Clocking up a few hours on games consoles is how plenty of men unwind, but when does it become an addiction? With people spending an increasing amount of time plugged into a digital world, gaming can become an obsession that's capable of disrupting day-to-day life.
It's easy to assume that if someone spends hours on end on the Xbox or PlayStation, it could be an indication that they're addicted to gaming.
But the signs of gaming addiction are often more to do with how someone reacts when they have to stop gaming, deceptive behaviour and whether other important aspects of their life are being side-lined because of gaming.
Signs of gaming addiction
Dr Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University's international gaming research unit, has extensively researched addictive behaviour.
In his view, gaming addiction occurs when someone's behaviour meets the following six criteria:
Salience
Gaming becomes the most important activity in a person's life, and dominates their thinking, feelings and behaviour. Even if the person is not gaming, they will be thinking about the next time they can play
Mood modification
This refers to the subjective experiences someone feels through gaming, eg a buzz, a high or a sense of escape
Tolerance
The amount of game-playing has to be increased, for the person to get that mood-modifying 'buzz' or 'high'
Withdrawal symptoms
These can be unpleasant emotions or physical effects, that are experienced by the person when game-play is stopped or reduced eg the shakes, moodiness and irritability
Conflict
This can take place in the form of conflict between the gamer and the people around them, conflicts with their job, school life, social life or other interests, and conflict within themselves
Relapse
The tendency for old game-playing patterns to return after a period of abstinence or control
How to tackle gaming addiction
"I think prevention is probably easier than cure," says Dr Graham, a leading expert in the treatment of technology and gaming addiction at Capio Nightingale Hospital in London.
"If you are with someone and you're concerned that the amount of game-play is increasing in such a way that's it's out of control for them, acting sooner rather than later is the best strategy. What that entails is getting some off-screen time which, to begin with might be very difficult and you might need to arrange a whole series of activities to occupy that person. Essentially what you need to do is get the rest of their life into some sort of balance with the gaming."
"I think one of the great tragedies for gamers is that their friends can stop knocking at the door, because after months or years of gaming, the gamer might be perceived as being quite rejecting of their peer group. For those that are chronically gaming, they do lose their confidence. But it is recoverable."
Dr Graham's tips for life/gaming balance
- Get more social: build up a peer group and do things together
- Try to spend time with people that you don't know exclusively online
- Get more active: exercise, look after your body and eat healthily
- Dare to think a bit about what impact gaming is having on your life
Broaching the subject
If you're living with someone that you think might have a gaming addiction, Dr Graham's tips for bringing up the subject with them might help:
- Be careful if you know they will over-react or get violent
- Without arguing, try to talk about how it's affecting their life and yours
- Try doing something together, away from home that's active eg camping or sport. Getting away can really help.
