The World Health Organization recognized “gaming disorder” as a mental health condition in 2019. However, in the spectrum of addiction, gaming receives very little attention in the mainstream media despite being one of the fastest growing addictions in the United States. There are roughly 3 billion people who play video games worldwide, with an estimated 4% of them suffering from addiction. The average age of a video game addict is only 24.

Gaming is attractive for many reasons beyond simply being fun.  Successful games are designed to provide positive reinforcement on a variable schedule, causing players to feel rewards are just around the corner.  They generate a state of positive emotions with a high sense of control by making players feel a sense of importance, power and/or belonging.  All of these impact brain chemistry in ways that can become addictive.  This is the hook.  It can come through a PC or console as easily as through a phone.  Problematic behaviors can begin to show in growing isolation, increased lapses of responsibility and the loss of extensive time.  Understanding the hook and the appeal are key components to breaking out of destructive cycles and developing more healthy approaches to the Internet, gaming and life in general.

I’m a Certified Multiple Addictions Therapist (CMAT) with a focus in the area of Internet and Gaming Addiction as well as Sexual Addiction. My long history with video gaming dates back over 40 years. Not only can I remember playing the games that started it all, I can speak intelligently about current platforms, services and titles. In other words, I can talk the talk.  Utilizing the resources of pioneers in this field like Hilarie Cash, Cosette Rae, Victoria Dunckley, Jane McGonigal and Adam Alter, I work with clients to help them recognize problematic behaviors and their impact while formulating a different, healthier approach to technology in their life.