Video game addiction is an issue that’s becoming more prevalent in today’s digital age. What starts as a casual hobby can quickly evolve into a compulsive behavior that impacts one’s physical and mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Many people struggle to break free from the allure of gaming, not realizing that it’s often driven by underlying psychological factors such as trauma, anxiety, and stress. Fortunately, video game rehab offers specialized programs designed to address these root causes and help individuals regain control of their lives.

In this blog, we explore how video game addiction develops, the games most commonly associated with it, and how rehab centers can offer the support needed for recovery. For support, contact us on +44 20 4530 5225.

Why Do People Get Addicted to Video Games?

Video game addiction is driven by a combination of psychological, neurological, and social factors that make gaming highly compelling. Not everyone who plays video games becomes addicted, but some people are more vulnerable due to the way games stimulate the brain’s reward system, provide an escape from reality, and create a sense of purpose or achievement.

One of the main reasons people get addicted to video games is dopamine release. Games are designed to keep players engaged with rewards, challenges, and progression. When someone wins a match, levels up, or unlocks new content, their brain releases dopamine, which is the same neurotransmitter involved in drug addiction. Over time, this can create a dependency on gaming for pleasure and motivation, making real-world activities feel dull in comparison.

For many, gaming is a way to escape stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma. Virtual worlds provide a sense of control, adventure, and excitement that real life may lack. Some people, especially people struggling with social isolation or low self-esteem, turn to multiplayer games to form friendships and feel a sense of belonging. The constant availability of online gaming makes it easy to play for hours without breaks, leading to unhealthy habits.

Gaming addiction is reinforced by game design tactics such as daily rewards, limited-time events, and microtransactions, which encourage continued play. Gaming addiction can lead to sleep deprivation, poor performance at work or school and strained relationships. There have even been some cases of people dying from video game addiction.

How Can Video Game Rehab Help?

As with all addictions, gaming addiction can be caused by a number of factors. Unresolved trauma, a lack of meaning or purpose, chronic stress and anxiety, emotional pain and unmet needs can all contribute towards an addiction to gaming.

The most effective video game rehabs help addicted people to heal holistically, targeting each of the issues which cause addiction. Our rehabs use modalities such as EMDR, somatic experiencing and Internal Family Systems to target and release trauma from the body. This significantly improves long term treatment outcomes for gaming addiction.

Helping people who are addicted to gaming find goals in their lives which they can work towards also plays an important part in putting video games down for good. Many people who come to video game rehab are already target-orientated when they play games, and part of the healing involves switching these goals to those in the real world. This might mean working towards a new career, becoming interested in fitness, or even helping other people.

Video game rehabs also offer clients talk therapy sessions where addicted people can look at the pain which is contributing towards their addiction. And this is all in an environment which is designed to help the client connect with the people around them during group therapy sessions.

Which Games do People Get Addicted to?

All computer games can be addictive, but there are some which are more inherently addictive than others.

Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs)

Games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV and Runescape are designed to be endless, offering progression and rewards that keep players hooked. These games even offer a kind of social interaction, which players use as an alternative to talking with people face to face.

The reality is that this type of communication is not the same as in the “real world”, and does not come with the same health benefits. Humans are social creatures, and the costs of relying on these pseudo-interactions can be high.

Battle Royale & Competitive Shooters

The fast-paced, high-adrenaline nature of shooting games can make them incredibly addictive. These include games such as Fortnite, Apex Legends and Counter-strike: Global Offensive.

Online Gambling

Online gambling players can become entirely hooked on gambling online, spending hours each day and large amounts of money on this addiction. The end result of this is not only the isolation and despair that comes from addictions to other games, but also financial destitution.

How Bad Does Gaming Addiction Get?

Some people have the belief that gaming addiction is not very serious. But unfortunately, addiction to gaming does ruin people’s lives, and can cause disastrous effects to a person’s physical and mental health, also irrevocably damaging friendships and relationships.

At its worst, gaming addiction completely takes over the addicted person’s life, with most of their time preoccupied with gaming.

Notable Cases of Gaming-Related Deaths

• 1. Lee Seung Seop (South Korea, 2005)

  1. A 28-year-old man collapsed and died after a 50-hour gaming marathon at an internet café. Reports indicated he had barely eaten, slept, or taken breaks during his session, leading to heart failure due to exhaustion.

• 2. Unnamed Chinese Gamer (China, 2015)

  1. A young man was found dead at his computer after a three-day gaming binge. Witnesses reported that he had barely moved from his seat, leading to organ failure due to extreme exhaustion.

• 3. Chris Staniforth (UK, 2011)

  1. This 20-year-old died from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after playing Xbox for 12+ hours daily. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms due to prolonged immobility, often seen in long-haul flights but now increasingly linked to excessive gaming.

• 4. Unnamed Taiwanese Gamer (Taiwan, 2012 & 2015)

  1. Two separate cases involved young men who died in internet cafés after multiple-day gaming sessions. In both cases, their deaths were unnoticed for hours until staff tried to wake them. Cardiac failure and exhaustion were cited as causes.

• 5. Unidentified Russian Teen (Russia, 2018)

  1. A 15-year-old collapsed and died after playing 22 hours straight, with authorities blaming severe exhaustion and lack of proper nourishment.

How to Get Help From Video Game Rehab

If you or a loved one is struggling with video game addiction and you’re ready to make a change, seeking professional help is the first step toward recovery. Video game rehab offers personalized, holistic treatments that address the core causes of addiction and provide long-term solutions for a balanced life.

Contact us today at +44 20 4530 5225 to learn more about how we can support your journey to recovery and help you take back control.