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(Kids Help Phone is Canada’s 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people Feel Out Loud.)
There are millions of people, both young and old, all over the globe picking up their controller and joining in online gaming every day. For most it’s an enjoyable experience, but for some it can become a serious problem. There’s nothing wrong with playing online games, as long as it’s balanced with a healthy offline life.
Sometimes, gaming can become addictive. You can develop the need to play all the time, which can get in the way of school, work, hobbies you always enjoyed, and even spending time with friends and family.
Here’s a few signs to be aware of that may suggest online gaming is becoming a problem in your life:
- you play for long periods of time (20+ hours per week)
- you think or talk about gaming more than anything else
- you often lie about how much time they spend online
- gaming affects your schoolwork or your relationships with friends or family
- you can’t stop gaming, even though you want to
How do I stop or ease up on gaming?
Online gaming can become a large part of someone’s life. While fun at first, online gaming can become addictive for some people and take priority over things like friends, family and exercise. Stopping or hitting pause and cutting back isn’t always easy.
These tips from kidshelpphone.ca may help:
- Make a list: write down all the effects online gaming has on your life. Include both the pros (it’s fun, it’s an escape, etc.) and the cons (less time to spend with friends, it can be expensive, lack of exercise, etc.). What does the list tell you about why you game?
- Set goals: a great way to cut back is to set attainable goals. Measure the amount of time you spend gaming and set goals to reduce it by a small amount each day, gradually increasing your goal over time. Consider asking your family or friends to help you stick to your new limits. Don’t forget to reward yourself when you reach your goals.
- Create obstacles: think of ways to make gaming less convenient (keep your console in a shared room, let your memberships run out, try not to buy the newest games, etc.).
- Stay busy: make a list of things you enjoy outside of gaming (sports, hanging out with friends, writing, playing music, reading, etc.) and try to incorporate these activities into your day more and more. Exercising can help you work off stress, too.
- Prioritize: make sure gaming doesn’t interfere with your health or school by sticking to some basic rules (do your homework before logging on, never skip a meal or eat while playing, log off 30 minutes before bedtime, etc.).
- Talk it out: it’s common for some people to game a lot because their online life feels better or safer than their offline life. If there’s something in your life that’s upsetting you, try talking about it with someone you trust or a safe adult. There are also professional support groups for people struggling with online gaming. You can always call the PEI Gambling/Gaming Support Line at #1-855-255-4255 or the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 if you need to talk.
Source Reference: https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/online-gaming-how-put-down-controller