment and support, you can get your loving, friendly teen back. In fact, your teen learns coping skills they use throughout life, to avoid relapse on video games or even problems with other types of addictive substances. If your teen shows video game addiction symptoms, call Destinations for Teens in Woodland Hills, CA, now at 877.466.0620.