Gaming is, for the most part, a pleasurable pastime. They have very few, if any, problems as a result of it. A select group of gamers indulges in excessive gaming and, as a result, frequently find themselves in legal trouble. Some people use gaming such as playing casinos like Malaysia online casino as a way to cope with problems, while others use it to create new ones. In any case, tackling the issues will necessitate considering gaming. But when does gaming becomes a fanatical (hobby) habit and when does it become a problem?
When people lose control of their gaming, it turns into a problem. When someone spends a lot of time gaming, it can lead to problems in other areas of their life, such as at work or school, financially or romantically. There’s no longer a good equilibrium between gaming and other activities in the world today. Furthermore, there is no way to reduce it. Two new diagnoses for gaming-related issues were added to the ICD-11, a WHO diagnostic tool, in June 2018. There is a difference between minor problems caused by gaming (problematic gaming or risky gaming) and serious problems caused by gaming (gaming disorder or game addiction).
Game Addiction – Is It Real?
We’re well aware that some people have issues and are also heavy players. Young people who engage in ‘problematic gaming’ are estimated to be around 4% of the total population. 1 In the Netherlands, 537 people sought help for gaming addiction in 2015. 2 Getting the right help for these people is critical. Gaming disorder and gaming hazardousness were added to the WHO’s diagnostic criteria in 2018 for two diagnoses relating to gaming problems: ( game addiction ). 3 It’s beneficial to make such a diagnosis for a few reasons. However, caution must be exercised when attempting to classify gaming behavior as an addiction. There’s a concern that introducing this diagnosis will further stigmatize gamers. By doing so, you’d only make things worse rather than better. Strict adherence to this label can exacerbate minor issues by emphasizing the wrong aspects and adding unnecessary stress. It is also not always clear whether gaming behavior is an indication of problems or a root cause of those problems (or both).
Gaming Addiction Treatment
There has been very little research done so far on effective treatment methods for game addictions to date. Game addiction in addiction treatment facilities is treated similarly to other addictions in day-to-day practice. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to have the most promising results when combined with medications like SSRIs, mood stabilizers, and nalmefene. 4 CBT focuses on altering both one’s behavior and one’s way of thinking. The goal is to improve the patient’s self-control, teach problem-solving skills, and gain insight into how gaming affects the patient (function analysis). In addition, a treatment protocol for game addiction has been created in the Netherlands. In addition, it is based on CGT and uses the Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). In CRA, both the therapist and the patient look for activities that can replace gaming. Rewarding activities replace gaming as a means of entertainment. Make new friends or learn a new skill in real life. The patient’s social environment is also given considerable consideration, and the system as a whole is taken into account.