Solutions to the problem of addiction to electronic games

Solutions to the problem of electronic games addiction

The best way to stop being addicted to video games is to understand what makes you want to play them (like having free time) and to know yourself well enough to know how these games affect your mental state, mood, and emotions, as well as how they affect you and your life. You can try the following tips and solutions, which can be used for both children and adults, to prevent or get rid of the problem:

• Set times to play and stick to them. Gradually cut down these times.
• Keep things that can be played with out of your bedroom so you don't play with them at night.
• Try getting away from video games and finding other fun things to do.
• Do exercise because it keeps you healthy and lowers the risks of playing and sitting for long periods. It's also a good way to pass the time and keep busy.
• Don't stop the game all at once; instead, cut down on the playing time slowly so you don't get the opposite of what you want.
• Try to figure out what makes people addicted to these games, or what makes them want to play them over and over again. This will help you figure out how to deal with it. Talk to your child about how and why these games are bad for him.
• Make sure your child only plays games that are good for him, don't have violence or other bad things in them, and are right for his age.

Electronic game addiction treatment

One of the following psychotherapeutic options can be resorted to (when necessary) to help the person:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This treatment pattern is resorted to, because addiction arises mainly due to disturbances in a person’s thinking, which pushes him to engage in certain behaviors and become addicted or obsessed with them. Therefore, treatment begins with identifying these thoughts, working on changing them, and replacing them with healthy thinking patterns, which allows the person to modify his feelings and behavior that lead him to addiction. With the help of a specialist psychiatrist.

Treating an underlying medical condition, or taking medications

And this is in the event that the addiction to these games is linked to an underlying medical condition, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or other psychological conditions, which are diagnosed by the doctor, and he may recommend taking medications based on the condition that is determined; such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications.