For most people, gaming is a hobby and a fun activity. However, it is estimated that up to 9% of the 2 billion gamers worldwide have a video game addiction. The gaming market is a 20-billion-dollar industry and 75% of all the households in the United States have at least one gamer. A gaming disorder, rather than an addiction, is how the medical community references it. Regardless of how it’s classified, a gaming disorder can be very serious. Fortunately, patients can overcome a video game addiction with hypnosis.
Symptoms of a gaming disorder
It is not uncommon to spend hours playing a video game you enjoy. In fact, 97% of men or boys in the United States play at least one video game. So how does one tell if they have a gaming addiction? Signs of having a video game addiction include irritability, anxiety, isolation, carpal tunnel syndrome, aggression, poor hygiene, depression, social anxiety, neglecting responsibilities, exhaustion, and eye strain.
What can parents do
Parents who think that their children or teenagers might have a video game addiction have options. They can limit screen and game time and more evenly balance indoor activities with outdoor activities. They can also require that all gaming consoles be kept in shared spaces like living rooms. It can also be helpful to remove mobile phones and mobile consoles from bedrooms when going to sleep. Lastly, parents can encourage their children to engage in social activities.
Gaming disorder treatment options
A video game addiction is like a drug addiction, in that dopamine is released when playing video games. This feel-good chemical, that is released, reinforces the bad habit or behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the option most medical professionals suggest for a video game addiction. It can change the way a person thinks about video games. However, months of sessions are required, and results vary. Fortunately, hypnotherapy can help teenagers and adults overcome a gaming disorder.
The Science supporting hypnotherapy
Scientific studies demonstrate that hypnotherapy is effective in treating drug addictions. Medical hypnosis is effective because it bypasses any reluctance on the part of the participants to stop drug use. In one study all the patients, who were checked after 6 months, quit using heroin, cocaine, and marijuana completely. Almost 80% remained clean two years later. It stands to reason that hypnotherapy can be just as effective in treating a gaming disorder.
Overcome a video game addiction with hypnosis
Hypnotic trance is often misunderstood. Patients who are addicted to video games are guided into a relaxed yet attentive state where they can be helped. Hypnotic trance bypasses the analytical conscious mind and accesses the unconscious mind. Hypnotic suggestions, which can be thought of as instructions, are then given to the unconscious mind. Essentially, the inner mind is instructed to stop gaming. Patients who were once addicted to video games, now have no desire to play.
If someone you know has a gaming addiction try limiting screen time and encouraging social activities. If that doesn’t work, they can overcome a gaming addiction with hypnosis