10 Signs That You’re Addicted to Video Games

We’ve all been there where you just can’t seem to stop playing video games. It’s become a lifestyle for us, and we have no idea how to control it. The problem is that we have never experienced those moments when our eyes just burn with a desire to play more. It’s just being sucked into a vortex of craving.

Here are some vital signs that you are addicted to video games:

1. Losing Track of Time

Talk about how many hours a day you spend playing or what time you start a game versus what time you stop. (Average 8 hours, start at 10 am and end at 6 am.) You lose track of time while playing video games because you are so engrossed in them. 

2. You Get Depressed When You Can’t Play Video Games

Your mind can be trapped in video games and their pleasure. Due to addiction, you’ll only find happiness in gaming and nothing else. Such things can easily swamp you into a habit.

3. You Can’t Stop Thinking About Video Games

You dream of your character or places you played during the video game. The video game has taken over your social life, and you find it hard to concentrate on or think of other things.

4. Losing Motivation for Your Other Duties

You lose motivation to do important things, whether homework, chores, or spending time with others. It happens when you have unsuccessfully attempted to control, cut back, or stop video game use. You play to the detriment of your job or school performance, or your game is causing problems in personal relationships. 

5. You Feel Guilty About the Time You Spend Gaming

Have you ever found yourself lying about how much time you spend playing? You may spend increasing amounts of time in solitary exclusion, with decreasing involvement in outside activities due to video gaming. Does this sound familiar? Well, you are addicted to video gaming.

6. If Video Games Affect Your Emotions

You feel withdrawal—such as anger and anxiety—when not gaming for long periods or after losing a game or being interrupted during a game session. You may even find taking a break due to the withdrawal symptoms challenging.

7. When You Become Less Productive Than You Were Before

This will be a result of prioritizing video games. Signs of this include:

• A drop in your grades
• Getting fired from work 
• Being suspended from school because of gaming too much
• Neglecting responsibilities surrounding school work
• Engaging in risky behaviors like staying up all night gaming due to addiction

8. When Your Gaming Habit Bothers Those Around You

Have you ever had a game round video game? During such games, you might want to play over and over—even when your partner tells you they’re tired of playing. If family members worry about how much time you spend on gaming, you are addicted.

9. Using Video Games as an Emotional Crutch

You use video games to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression. You want to spend even more of your free time playing video games than you already do, even if it doesn’t excite you anymore. It generally includes playing video games to escape real-life problems.

10. Investing in Gaming Instead of Paying Bills

It is a sign of addiction when you start contemplating whether to spend money on video games rather than a necessity. It means you prioritize gaming instead of paying your bills. It can be a significant problem for adults with bills to pay.

Wrap Up

For some people, video games can be endless fun and pleasure. But for others, they can become a severe problem. If you feel like you are spending too much time on video games, try to look at the situation objectively. 

Are your friends and family complaining about your excessive playing? Are you neglecting other areas of your life in favor of extreme gaming? The signs of video game addiction are similar to different kinds of addiction.