Here’s 3 Ways to Help Someone With a Video Game Addiction

Key takeaways:

When playing video games leads to an addiction, it can affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Distinguishing between casual gaming and a video game disorder in a loved one can be challenging. But keep in mind that someone with an addiction will struggle to control their gaming and will encounter problems because of it.
To help a loved one who has a video game addiction, stay patient, be clear, and offer support (not blame or judgment). And keep in mind that professional treatment can also help them on their path to recovery.

Video games can be a fantastic way to escape from stress, spend time with your friends, and relax at the end of the day. Unfortunately, some people become addicted to gaming. As much as 1% of the world’s population is thought to have a video game addiction.

People addicted to video games spend a significant amount of their time, energy, and money on gaming. And that can have a negative impact on their job, friendships, and well-being.

How do I address video game addiction with my loved one?

If you suspect your loved one is addicted to video games, you may want to have a conversation about your concerns. But it might not be easy.

People who are addicted to behaviors like playing video games, shopping, and gambling often face many of the same struggles as people who are dependent on substances. And they also need a steady supply of love, support, and patience. To help your loved one cope in the most successful way possible follow these three tips.

1. Learn about warning signs and the condition

Separating typical video game use from a video game addiction is not always easy. Just because your loved one plays a lot of video games does not mean they have a disorder.

Many behavioral addictions share similar warning signs and symptoms. These signs can also help you identify a video game addiction:

Isolating or changing friend groups
Showing drastic changes in sleeping, eating, or exercising habits
Having changes in mood or energy levels
Struggling at school, work, or home

If your loved one displays one or more of these warning signs, they could have an addiction to gaming. Gaming disorder is a diagnosis accepted by the World Health Organization. Although, the American Psychiatric Association has not officially recognized it.

2. Sharpen your communication skills

If warning signs are causing you to worry about your loved one’s well-being, reflect on your communication skills before expressing your concerns. Even if your conversations usually go well, follow these tips to improve your communication:

Set a time and place. Starting a serious conversation unexpectedly can end badly. Let your loved one know you’d like to talk. And then settle on a time and location that work for both of you.
Avoid distractions. You’ll have a better chance of being heard if you have the conversation in an environment with fewer distractions. Make sure everyone is in a good position to listen and focus.
Have a reasonable goal. Going into the conversation, think about what you’d like to accomplish. Do you want to suggest they seek treatment? Do you only want to express your concern? Have a realistic plan and stick to it.
Focus on solutions, not problems. If you spend the whole conversation talking about your frustrations and disappointments, you’ll get nowhere. Instead, come up with solutions together. Plan ways to address the problem as a team.
Keep an eye on your emotions. Showing some emotion can help you express your point of view, but too much can distract from your message and goal.

3. Get the help you need

An addiction doesn’t only affect the person with the condition. It affects those around them as well. Your mental, emotional, and physical health can suffer as you devote more time and attention to your loved one. And, when you’re drained, you won’t be able to care for them.

Take time out of your day to practice self-care. That means doing any healthy activity that refreshes your spirit and recharges your batteries, like:

Preparing and eating a healthy meal
Going for a walk
Watching a favorite movie or listening to music you love
Taking a long bath or shower

Consider seeking out therapy or a support group for yourself. Support groups can connect you to other people impacted by addiction. Some options include:

How can I be supportive of someone managing video game addiction?

When you’re helping a loved one who has an addiction, the goal is to help them without accidentally encouraging their addiction. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by promoting professional treatment.

Too often, people feel like they have their addiction under control. They may think they can stop whenever they want. But, in reality, they likely need mental health care in order to recover.

How you support a loved one also depends on your relationship with them. Although you should always follow the rules of good communication, you may offer different types of support if the person with the addiction is your child, your romantic partner, or your friend.

How do I support a friend with a video game addiction?

If your friend has a video game addiction, you can decide how involved you want to be. You can choose to intervene or you can choose to do nothing. You can also choose to break off the relationship depending on how much their addiction is impacting you. Due to the nature of a friendship, you have more freedom to decide.

How do I support a romantic partner with a video game addiction?

This process starts with expressing what you’ve noticed about their addiction, your concerns, and how it impacts you and the relationship. You can encourage them to get treatment and outline the risks of them continuing down the same path.

To help them, you can:

Maintain boundaries and communicate expectations
Help them set a goal of reducing their addictive behaviors
Offer to transport them to and participate in therapy or support groups

How do I support a child with a video game addiction?

Seeing your child struggle with a video game addiction is a unique situation, since you have more power as a parent. Avoid punishing them for playing games and, instead, reward them for healthier behaviors.

Working with a mental health professional can help you determine the best ways to help your child shift their behaviors. During that process, find ways to improve your relationship with your child. That way, they will see you as a loving parent who has their best interests at heart, not a mean person who just wants to take away their games.

How is video game addiction treated?

Evidence suggests that therapy is the best treatment for video game addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing have both been studied as treatments for the condition.

CBT focuses on helping you understand how your thoughts, feelings, and actions influence each other, allowing you to change your behavior. Motivational interviewing focuses on helping you tap into your reasons for addressing your addiction.

Right now, there isn’t a medication that’s specifically approved to treat gaming disorder or video game addiction. Researchers are studying some medications they hope will help. But it’s still an ongoing process.

Peer support resources for video game addiction

In addition to working with a mental health professional, people with a video game addiction may benefit from support groups. These groups allow them to connect with others who get what they’re going through and to share recovery strategies.

Some support groups dedicated to video game addiction are:

The bottom line

Recovery from a video game addiction can be difficult for both those with the condition and their loved ones. If you have a loved one with a video game addiction, be consistent and show them love and patience. And don’t forget to take care of your emotional health along the way.

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Written by:

Eric Patterson, LPC

Eric Patterson, LPC, has been a professional counselor in school and outpatient settings for over 15 years. Patterson has been cited as a mental health expert in publications such as Today.com, Good Housekeeping, and InStyle.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Mona Bapat, PhD, HSPP

Mona Bapat, PhD, HSPP, has 15 years of clinical experience providing therapy. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Indiana and Illinois with treatment experience in individual, couples, family, and group therapy modalities.

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