Clearly, today’s digital screens are more prevalent and unavoidable than ever before. While most people are aware of the dangers and worries with television’s effects psychologically, some disagree. The hypnotic and addictive power of immersive and interactive digital screens on young minds is an altogether different animal. Research is indicating a more dopamine activating, potentially more addicting, effect than TV when in comparison to video games. And unfortunately, an increase in clinical disorders such as ADHD, aggression, mood disorders, and psychosis. Although video games were once considered a harmless form of activity and entertainment, today the need for video game addiction treatment is on the rise. If you or a loved one are in need of video game addiction treatment, finding the best help possible is a good start.
What Is Considered Video Game Addiction?
Video game addiction can be defined as the overuse and obsession-related behavior of an individual in playing video games that increases over time. Even despite the negative consequences and life altering problems of the individual using the technology/and or video games. What usually starts out as an hour of playing games or online use, can quickly become two hours a day the next week. To 4 hours a day the following week, and so on. What perhaps starts as one game, becomes two, becomes three, and so on. When video games seem to be the only way to relax, to bring joy and excitement, and become your focus in daily life- then video game addiction treatment should be considered.
The Dopamine And Video Game Addiction Connection
To fully understand video game addiction, we need to understand the brain’s reward system first. We must examine the impact of dopaminergic behaviors on the reward pathway in the brain. How dopamine-activating a behavior is correlates highly with that behavior’s addictive potential for individuals. Dopamine is the feel-good neurotransmitter that plays the most critical role in the addiction process. When a person performs an action satisfying a need, dopamine releases into the nucleus accumbens. The nucleus accumbens is a cluster of nerve cells beneath the cerebral hemispheres associated with pleasure. This area is also known as the brain’s pleasure center for reward and motivation.
In simple terms, engaging in dopaminergic behavior increases dopamine levels and activates the dopamine-reward pathway. This activation tells the individual to repeat what they just did to get that dopamine reward. Research shows people predisposed toward addiction have lower baseline levels of dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters. Thus, they’re more likely to get hooked on any behavior that increases dopamine significantly. Their brains crave it more than those with normal baseline neurotransmitter levels do naturally.
Treatment for Technology And Video Game Addiction
The first step to treating addiction is recognizing that a problem exists. One of the primary problems with video gaming these days is the lack of accountability online, as well as the community or “friendship” online only when gaming. Users are hidden behind a screen and often engage in behavior that they would never do in person, giving them a false reality. Sometimes enabling behaviors and language that normally would not be acceptable or need corrective measures taken to resolve. Hence why video game addiction treatment should be sought as soon as possible in helping yourself or a loved one.
Omega Recovery understands that the first step to treating addiction is recognizing that a problem exists. Omega incorporates “Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes” into our clinical program, unplugging from our devices, engaging in a healing community, physical exercise and immersing our clients into nature. We also offers traditional evidence-based therapy to video game addiction, as well as other treatment modalities.
Video Game Addiction Treatment Modalities:
Our staff trains in a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities for comprehensive addiction and mental health care. Staff practice these interventions and strategies in individual and group therapy sessions with clients daily. They also use them in daily psychoeducational and didactic groups for maximum therapeutic benefit.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) –
is a treatment modality and a major aspect of our program. It is very common for individuals struggling with screen addiction to experience destructive and negative thinking or maladaptive thought patterns. Since our cognition affects our wellbeing, changing harmful thought patterns, which help clients, recognize their ability to practice alternative ways of thinking, and regulates distressing emotions and harmful behavior. As an evidence-based treatment modality, CBT is a proven effective treatment for substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, and specific mental health diagnoses. An active therapeutic modality, CBT is present-oriented, problem-focused, and goal-directed.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) – is a collaborative, therapeutic conversation between licensed clinicians and clients that addresses the common problem of ambivalence for change. As defined by William Miller, the creator of MI, its purpose is to strengthen the client’s own motivation for and commitment to change in a manner that is consistent with said client’s values. Therefore, rather than imposing or forcing changes, we “meet the client where the client is” and help him/her move toward his/her goals by drawing out and building his/her readiness to change.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) –
Similar to CBT, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) helps clients identify, challenge, and replace their destructive thoughts and convictions with healthier, adaptive thoughts. Empirical studies demonstrate that this process incites emotional well-being and goal achievement.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) –
teaches clients how to regulate their emotions to reduce the self-destructive behaviors that derive from extreme, intense emotions. Primarily a skill-building approach, DBT focuses on the development of four key skill sets; Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Mindfulness (to live in the moment and fully experience emotions), Interpersonal Effectiveness.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) –
Developed by Dr. Jon Cabot-Zinn, MSBR is a sequential method that teaches the individual who is struggling with racing and impulsive thoughts on how to be in the “here and now”. By focusing on the breath or on an object in the room, the client slowly becomes able to collapse their awareness into the present moment.
Seeking Safety (And Other Trauma-Focused Therapies) –
Developed under a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) by Lisa M. Najavits, Ph.D., Seeking Safety is a present-focused therapy that helps clients attain safety from trauma (including PTSD) by emphasizing coping skills, grounding techniques and education. This highly effective, research-based therapy has seven key principles such as helping clients attain safety in their thinking, emotions, behaviors, and relationships, by integrated trauma treatment and focusing on ideals to counteract the loss of ideals that is experienced in mental health issues.
EMDR –
is an evidence-based modality that has proven to be very effective in the treatment of trauma and PTSD, which are oftentimes the underlying issues that an addict is self-medicating. Thus, clinical staff trained in EMDR use this method to address and assist persons who have experienced trauma, which is significantly negatively impacting their recovery. EMDR incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with eye movements; this form of stimulation is thought to “unfreeze” the brain’s information processing system in the amygdala and hippocampus that was frozen during or after the extreme stress of the traumatic event.
Recovery-Oriented Challenge Therapy –
Sometimes also called Adventure Therapy or Outdoor Behavioral Health (OBH), this evidence-based technique is centered on an activity or “adventure” in which a clinical professional can actively engage with clients. Examples of Recovery-Orientated Challenge Therapy include: group challenges, outdoor activities, ropes courses, equine therapy, games, or other skill-building healing activities. Designed to help clients identify strengths and skills, build social support, strengthen their sense of focus of control, and address basic recovery issues, these groups assist with the development of self-care, boundaries, accountability, and trust. In addition, just being outdoors and immersed in nature has itself been proven to be therapeutic for a person stuck in a sedentary and addictive indoor lifestyle.
Experiential Therapies, i.e. Psychodrama –
Many clients, especially younger clients, trapped in addictive and dysfunctional lifestyles, often benefit greatly from action-based and potentially transformative experiences. In psychodrama, the client can relive scenes from earlier in their lives that may have been turning points or “stuck” points in their addictive slide. The client is able to relive – and through the help of the clinician – change the toxic scene into one of breakthrough and empowerment.
In addition to the clinical modalities outlined above, Omega Recovery offers certain alternatives/holistic services that can help alleviate stress, anxiety, cravings, and promote overall wellness. All of which have been proven to help the distressed addict maintain a healthy mind-body-spirit balance which then aids in maintaining recovery. They include:
- Meditation Groups
- Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (R.E.S.T.) AKA “Flotation Therapy”
- Biofeedback
- Reiki
- Acupuncture and Acupressure
- Hypnotherapy
- Art Therapy/Creative Expression
- Yoga
Why Omega Recovery Stands Out From The Rest
At Omega Recovery, we offer our clients the latest in addiction treatment through community integration. Traditional substance abuse treatment centers put the struggling individual in an artificial treatment bubble temporarily. It’s relatively easy to stay sober there, but clients leave treatment unprepared for everyday stress. In this “community integration” model, clients get to experience life with professional support and guidance. They go shopping in the supermarket, attend barbeques, go to doctors appointments, and attend job interviews. All activities include staff supervision and clinical staff who can help process feelings and emotions. These emotions can so often arise in early recovery and challenge sobriety without proper support.
Comprehensive Clinical Programming and Treatment ModalitiesStaff transport clients to clinical programming every weekday to participate in various treatment modalities. These treatment modalities have been proven effective in treating substance abuse and mental health issues. During a typical week in programming clients will participate in motivational interviewing(MI), dialectical behavioral therapy(DBT), mindfulness meditation, relapse prevention, breathwork, and psychodrama. They will also have opportunities to participate in body movement therapies such as yoga, karate, and Qi Gong. Clients struggling with trauma will have the option to participate in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing(EMDR) facilitated by licensed, trained clinicians. Omega Recovery also utilizes the beautiful landscapes and parks of Austin, Texas for nature immersion groups and therapeutic excursions, such as rock climbing, ropes courses, kayaking, and hiking. Afternoons are spent at the Townlake YMCA participating in Active Recovery Coaching. Additionally, all treatment program clients will be able to receive psychiatric support from Omega’s medical director, Dr. Leon, and his team.
A 24/7 staffed living environment supports the housing component of Omega Recovery’s video game addiction treatment program. The living environments are gender-specific, meaning staff house men and women separately for safety. Clients will have the opportunity to learn or relearn how to perform everyday tasks effectively. These tasks include making dinner, doing chores, financial planning, and preparing for job interviews successfully. They will be part of a tight-knit community and will encourage support among housemates. Staff transport clients every evening to peer-based recovery meetings in the community like 12 step meetings. These meetings include SMART recovery or Refuge recovery groups for ongoing peer support and accountability. Clients struggling with mental health issues can participate in some alternative recovery programs as needed. Staff do not require them to identify as an addict or alcoholic during their treatment.
About Our Founder
Omega Recovery’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, explains technology’s addictive nature in his book “Glow Kids.” He shows how modern-day technology is equally if not more dopaminergic than drugs and alcohol. Considered a leading expert in digital addiction, he has clinically worked with 1,000 individuals nationwide. He has written about the subject for Time, Scientific American, Psychology Today, Solan, and FOX News. He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC’s 20/20, the CBS Evening News, and CNN. Dr. Kardaras has also been featured on FOX & Friends, NPR, Esquire, New York magazine, and Vanity Fair.
Dr. Nicholas Kardaras believes that screens can be more difficult to treat than drug addictions. It’s no surprise that screen usage has skyrocketed, but the actual numbers are nonetheless staggering. The average American adult spends more than 11 hours per day interacting with screens daily. Clinically, screen addiction looks like any other addiction and shares the same characteristics as substance abuse. It is characterized by a person continuing to engage in problematic behavior negatively impacting their life. Those addicted to screens have seen their schooling, job prospects, and personal relationships suffer significantly. Many have even destroyed their lives as a result of their addiction to screens and technology.
