Estimates suggest there are more than 3 billion gamers worldwide — that's as many people as live in India and China combined! Playing games online can feel great. But when does fun turn into addiction?
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00:00Congratulations! You finished that impossible level.
00:07Are you okay?
00:08When was the last time you moved or had a sip of water?
00:13Did you know that in extreme cases, gamers have even died from exhaustion
00:18because they were hooked on a game?
00:20So when does your hobby turn into a harmful addiction?
00:24Let's find out.
00:25To understand what gaming does to your body,
00:28we need to look at the reward system in the brain.
00:31The reward system's primary function is to reinforce behavior which keeps us alive,
00:36like eating calorie-rich food.
00:39Dopamine plays a crucial role here.
00:41A release of dopamine equals reward.
00:44So you want to keep doing what's made you feel good.
00:48For example, this is your dopamine spike when you're eating food you like
00:53or when you're having sex.
00:55Naturally, the dopamine levels surge briefly
00:58and then return to the normal or baseline after a while.
01:01But hard drugs can raise your dopamine levels ten times above normal.
01:06And some studies show that highly immersive video games can have similar effects.
01:12When this overstimulation becomes a habit,
01:15the dopamine levels drop to a significant low after a session of intense gaming,
01:21similar to the withdrawal crash after a trip on hard drugs.
01:25Interestingly, this study found that among frequent video gamers,
01:29losing a game also gives you dopamine hits,
01:32a phenomenon called the loss-chasing behavior.
01:36So you don't even need to be successful in a game to keep wanting more.
01:40When exactly do you cross the addiction threshold?
01:43Gaming disorder unrolls in roughly four stages.
01:47Stage 1. You constantly think about when you can play.
01:50Or if you can't, you feel irritated, anxious or sad.
01:54Stage 2. Gaming sessions get longer and longer.
01:58You are unable to cut them down.
02:00Stage 3. You lose interest in other activities
02:03and might even lie about your actual screen time.
02:07Stage 4. Addiction.
02:09You reach it once gaming impairs your life and social habits for over a year.
02:14At this point, you jeopardize your job, classes or relationships
02:18to satisfy your urge to game.
02:20But it's not totally bleak. And you are not alone.
02:24Various research shows that the first step out of a gaming addiction
02:28is identifying why you game.
02:30Does it help you escape troubles?
02:32Does it make you feel powerful?
02:34Spotting which unmet emotional needs gaming satisfies
02:38brings you to the next stage.
02:40Once you decide to make changes, seek support from your friends or family.
02:44Building social relationships outside the gaming realm
02:48has been shown to lower dependency.
02:50Research reveals that an effective way out of addiction is to plan.
02:54What is your goal?
02:56What can help you get there?
02:58And what might get in your way?
03:00Finally, take time to monitor your progress and mark your successes.
03:04Sports can also substitute for the dopamine hits that you are craving.
03:09But sometimes we may also need support from counsellors or doctors.
03:13And that's okay.
03:15Depending on what gaming brought to your life,
03:17different solutions will help bring you out of addiction.
03:20So what do you say?
03:22Are you ready to level up your life?