From time to time, there are media reports about people who have died playing video games. But what is the scale of the problem and what are the reasons behind these tragic deaths?

In this article, we look at recent research into gamer death and whether video game addiction has a part to play.

How many people have died from gaming addiction?

New research into ‘Sudden gamer death: non-violent death cases linked to playing video games’ ⁴⁴ 44. Sudden gamer death: non-violent death cases linked to playing video games × has found 24 gaming-related deaths worldwide between 1982 and 2021, with 23 of the deaths taking place between 2002 and 2021. So, can you die from playing video games? Or, more specifically, can excessive gaming cause death? The research concludes that most of the victims are likely to have suffered from video game addiction.

However, it’s unlikely that this represents all deaths linked to playing video games. The research recognized that cases are more likely to get media attention if they happen in a public place or there are unusual circumstances. It’s probable that other deaths have not been reported to respect the privacy of the victims’ families. Also, the researchers were only able to identify deaths that received international media attention and were covered on English language websites. Any deaths caused by video game addictions reported by local news sources would have gone below their radar.

The research only includes players whose deaths appear to be directly connected to playing video games. It does not take into account deaths that could be linked to video games for other reasons such as video game suicides, violence from gaming, accidents or homicides driven by impulse, anger, revenge or negligence rather than the act of gaming itself.

Are there any common factors of the gaming-related deaths?

So, the true number of victims is probably unknown but let’s look at the 24 people whose deaths have been linked to playing video games:

• 23 of the victims were male and only one was female.
• 14 of the deceased came from south-east Asia – China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand – and most (12) of those cases happened in internet cafés.
• The age of the victims ranged from 11 to 40 years old.
• 18 of the victims took part in marathon gaming sessions before they died with very little, if any, rest. This is a good indicator of a gaming addiction death.
• Most were playing MMO games which are competitive, fast-paced and need high levels of concentration. It’s easy to lose track of time, play for hours on end, and forget to eat, drink, exercise and sleep.
• No one is reported to have died playing sandbox games (which require creativity rather than action) or more slow-paced adventure games.

It’s interesting – but perhaps unsurprising – that half of the cases are linked to internet cafés. Many such venues are open 24/7 so gamers can play for hours on end without parental supervision. They are cheap to use, food and drink is readily available, and some cafés even offer overnight accommodation.

What were the causes of video game addiction deaths?

There is no need to look at the top 10 deaths caused by video games as there are three main reasons among the 24 victims, although the cause of death is unknown in some cases:

Heart problems

The most common cause of death appears to be heart-related problems: heart attack, heart failure, sudden arrhythmia death syndrome and cardiac arrest. Most of the victims had been gaming for multiple hours prior to their death.

One victim of heart failure, a 28-year-old male from South Korea, had been playing for 50 hours before he lost consciousness and died. During his lengthy gaming session he had paused only for restroom breaks and to eat and drink a little, and had not slept for two days. These unhealthy gaming habits are likely to have cost him his life. Spending hours every day in a sedentary position playing video games can have severe implications for your physical health, as explained in our article on the negative effects of video games.

Pulmonary embolism

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot gets stuck in the lung and blocks the blood flow. Blood clots often start in the legs and travel through the heart and into the lungs. This is known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Common risk factors for DVT include lack of movement, dehydration, obesity and smoking.

Often, gamers who play for hours without a break are so focused on the action they can forget to move around, eat or drink. When they do stop, they may grab some junk food rather than choose a healthy option. One of the video game addiction deaths was a 24-year-old male from South Korea who suffered a pulmonary embolism. He had been gaming for 86 hours before he died, only stopping to buy cigarettes and use the bathroom.

Cerebral hemorrhage

One of the deceased is reported to have experienced a cerebral hemorrhage – commonly known as a bleed on the brain – while another had a stroke. The type of stroke was not specified but it is likely to have been a hemorrhage stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Raised blood pressure during long gaming sessions may have been behind the cerebral hemorrhage.

Pre-existing medical conditions

It’s interesting to note that 10 of the deceased had pre-existing medical conditions including asthma, obesity, heart problems, high blood pressure and liver disease/gallstones.

Is this the first esports-related death?

One of the deaths did not occur due to uncontrolled gaming but after two months of intensive training for an esports competition. Could this be the first esports-related death?

The 21-year-old male from Sweden did not die when training or during the competition itself but when he was sleeping afterwards. The researchers wonder whether this change in balance was the trigger, or whether other factors were involved such as a post-competition celebration.

How can you stay safe when gaming?

So, should gamers and parents be worried? Can video games kill you? It appears they can, but the risk appears to be extremely low – one death per 30 million gamers each year. This is much lower than the risk of sport-related death.

However, there are other problems that can affect gamers which, though less serious, are still a cause for concern. When you, or your child, spend hours sitting in front of a screen immersed in games, it’s easy to forget to eat and drink regularly, exercise, sleep, spend time with friends and family IRL, enjoy other activities, and focus on school or work. When the balance swings in favor of gaming, it can have a knock-on effect on your relationships, grades or career, other hobbies, and physical and mental health.

If you or a loved one have an unhealthy relationship with gaming and feel that it’s taking over your life, you may have video game addiction. Take our short quiz to find out.

At Game Quitters, we help gamers and families get control over gaming and develop safer gaming habits. In just 12 weeks, you or someone you care about will be free of gaming problems. We accept both individuals and families onto our program, including gamers currently in denial.

Take the first step today and apply for a Gameplan strategy call to see if you’re a good fit. Limited spots are available.

Gaming is a global phenomenon with 3.4 billion active players worldwide. With players from different countries and backgrounds, the question is are they all the same or are there different types of gamers?

We have identified nine different types of gamers and in this article we will help you understand what your gamer type is, and also what you need to know about it.

As the popularity of video games has risen, so have the number of people with unhealthy gaming habits. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognized gaming disorder as a mental health condition. So let’s start by looking at the four different types of gaming behavior.

The four types of player behavior

Video gaming is an activity that occurs on a continuum, from healthy to harmful. There are four types of gaming on this spectrum: recreational, at risk, problematic and disordered.

Recreational gaming

When gaming is a positive habit, it is a regular part of life – people make time to play video games but still manage to prioritize school, work and other responsibilities.

At-risk gaming

This is when gaming habits start to cause some day-to-day issues that, if continued over time, may result in problems and ultimately escalate into disordered gaming.

Problematic gaming

Gaming becomes problematic if it begins to replace other daily commitments and activities. It can negatively affect the player’s mental and physical health, family dynamics and relationships.

Disordered gaming

Also known as video game addiction, disordered gaming is when a player is unable to control their gaming habits. It is defined as ‘gaming disorder’ in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).

All gaming activity can be described using these four types of gaming. Therefore, each of the different types of gamers outlined below fits somewhere along the gaming continuum.

What are the different types of gamers?

Let’s look at the different gamer types to understand what are casual gamers and what is a heavy gamer? In 2015, Joël Billieux and his team conducted a study to identify the traits associated with different types of gamers. ⁵⁸ 58. Billieux, J., Thorens, G., Khazaal, Y., Zullino, D., Achab, S., & Van der Linden, M. (2015). Problematic involvement in online games: A cluster analytic approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 242–250. × They wanted to understand more about the differences between problematic gamers and those who played without any negative consequences.

So, what are the types of gamers they found? They split them into non-problematic gamers – recreational and social – and problematic gamers: the achiever, the escaper and the hardcore gamer.

Casual gamer

A recreational (casual) gamer has low impulsivity and high self-esteem. Playing video games is usually a hobby they enjoy alongside other interests and activities. Gaming doesn’t satisfy their basic needs and they don’t feel compelled to game in order to escape or feel a sense of achievement.

Social gamer

This type of gamer has low impulsivity, so they aren’t driven to play compulsively. But, unlike recreational gamers, they have relatively low levels of self-esteem. They play video games for the social experience and enjoy creating virtual characters and the role-playing opportunities this brings. However, in most cases, they are not trying to replace their real-life identity.

“Two of my best friends I know from outside gaming also play with me. My social circle and my gaming is so interlinked.” – Gamer

Mobile gamer

A mobile gamer is someone who prefers to game on a smartphone rather than a console or PC. Often they will play games such as Candy Crush or PUBG. Having access to video games 24/7, gives this type of gamer the opportunity to play anytime, anywhere. This could lead to problematic play if they’re unable to control their gaming habits, especially if they play these addictive mobile games.

However, many gamers enjoy the accessibility and convenience of gaming on the go without any adverse consequences. It is therefore likely that mobile gamers fall into each type of gamer category outlined on this blog.

The achiever

Achievers are highly impulsive with high self-esteem. They want to excel in the game and are less interested in role-playing, socializing or escaping from real-life problems. As they are highly impulsive, they lack self-control and have trouble resisting the immediate gratification provided by gaming. Their high self-esteem means they don’t play to boost their self-worth, they play because they want to master the game.

“It’s a crave for achievement and recognition and reward. That exact same feeling needs be applied in real life work. That competitive mode. I only played PVP in everything. Except assassins.” – Gamer

Achievers often play competitive ranking type games such as Call of Duty, Valorant, Counter-Strike or League of Legends.

The escaper

Escapers engage in immersive gameplay as a coping strategy to relieve negative moods. They play more to escape from real-life difficulties and their low self-esteem than to succeed in the game. It is likely that their gaming behavior is due to an underlying mental health condition or a traumatic life event.

“Gaming has devoured precious time I should have used for studying and was one of the main reasons I dropped out of university. It creates a desire to withdraw into my own world rather than spend time with people who care about me.” – Gamer

The hardcore gamer

The hardcore gamer is a combination of the escaper and the achiever. This type of gamer is mainly motivated by achievement and escapism, but role-playing is also an important part of their gameplay. They have high self-esteem and high impulsiveness which affects their decision making and control. They define themselves through their gaming life and reputation; their sense of self is boosted by their virtual world achievements and status.

Personally, I’m an example of a hardcore gamer. I liked to achieve and see if I could be the best player I could be, but I was also dealing with a lot of real-life challenges and stress and needing to escape and just play for hours and hours and hours and not have to think about what was going on in my real life. The problem was that no matter how much gaming I did, it didn’t fix any of the problems that I was experiencing so things just tended to get worse and worse. Although the achievements I got in the game made me feel like things weren’t so bad. That’s a big reason why I was addicted to playing World of Warcraft and many other hardcore players are too.

At Game Quitters, we have also come across four other types of players: at-risk gamer, problematic gamer, disordered gamer and mobile gamer.

Heavy gamer (at-risk gamer)

A heavy gamer (also known as an at-risk gamer) spends a significant portion of their leisure time gaming without experiencing negative consequences. They are still able to manage their responsibilities – like school assignments, work demands and family commitments – spend time with family and friends, and usually have other hobbies and interests.

They may want to play more but being irritable or moody when they can’t play is uncommon. They sometimes feel like they’re not reaching their full potential, but as long as they keep their gaming under control, it is not problematic.

Some behaviors that may increase the risk of excessive gaming include having few activities besides gaming, spending large sums of money on gaming, heavy weekday gaming sessions, and pursuing esports or streaming as a career.

Problematic gamer

The main difference between the heavy gamer and the problematic gamer is that they are a type of gamer experiencing negative consequences associated with their gaming habits. Problematic gaming is therefore more severe than at-risk gaming. What differentiates the problematic gamer from the disordered gamer is that their negative consequences have occurred for less than 12 months.

“Both my mental and physical health began steadily declining. I feel irritable and depressed all the time and nothing about life seems fun or exciting anymore, even video games.” –Gamer

Disordered gamer

At this point, the gamer is addicted. They experience negative consequences from playing video games but feel compelled to continue. This impaired control over their gaming results in functional impairment. A disordered gamer is a type of gamer assessed by a qualified professional and may include formal screenings for WHO’s gaming disorder classification criteria.

Curious about your type of player? Take our video game addiction test for gamers.

Need help?

Do you have a gaming problem? Do you need help to get your gaming under control or are you worried about a loved one’s gaming habits? If so, we can help.

Our Respawn program helps gamers to quit or moderate their gaming habits.

The Reclaim program helps families reduce conflict and manage problematic gaming at home, even if the gamer is currently in denial.

You can also book a Gameplan call to discuss your situation. Limited spots are available.

There is an ongoing debate about the effects of video games on the brain. Some studies suggest that video games help learning and build skills, while others have found they can make players more violent or aggressive. It is evident that the impact of video games on the brain is not clear-cut; they can have both beneficial and harmful effects.

This article examines how video games can change your brain and looks at the positive and negative consequences of gaming. We also share tips on what to do if video games are starting to cause problems.

The psychology of gaming

Video games are deliberately designed to be addictive. The gaming industry employs cognitive psychologists, reward psychologists, and computer science and human behavioral scientists as user experience (UX) designers. They apply their knowledge of attention, perception, memory, emotion, reward and learning principles, and psychological vulnerabilities in game design. Every second of color, light, sound, purpose, task, instruction and experience within video games is carefully crafted to keep players (brains) gaming for as long as possible and spending money on in-game purchases.

Professor David Hodgins of the University of Calgary, an addictive behaviors and clinical psychology researcher says “we know that young people are overly involved in gaming and gambling. One common game design feature is intermittent reinforcement, which means there are a lot of rewards but the rewards are unpredictable, so people pursue the rewards in a constant fashion. This is a concept we’ve known since the 1950s.”

What gaming does to the brain

Parents of gamers are sometimes concerned about video games and brain development. They ask us questions like:

• “Does too much gaming rot your brain?”
• “Is there a difference between gamer brain vs normal brain?”

Video games can impact the brain in several ways and certain changes are more obvious than others. Here are some of the most common effects gaming can have on the cognition, brain structure and function:

Gaming activates dopamine – the brain’s reward system

Dopamine is a feel-good neurotransmitter that’s part of the brain’s reward system. Whenever the brain is expecting a reward from a certain activity, it starts producing dopamine which makes us feel good. This motivates us to repeat the behavior to experience the same rush of pleasure. So, do video games release dopamine?

If gaming is balanced with other hobbies and interests, the brain will receive small doses of dopamine and players will feel happy and motivated. This is a simple effect of video games on the brain. But long and frequent gaming sessions can release such huge doses of dopamine over and over, that the brain will try to stay in balance by shutting down its ability to get dopamine. In response, players often start to play more to try to experience the same thrill, but the brain will compensate by shutting down even more of its ability to get dopamine. Eventually, this cycle will mean the brain doesn’t produce enough dopamine and it will become dopamine deficient.

What are the symptoms of dopamine deficiency? Those who game excessively may start to wonder: “Do video games cause brain fog?” or “Do video games rot your brain?” It is common for sufferers to feel tired, irritable and anxious, and many people struggle to concentrate. Things that used to be interesting seem pointless but it’s gaming that is changing their brains so that nothing feels fun or exciting. They start to game more, not always because they want to play, but to relieve the uncomfortable feelings from having low dopamine. And the vicious circle continues.

It’s related to a biological process called tolerance and sugar is a good example of how this works. A little bit of sugar once in a while is ok, but the more you have the more you want. You end up developing a tolerance to sugar, needing increasing amounts to experience the same effects. This is the same for gaming. The more people play, the more their brains become less sensitive to the effects of dopamine, and it takes more and more dopamine to feel that same pleasure and excitement.

Gaming can cause a fight-or-flight response

Our natural fight-or-flight response is designed to protect us when we sense danger. The body releases hormones that increase our heart and breathing rates and gets our muscles ready to respond. In some situations, it can be a lifesaver by helping us stay focused, alert and able to react quickly.

However, there is a point at which the fight-or-flight response stops being beneficial and starts causing problems. This can happen when playing violent video games. Over time, the brain may think the threats and attacks are real and the game is actually a battle. This can cause the player to react angrily and aggressively. So, if you have ever wondered how violent video games affect the brain differently, it is the fight-or-flight amygdala that has taken over so the player cannot access the logical part of their brain.

Gaming lowers activity in the prefrontal cortex of the developing brain

The prefrontal cortex of the brain – which is responsible for decision-making, judgement and self-control – does not fully develop until the age of 25. This can make young gamers less able to weigh up the pros and cons of immediate rewards, like another few hours spent gaming, against longer-term goals such as revising for their math test next week. This may also explain why some young gamers neglect their basic needs such as food, sleep, exercise and personal hygiene in order to continue playing video games.

Researchers have found that violent games, in particular, can lower activity in developing brains. One study reported that young male gamers who spent many hours playing a violent video game for two weeks had lower activity in important brain areas when trying to control their behavior, compared to adolescents who played no video games over that period. Another study of youth gamers found that playing violent video games for just 30 minutes, immediately lowered activity in the prefrontal cortex compared to the brains of those who played non-violent video games.

Gaming can trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol

Many video games are action packed and intense, and this excitement triggers the production of adrenalin. It’s a natural reaction to help us react faster to situations of perceived danger – such as the risk of dying in a shooting game such as Valorant, Counter-Strike or Call of Duty. When excess adrenaline is released into the bloodstream, it makes the heart pump harder than usual. This increases our blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate. After a while, the blood shifts to the limbic system, the part of the brain involved in our emotional and behavioral responses, which can cause brain fog, sometimes called becoming a game zombie.

Gaming can also increase the release of cortisol (known as the stress hormone) in response to perceived threats. If the stress hormone is constantly active due to excessive gaming, it may cause the brain’s neurotransmitters – like serotonin – to stop functioning correctly. This can affect our mood, potentially causing depression; blood sugar, which can lead to the over-consumption of junk food, and sleep quality because it becomes more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is why there is a debate about whether or not gaming reduces stress.

Does gaming rot the brain?

Gaming does not rot the brain. When video games are played for fun as part of a healthy range of activities, there is generally no cause for concern. Most of the negative effects of video games are due to excessive use or underlying issues:

• Physical health risks including repetitive strain injury, headaches, back and neck problems, obesity and heart-related issues
• Poor personal hygiene, laziness
• Insomnia and other sleep-related problems
• Mental health conditions including anxiety, stress and depression
• Mood swings such as irritability, anger, aggression and violence
• Family conflict and relationship issues
• Lack of motivation, concentration and energy
• Cognitive biases that affect decision-making skills and problem-solving abilities
• Loneliness and social disconnection
• Exposure to online toxicity and harassment
• Poor academic performance and missed career opportunities
• Loss of interest in other activities.

For a small percentage of players, the negative effects of gaming can include addiction. Take our video game addiction test to see if your gaming habits are potentially problematic.

Positive effects of gaming on brain development

When played in moderation, video games can have multiple benefits on the brain:

Video games can enhance attention

Research has found that areas of the brain involved in attention are more efficient in people who play video games who are able keep their attention focused on demanding tasks. ⁵⁹ 59. Frontiers. "Video games can change your brain: Studies investigating how playing video games can affect the brain have shown that they can cause changes in many brain regions." ×

Video games can increase intelligence

Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found that US children who spent an above-average amount of time playing video games increased their intelligence by approximately 2.5 IQ points more than the average. However, watching TV and engaging with social media had no significant impact on their cognitive abilities. ⁶⁰ 60. Video games can help boost children’s intelligence</a< ×

Video games can improve memory

Gaming can have long-lasting benefits for memory. A study by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Barcelona using Nintendo’s Super Mario 64 found that playing video games as a child can improve a person’s working memory years afterwards. ⁶¹ 61. Video gaming as a child related to improvements in memory ×

Video games can boost learning

Playing action video games has been found to improve learning capabilities. Research by the University of Rochester reported that our brains are constantly building ‘templates’ of the world to make better predictions and playing action video games enables gamers to produce better templates than non-gamers. ⁶² 62. Playing action video games can boost learning ×

Video games can enhance problem-solving skills

Gaming teaches players to keep trying to reach the next level, complete the next quest or get to the top of the leader board. It is a safe space to fail and if they don’t initially succeed, they can try different strategies to achieve their goal. A 2013 study found the more that adolescents playing strategic video games, the better their problem-solving skills and academic grades were the following year. ⁶³ 63. More Than Just Fun and Games: The Longitudinal Relationships Between Strategic Video Games, Self-Reported Problem Solving Skills, and Academic Grades ×

Video games can encourage creativity

Sandbox games, like Minecraft, Roblox, Stardew Valley and SimCity, give players the creative freedom to build and explore different worlds. This link between video games and creativity is backed by research from Iowa State University. It found that playing Minecraft without instruction improved participants’ creativity more than watching TV or playing a race car video game. ⁶⁴ 64. Want to boost creativity? Try playing Minecraft Date: ×

Best games for your brain

There are various puzzles and games for the brain designed to sharpen the memory. These games may also be better alternatives than immersive multiplayer video games.

Sudoku

This logic-based number puzzle improves memory and concentration. There are different levels of difficulty so you can find the right level of challenge.

Wordle

Wordle provides a small hit of dopamine (only one puzzle is released each day), uses problem-solving skills and can provide social interaction if you share your result on social media.

Jigsaws

Jigsaw puzzles use both the left and right-hand side of your brain. As well improving problem-solving skills and visual-spatial reasoning, they are a great stress reliever.

Chess

Playing chess on a board rather than online is a good way to have a screen break. It is proven to be an excellent cognitive exercise that boosts logical reasoning and memory.

Crossword puzzles

Regularly completing crosswords can help improve focus and attention. A study in the Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society found that crosswords may delay the onset of memory loss in people with dementia. ⁶⁵ 65. Association of Crossword Puzzle Participation with Memory Decline in Persons Who Develop Dementia ×

By choosing the right games to play you can gain benefits from gaming on your brain instead of negative ones.

How to reset the gamer brain

When you find yourself or someone you love struggling with excessive gaming or social media use, you may wonder how to reset their brain back to normal. The key may be simpler than you think.

As described above, the dopamine theory of addiction states that addictions increase dopamine to an extent that once the stimulus is removed, our body may be unable to replicate the same amount of dopamine naturally. Therefore, the key towards overcoming an addiction is to restore the ability of the body to create dopamine through natural means, without the stimulus someone is addicted to.

For example, for someone who has what is now described as TikTok brain, they may benefit from a dopamine detox.

A dopamine detox involves abstaining from all addictive activities that raise your levels of dopamine higher than natural. A digital detox includes abstaining from activities such as social media, video games, smartphones and gambling. You’ll abstain from instant hits of dopamine and replace them with healthier activities that produce dopamine such as exercise, time in nature and face-to-face interactions.

For a dopamine detox to be most effective, a recommended time of 90 days works best, however benefits can be found in shorter detox periods as well. For more information, read our guide on how to do a dopamine detox.

If you are concerned about your gaming habits, or you think a loved one may have gaming problems, we can help.

• Our Reclaim program is specifically designed to help families reduce conflict, manage problematic gaming and learn how to control gaming and screen time.
• Our Respawn program helps gamers detox from gaming and get their live back on track.
• Book a Gameplan call to discuss your situation. Limited spots are available.

Every year, millions of students arrive at university with the dream of obtaining a degree and securing a future for themselves. While most students graduate and progress into successful careers, others do not, with up to 33% of undergraduate students dropping out ⁶⁸ 68. https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates/ × . So how does gaming affect learning in students?

There are a variety of reasons why students fail out of college or university including homesickness, being academically unprepared, financial constraints, personal issues, lack of motivation, laziness, and no guidance or mentoring, but the modern student has another phenomenon to navigate: video games.

This article looks at how popular gaming is at on college campuses and explores the ways video games can positively and negatively affect learning and academic success. If you are a concerned parent, there are tips on how to support your college gamer and help them develop healthy gaming habits.

How popular is gaming at college?

Most students today are gamers with 92% playing regularly and 35% playing most days ⁶⁹ 69. https://www.ygam.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/research_full_report-FINAL-Online-220819.pdf × . On average, 75% play more than 20 hours per week and over 40% report playing more than 30 hours.

An increasing number of colleges and universities are embracing video games with the rise of esports – 175 US higher education institutions offer varsity esports programs ⁷⁰ 70. https://www.ncsasports.org/college-esports-scholarships/varsity-esports × with full or partial scholarships and are members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).

However, despite the multiple benefits of gaming and esports when played in moderation (see below), video game overuse has been shown to be a high-risk activity that can negatively impact academic success and 48% of student gamers agree that gaming keeps them from studying ⁷¹ 71. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2003/07/06/let-the-games-begin-gaming-technology-and-college-students/ × .

How many college students are addicted to video games?

Here are some statistics about video game use and unhealthy gaming habits among young American adults:

• More males (aged 18-29) play video games than females: 77% versus 57%.
• 9% of people aged 18-24 are preoccupied with playing video games.
• Over 5% of young adults experience withdrawal symptoms when not able to game.
• More than 8% of people aged 18-24 are unsuccessful when trying to control the amount time they spend gaming.
• Over 3% of young adults have lost or jeopardized a relationship, job or educational opportunity as a direct result of their gaming activities.

Jakes’s story

As a Canadian high school student, Jake was a functional addict. His gaming was problematic and did affect his grades but he still enjoyed playing sports and had a wide circle of friends.

That was until he went off to school at the University of Guelph and away from his family in Toronto. Faced with the anxiety of a first-year college student, Jake used gaming to cope with school and personal issues.

Without his parents monitoring his play, Jake began gaming all night and missing classes. He started to lose weight and stopped showering as much. He hit rock bottom during his second year when he missed the registration cut-off date and was on the verge of being evicted from his residence hall because he was no longer technically a student. That is when he sent an email to his mother asking for help. When she arrived at his dorm, she says he was “pale, shaking and smelled foul.”

He moved back home to begin his video game recovery and, with the support of his family and a counsellor, turned his life around. Today, he hasn’t played a game for five years, instead spending his time on new activities and a job he secured with a software company. He has also graduated from college – unlike when he failed before because gaming was affecting his learning.

The gaming cycle explained

Jake isn’t alone. Over 85,000 people search for help on the Game Quitters website every month. Read other real-life stories of gaming addicts. The typical person seeking support is a male college student aged 18-24 years old who has become caught in the gaming cycle.

The gaming cycle works like this: roughly 9% of students develop problematic gaming in high school but are often able to cope with gaming and academic requirements ⁷² 72. https://drdouglas.org/gclslfk2011ft.html × . Classwork in high school is typically easier than college work, living at home enables more parental supervision, and gamers have been proven to perform significantly better in terms of reasoning and short-term memory ⁷³ 73. https://greenlab.psych.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/280/2017/07/Memory-abilities-in-action-video-game-playersMcDermott-Bavelier-Green-2014.pdf × which affects learning and helps them perform well academically.

The transition to college is a different story.

College students usually have less parental supervision, more independence, increased academic responsibilities, and a change in social environment which all lead to increased levels of stress. The student gamer often turns to video games as a way to escape. Instead of doing their college work, they game. They get further behind in class causing more stress and they escape further into games to cope with their anxiety. This creates a cycle of academic self-destruction.

To make matters worse, two in three students say they tend to keep issues or problems to themselves ⁷⁴ 74. https://www.ygam.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FINAL-research_full_report-PRINT-READY-5.pdf × . The main reason for not seeking support is stigma ⁷⁵ 75. https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10292/7726/DriverJ.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y × and even if a student does ask for help, they may be turned away. Many student affairs departments are overwhelmed after the rise in mental health issues experienced by young people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

How gaming affects learning and academic success

Gaming can positively and negatively impact learning and academic performance depending on the level of engagement. Too much of anything – including playing video games – can be a bad thing. Moderation and balance are key.

The benefits of gaming for academic success

Playing video games is not always harmful. It can be a fun and enjoyable activity with multiple academic benefits including:

• Increased interest in STEM subjects
• Improved problem-solving skills and logic
• Greater multi-tasking ability
• Faster and more accurate decision-making
• Enhanced creativity
• Greater brain efficiency
• Memory enhancement
• Improved cognitive abilities.

A recent study ⁷⁶ 76. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1875952121000094 × measured the differences in academic performance between students who played video games and students who did not. It found that gaming can positively affect educational outcomes. Students who spent equal time playing video games and studying still achieved high grades. The researchers reported that many students adopted a ‘work hard, play hard’ approach and rewarded themselves with gaming time for studying.

The risks of gaming on educational outcomes

When gaming takes over a student’s life, and the line is crossed between intentional and compulsive use, it can have serious consequences:

• Lack of motivation and poor focus
• Missed learning opportunities through skipping class
• Lower grades, games affecting learning
• Extended years in college
• Mental health problems including depression, anxious and stress
• Lack of sleep
• Increased aggression
• Feelings of isolation and helplessness
• Cyberbullying and internet safety risks
• Poor personal hygiene and diet.

Find out more about the negative effects of gaming.

A US study explored video game addiction and college performance among male first-year students. It found that video game addiction was negatively correlated with expected college engagement and grade point average (GPA) ⁷⁷ 77. https://publish.illinois.edu/zhengqi2/files/2016/05/source2.pdf × . This suggests that as video addiction symptoms increase, student involvement in college life and academic performance decrease.

How to keep healthy gaming habits in college

When gaming is a positive habit, it can be a regular part of college life, without gaming affecting learning. Here are some strategies individuals can use to develop and maintain healthy gaming habits:

• Limit gaming to certain times and use a schedule to keep it in balance.
• Do not game in class.
• Have other interests and activities besides gaming – see our hobby tool for suggestions.
• Socialize with other students in person.
• Minimize blue light as it can interfere with sleep – use blue light minimizing glasses or blue light filter on your screens.
• Stop gaming an hour before bed.
• Get plenty of sleep. If your student accommodation has one room for sleeping and gaming, use an alarm to monitor your gaming time.
• Choose video games that are positive experiences – be mindful of toxic play and the temptation to overspend.
• Drink plenty of water, limit caffeine, eat healthily and avoid junk snacks.
• Take regular breaks to move around, preferably outside.
• Avoid hunching over the screen – try to play with a straight back with your monitor at eye level.
• Shut your eyes for a couple of minutes every hour to relax your eye muscles.
• Review how much you’re playing each week and adjust it if necessary.

How to know when gaming is an issue

It can be tricky to differentiate healthy from unhealthy gameplay, as there is not one single factor to determine video game addiction.

Instead, there are several warning signs that, when presenting together, can signify problematic behavior.

If you are concerned about a loved one’s preoccupation with video games, the signs listed below will help you gauge if there’s a problem. Your loved one can also take our video game addiction test.

Signs of healthy video game use

• The individual is open and honest about the amount of time they spend playing video games.
• The individual has full control of their video game activities.
• The individual is able to stop or reduce the amount they play if it starts to cause problems.
• The individual does not lose sleep to continue gaming.
• The individual stops playing to eat, shower and do other daily tasks.
• The individual is able to focus on their job or education.
• The individual has time to spend with family and friends.
• The individual has other hobbies and interests.
• The individual can fully immerse themselves in a game and then easily return to the offline world.
• The individual is not overly bothered if their video game is interrupted.
• The individual will not spend money they can’t afford on video games.

Signs of unhealthy video game use

• The individual is unable to control their gaming activities despite attempts to stop or reduce play.
• The individual continues to play video games even though it has a negative effect on their life.
• The individual needs to spend an increasing amount of time playing video games to get the same level of pleasure.
• The individual is restless and irritable when unable to play.
• The individual is constantly thinking about their next gaming session.
• The individual lies about how much time they spend playing video games.
• The individual uses gaming to escape from everyday life.
• The individual is sleep deprived due to regularly playing at night.
• The individual skips meals, neglects their personal hygiene and avoids other daily tasks to continue playing video games.
• The individual prioritizes video games over other hobbies and interests.
• The individual misses educational or career opportunities.
• The individual withdraws from spending time with friends and family.
• The individual gets angry or annoyed if their video game is interrupted.
• The individual will get into debt to buy the latest video games and/or through in-game spending.

Where to find support

Left untreated, video game addiction and any associated mental health issues can have a lasting impact on your child’s education, career prospects, and physical and mental well-being. However, help is available to get their life back on track.

On-campus support

Most universities and colleges have free, or low cost, student counseling services that provide on-campus mental health support. You can usually find out what is available and how to access help in the counseling service section of the university or college website. When making an enquiry, it is important to check that the therapists are trained in gaming issues.

Many campuses have an on-site student health center that offers a range of front-line medical services. If any student is showing physical signs of video game addiction – such as migraines, back pain, eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome or exhaustion – they can assess the problem and signpost to the appropriate medical and/or psychological support.

Off-campus support

If you are struggling to find specialist help for video game addiction on-campus, Game Quitters has coaching programs, resources and support groups for students and parents.

You can also read our guide: How to quit gaming in college.

Our Parent Coaching program is recommended if your loved one has lost control of their gaming habits and you need a strategy to get their life back on track. Here are some of the benefits:

• Establish a stronger relationship with your child.
• Discover how to respond to difficult situations and reduce conflict.
• Improve communication and connection at home.
• Build confidence in your parenting skills.
• Enhance your problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Create a calmer and happier home environment.
• Learn self-care techniques.
• Understand the stages of video game addiction and recovery, and how to cope with relapse.
• Have a professional as part of your parenting team.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A GAMEPLAN CALL

How to support a college gamer

If your child is showing signs of video game addiction, you may be wondering how to help them regain control of their gaming habits. It may seem tempting to simply remove all access to gaming devices and the internet.

However, enforcing a complete detox is not practical if they are living away from home at college or sustainable as their brain will have become accustomed to the rush of dopamine induced by gaming and they will experience withdrawal symptoms as a result. While the long-term solution may be to quit gaming, the short-term goal should be to reduce the amount of time they play video games in small increments – this is known as harm reduction.

Here are some ways you can help them gradually reduce their reliance on video games:

• Educate them on what gaming does to the brain.
• Get involved in the roommate selection process and try to avoid choosing a roommate who is a gamer.
• Limit the games paraphernalia they take to college – leave video games, gaming PC, large monitor/screen at home.
• Draw up gaming/study timetable together so there is a healthy balance of both.
• Do not fund their gaming habit – refuse to pay for game subscriptions and micro-transactions and set limits on their phone data plan to stop large downloads.
• Suggest they get a part-time job to fill their free time with something other than gaming.
• Encourage them to join non-gaming clubs and societies to expand their social circle and extracurricular interests.
• Consider a gap year if classes are being failed and use that time to seek support and help them regain control of their gaming habits.

Even if your child’s situation seems hopeless now, it is possible to turn their life around. Read this inspiring story of how one student gaming addict turned his life around.