There may not be a magic pill that instantly “cures” teenagers of gaming addictions, but video game addiction treatment can help them to successfully moderate their behavior, regain control over their lives, and become healthier and more productive in recovery. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery at 866.300.5275 to learn more about video game addiction therapy today.
The Video Game Addiction Cure
Often, when people think of a cure, they think of drugs such as penicillin, which can quickly eradicate an infection. Today, there’s even a cure for some autoimmune diseases, such as hepatitis C. But what about a video game addiction cure?
First, we should look at these types of medications that we consider cures. Penicillin can cure most bacterial infections, but it still takes time, and some strains of bacteria are increasingly resistant to treatment. The hepatitis cure, Harvoni, can rid a person’s body of the virus that causes hepatitis C. The treatment still takes up to 12 weeks to bring results.
The video game addiction cure is not entirely dissimilar. Video game addiction therapy from a trained and compassionate team of mental health professionals can produce a total remission of gaming addiction behavior. Treatment may take weeks or months, but the results can be very successful.
Understanding a Gaming Addiction
Video games are highly addictive. They are specifically designed to make people want to return to video games over and over. In neuroimaging studies, scientists have found that people with a video game addiction show the same pattern of changes in the brain’s reward network as people with substance use disorders.
The signs of gaming addiction can vary significantly between individuals, but most teenagers will show signs like:
- Spending a great deal of time playing video games
- Video games get in the way of important responsibilities at home or in school
- Anxiety or restlessness when they’re not playing video games
- An inability to cut down or quit video games on their own
- Constantly thinking about video games, even when they’re doing something else
- Playing video games for longer than they intended
- Anger, anxiety, or distress when they cannot play video games
Just like other forms of addiction, teenagers with gaming addictions may even feel withdrawal symptoms when they suddenly stop playing video games. This makes it even more likely for teenagers to relapse, but treatment at a gaming addiction treatment center can help.
How Does Video Game Addiction Therapy Help?
Video game addiction therapy relies on several different types of treatments and therapies to help teens achieve recovery. These can include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders
These therapies can help treat the root cause of a video game addiction, whatever it may be, and show teenagers how to live stronger and healthier lives in recovery.
When teenagers quit video games, they often face overwhelming emotions, challenges, and cravings. With targeted gaming addiction treatment, these symptoms can be greatly alleviated. Teenagers can learn how to manage these emotions and challenges in the future.
Gaming addiction treatment focuses on helping teenagers rebuild healthy habits, develop coping mechanisms to deal with stressful situations, and resist the urge to return to active gaming addiction. Our experience has shown that it works and that most teenagers who receive treatment can achieve recovery.
Start Gaming Addiction Treatment at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery
If your teenage boy is struggling with a video game addiction, reach out to the experts at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery by calling 866.300.5275. Our team can explain our full treatment process, your options for video game addiction therapy, and how to start your teenager on the path to recovery.
