In this day in age, technology is a everyone’s fingertips and can lead to addictions, specifically a video game addiction. It is possible to play video games as a hobby, but when it starts to consume your entire life where you don’t focus on anything else, it becomes detrimental.
According to Forte Strong’s website, individuals on this planet spend 3 billion hours per week playing video games. Seventy-two percent of citizens from the age of 6 to 44 years old in the United States play over 18 hours per week, which also calculates to be 3.6 hours per day.
If your son is struggling with a video game addiction, he can get help at Forte Strong to overcome this addiction and develop the skills to become a responsible adult. Forte Strong is a nation life coaching, therapy, and independent living program dedicated to teaching men the necessary skills to being independent.
It is common for young men experiencing Failure to Launch Syndrome to also have a video game addiction. While they isolate from face-to-face social interactions, they can still have a social experience online by interacting with others online. These young men get their social fix by being challenged in video games to beat level challenges. On top of the challenge, they oftentimes will meet and chat with the other players online as they game.
What is video game addiction?
If you have a severely reduced control over your gaming habits that results in negative impacts on your life, you could be suffering from video game addiction. This addiction can lead to interruptions to your personal, social, educational and occupational responsibilities.
People who have gambling addictions often show the same signs and withdrawals as those who experience video game addictions. They both come with the satisfaction of winning at something, even though video games isn’t something you normally win money from.
Why is it detrimental?
It is normal for people to play video games in their downtime and not become addicted; however, it becomes detrimental when it is all-consuming and negatively impacting your daily functions. A video game addiction can cause significant mental, social, and physical health issues.
Gaming behavior that is concerning to mental health experts is when someone has a recurring habit that comes at the expense of their functioning outside of games.
It’s vital that you seek help if you start to notice your video game habits becoming addictive and damaging your close relationships.
Signs of video game addiction
Dependency on video games can become as serious problem if it’s left untreated. The following are signs and symptoms to watch out for in a video game addiction:
- Poor performance at school, work or household responsibilities as a result of excessive video game playing
- Personal hygiene or grooming decrease due to excessive video gaming
- Lying to family members or friends about the amount of time you spend playing video games
- Unable to reduce your playing time and having unsuccessful attempts to quite gaming despite the negative consequences
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as sadness, anxiety, or irritability when games are taken away or gaming is not possible
- A need to spend more time playing video games to get the same level of enjoyment
- Using video games to relieve negative moods such as guild or hopelessness
- Using video games as a way to escape stressful situations or to avoid conflicts
- Giving up other previously enjoyed activities or social relationships due to gaming too much
If you have concerns about you or someone you know struggling with a video game addiction based on these signs and symptoms, reach out to a mental health professional for help.
What causes video game addiction?
While researchers have not yet determined the exact cause of video game addiction, they think the process of playing and winning video games may trigger a release of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that affects several bodily functions including pleasurable reward and motivation. Recent neurological research shows similarities in the brains of people with video game addiction and substance use disorders.
Numerous factors contribute to video game addiction such as having traits like impulsiveness, higher acceptance of violence, and lower social skills. The level of motivation makes an impact on whether someone will become addicted to video games or not. For example, people who game for fun or to be social seem less likely to become hooked than those who game for status or to escape from their problems. Males are also more prone to gaining a video game addiction.
How to get help
The main treatment for a video game addiction talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. It’s a term for a variety of treatment techniques that aim to help you identify and change negative emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Talking with a mental health professional can provide support and guidance to you for whatever reason you’re seeking it.
Specific types of psychotherapy that would benefit someone with a video game addiction include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): A structured, goal-oriented type of therapy. A therapist will help you take a close look at your thoughts and emotions. Your sessions with a therapist will help you understand how your thoughts affect your actions. Through CBT to treat video game addiction, you can unlearn negative and obsessive thoughts and behaviors and learn to adopt healthier thinking patterns and habits.
- Group therapy: A group of people meets to describe and discuss their problems individually while being supervised by a therapist. Group therapy can provide a sense of motivation and moral support for people who struggle with a video game addiction, especially if they don’t have the support of any friends or family members.
- Family or marriage counseling: If someone in a relationship suffers from a video game addiction, counseling can help educate loved ones about the disorder and create a more stable home environment.
Forte Strong has a treatment program for those wanting help with their video game addiction. Their students are able to put themselves in a different environment, see a different view of themselves, and learn the importance of being independent. The Forte Strong coaches teach young men how to utilize the technology in their lives to their benefit instead of letting it overtake their lives. The men learn how to overcome unhealthy habits, replace them with positive habits, and maintain a healthy balance in their lives.
Why send your son to Forte Strong
Forte Strong is structured around one niche
Forte Strong is only for men who are failing to launch into adulthood and out of their childlike tendencies. Your son won’t be surrounded by people with other struggles like drugs, violence, theft, etc. The program will offer him help to overcome his failure to thrive while allowing him to create meaningful relationships with the young men around him that have the same struggle.
Your son can achieve independence in 6-9 months
Forte Strong will provide your son with the resources to develop the skills necessary to become self-reliant and independent in 6-9 months. Your son can achieve independence and maturity in a short time to launch into the “real world” quicker than he would be attempting to overcome his difficulties by himself.
Your son will develop, understand, and respect his strengths
Forte Strong will teach your son how to unlock his strengths and use them correctly. Your greatest strengths can also be your greatest weaknesses. Forte Strong uses the tool of fire as an example. Fire can help you hurt you, depending on how it is used. Fire can keep you warm outside or light your way in the dark, but it can also burn down bridges or homes. Our strengths are like the fire. We need to use them correctly for them to be beneficial. A child can create destruction if they haven’t learned how to utilize their strengths correctly. The program will help your son understand and use his strengths to succeed in life.
Promotes engaging and purposeful work
Forte Strong will help your son out of his failure to thrive state by inspiring him to dedicate himself to achieving his goals. Every man should love his work and work with a purpose, and that is what the program promotes to their men. Your son will grow from the inside out and learn what he stands for and believes in. Their website states: “Many of our young men come to Forte Strong believing they are not capable of getting a good job, being promoted, or even making more than minimum wage. In just a few weeks, we are able to help these young men break these self-limitations by helping them discover their purpose and understand the ‘why’ behind their actions.”
Forte Strong focuses on the journey and destination
The Forte Strong program is not a rehabilitation center; it’s a journey the men go through to advance from their failure to thrive. The program does not focus on just graduating because that often symbolizes an end rather than a stepping-stone to their journey through building independence. The men who visit Forte Strong will be taught about their continual progress and growth.