This concise, research-based, and tool-filled book gives you the information and skills you need as a parent, therapist, or gamer to overcome Internet gaming addiction. Dr. Bruce Killen draws on his decades of experience as a psychotherapist helping individuals overcome Internet gaming addiction to explain why people game and common problems associated with gaming. He also shares specific tools addicted individuals can use to conquer negative behaviors. Find out how to: • overcome challenges like depression, social anxiety, and family problems for yourself, loved ones, and/or clients; • recognize how an addiction to gaming affects individuals and their loved ones; • summon the courage to help a family member or client recognize a gaming addiction. Helping individuals addicted to gaming accept what is going on with gentleness and compassion is no easy task, but it can improve every area of someone’s life. Whether you are a therapist, family member, or someone addicted to Internet gaming, this book will provide you with tools to mindfully overcome addiction.
The internet, smartphones and technology are an integral part of everyday life. But for some users, what often starts out as a method to escape can eventually become a full-blown addiction. Users may find themselves retreating into videogames and other forms of technology to self-medicate loneliness, anxiety or depression, and find themselves isolated and missing out on important areas of life. In Facing Internet Addiction, some of the countries leading experts in technology addiction, adapt the groundbreaking thirty task model used by thousands of therapists worldwide, to treat technology and internet addiction. Using innovative tasks and exercises, the reader can engage in a plan designed to defeat addiction and restore lifestyle balance. This book is designed to be used as an adjunct to therapy, and also works well in conjunction with 12 step programs, or other recovery programs such as SMART recovery. Additionally, it is the first in a series, used in conjunction with recovery zone volumes 1 and 2, by Dr. Patrick Carnes.
Internet Gaming Disorder: Theory, Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention is an informative and practical introduction to the topics of Internet gaming disorder and problematic gaming. This book provides mental health clinicians with hands-on assessment, prevention, and treatment techniques for clients with problematic gaming behaviors and Internet gaming disorder. It provides an overview of the existing research on epidemiology, risk and protective factors, and discusses the distinct cognitive features that distinguish gaming from gambling and other related activities and disorders. Clinicians will find interest in discussion of the latest developments in cognitive-behavioral approaches to gaming disorder as well as the best structure for clinical interviews. Included in clinical sections are details of the key indicators of harm and impairment associated with problem gaming and how these might present in clinical cases. Internet Gaming Disorder is strongly evidence-based, draws extensively upon the latest international research literature, and provides insights into the likely future developments in this emerging field both in terms of technological development and new research approaches. Discusses the conceptual basis of Internet gaming disorder as a behavioral addiction Provides screening approaches for measuring excessive gaming Details a structured clinical interview approach for assessing gaming disorder Provides evidence-based clinical strategies for prevention and treatment Covers cognitive behavioral therapy and harm reduction strategies
Exploring the mind of a video gaming addict, Elaine's second book guides the reader through the journey of her son's addictive disorder and recovery. The story unfolds along the nine signs of gaming disorder and the five stages of addiction, weaving toward the recovery stage, including candid and insightful interviews with her son, Jake.Elaine calls upon the advice of experts to support her message that there is no easy way to survive video gaming addiction or any other addiction's withdrawal and recovery. It takes a lot of time, patience, Herculean strength, and enormous support from others, including family, friends, and professional therapy. But it is possible to detox from this compulsion. It is possible to reach the stage of recovery. And it is worth moving through the pain to arrive at the other side, more fully alive."Thought-provoking, emotionally moving, informative and triumphant, Uskoski's guide explains the shocking world of Video Gaming Addiction through the lens of a mother and her heroic efforts to save her son from his harmful addiction."Cindy Rescorl, Parent"Raw, heartbreaking, and heart-warming. this story takes you on a roller coaster of emotions into and out of the depths of gaming."Michelle NogueiraAddiction Problem Gambling and Technology Overuse Counselor, Homewood Health Centre
Are you addicted to playing digital games? Whether you want to (1) reclaim your life, (2) help a friend who is addicted to gaming, or (3) just understand the dangers of online gaming and how to minimize them, this book will teach you everything you need to know. Every addiction has its consequences. There are negative consequences to a gaming addiction. This book will help you fully comprehend the problems and learn how to help yourself or others break out of the addiction. Free yourself or others from unproductive behavior so life can be healthy and enjoyable again. Get some perspective on your gaming addiction. Online gaming is fun, there's no doubt about it! Gaming can help you explore your personality, enhance your creativity, and sharpen your problem-solving skills. However, if your virtual reality starts to damage your real-life interactions and health, then you have a problem. That is what this book is designed to address. I wrote "Gaming Addiction" for the purpose of guiding you through the process of evaluating your gaming activities to determine what is helping you and what aspects of your game of choice are actually messing up your life. I know, I know, gaming is your life! But is it a life that will lead to good things, or will it ultimately take you to a place you don't want to go? There is a healthy balance that can be attained. Get the best out of both "worlds." You can get what you want out of life, yes, real life. It is possible to continue to play online and still have a happy family, loving relationships, meaningful work, and delightful social experiences. The challenge is not letting the draw of the game overpower what you know you need to do and who you want to be. It's not healthy to spend all your time "checked out" from real life; some of the time it's okay to escape, but remember: while you're escaping from your life, there's nobody else out there who will live it for you. Gaming as Avoidance I get it. Sometimes life is just too harsh. We sometimes just need to get away. Yet, if you find yourself "escaping" to a virtual world to the point that you use your avatar more often than your real name, you're in trouble. For those of us who don't feel 100% confident around other people 100% of the time, it's easier to just camp out in an alternate universe. However, it's equally important to resist the temptation to spend all of your time there. While gaming can help improve social interaction (at least virtually), you need real world social interactions to truly grow and develop as a person. You also need real life social interaction to help avoid getting depressed. In this book I offer a variety ways you can take steps to interact without hiding behind an avatar. What Will You Discover About Gaming Addictions? An overview of online gaming addiction so you can better understand it. The physical and social risks associated with gaming addiction. The best treatments to break your addiction. How you can help someone who is addicted. The impact of long hours of gaming on your body and your mind. You Will Also Learn: How I kicked the addiction and you can, too. How gaming as a form of self-medication can backfire. The connection between gaming addiction and eating disorders. Practical, easy-to-follow instructions for gaining control of your gaming life. You can enjoy a truly full and enjoyable life again. Set yourself free: Buy It Now!
Are you addicted to, or recovering from online or offline gaming addiction? Whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet, compulsive behaviors are cunning, baffling and destroying families nationwide and internationally. Like autistic and cancer traits, addictive behaviors fall on a spectrum -- and they are known to be a normal response to an extreme situation, often stemming from childhood. However, this notebook is not an informational book, but a workbook for men and women who are in recovery from addiction. This is your relapse prevention workbook. If you have recently left treatment or rehab, you are going through addiction counseling or recovery coaching, this book will especially then help you in your eventual recovery. Use this book and your recovery journal and addiction recovery book and your life will be forever changed. So far, there is no equivalent compulsive behavior recovery book that helps to heal and rewire your brain from addictions. This book offers evidence-based techniques fusing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based relapse prevention to help you move past your addictive behaviors. Are your going through addictive behavior counseling? This book will help you stop your addictions and heal your mind. On the long road to addiction recovery, you need as many tools as possible to help you stay sober and reach your destination. The book can be used on its own or as an adjunct to rehab, therapy or coaching. It also makes a rich recovery resource for loved ones and professionals treating addiction. Ready to start living the life you've always wanted? This book can help you prevent relapse long term, beat your addiction and get back to living a full and meaningful life.
"This book focuses on the dark side of technology and the ways in which individuals are falling victim to compulsive internet use as well as gaming and gambling addictions"--
Video game addictions, also known as gaming disorders, or internet gaming disorders, are generally defined as a problematic, compulsive use of video and/or internet games that results in significant impairment to a person's ability to function in various life domains over a prolonged period of time. The American Medical Association (2007) defines heavy game use as playing video games for more than two hours per day. Estimates of the amount of time gamers spend playing video games vary from 6 to 12 hours per week. Some reports suggest that gamers actually spend about a quarter of their leisure time playing video games. As with all types of behavioral and physical addictions, the possibility of a video game addiction is not only the amount of time spent gaming, but also the function it is serving for the individual. Video game playing, like other recreational activities, may not be harmful or indicate an addiction. However, when game playing becomes addictive, it can take over as the person's main way of coping with life, with other important areas of life being neglected or disrupted as a result. The purpose of The Gaming Addiction Workbook is to provide helping professionals with cognitive and behavioral assessments, tools, and exercises that can be utilized to treat the root psychological causes of a gaming addiction. It is designed to help people identify and change negative, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that may have led to a gaming addiction. The activities contained in this workbook can help participants identify their triggers that can lead to a preoccupation with playing video games and teach them ways to overcome and manage those triggers. The Gaming Addiction Workbook will help participants to... Build self-esteem in positive capabilities outside of playing video games. Develop greater self-acceptance and the ability to change ineffective behaviors. Learn ways to live a new life without a preoccupation with video games. Recognize that they are experiencing an addiction problem. Reflect and become aware of the behaviors that were part of and arose from the addiction. Understand the triggers for preoccupation with video games. Understand recurring patterns that indicate a gaming addiction. The Gaming Addiction Workbook is a practical tool for any professional who works with people living with behavioral addictions. Depending on the role of the person using this workbook and the specific group or individual's needs, the modules can be used either individually or as part of an integrated curriculum. The facilitator may choose to administer one of the activities to a group or use some of the assessments over one or more days as a workshop. The Five Modules This workbook contains five separate modules of activity-based handouts that will help participants learn more about themselves and about their addiction to playing video games. These modules serve as avenues for self-reflection and group experiences revolving around topics of importance in the lives of the participants in the group. The activities in this workbook are user-friendly and varied to provide a comprehensive way of analyzing, strengthening, and developing characteristics, skills, and attitudes for overcoming an addiction to video games. The activities, handouts, and assessments in this workbook are completely reproducible and can be photocopied and/or revised for direct participant use.
Essential skills and strategies for managing your gameplay and creating a well-balanced life. Do you spend hours on end playing video games? Do marathon gaming sessions cause you to lose much-needed sleep? Have your grades suffered as a result of neglecting schoolwork in favor of more game time? Has your physical health declined due to extended periods of inactivity? Have you tried unsuccessfully to limit the time you spend playing? Gaming can be a fun, challenging, and rewarding activity, but when it begins to interfere with other essential aspects of life, it might be time to set some limits. The Gaming Overload Workbook will help you explore your use of video games in a thoughtful, nonjudgmental way. This isn’t a workbook for giving up on gaming. This is a guide to help you set your own limits on screen time, and apply your interest and enthusiasm for gaming to a wider variety of activities, like connecting with friends and family, excelling in school or sports, and just spending more time outdoors. If you’re ready for some healthy balance between gaming, school, family, physical activity, and social relationships, this book will provide the key to winning at the game of life!
