Responsible online gaming is a fun recreational activity that can help you relieve stress. However, overdoing it can lead to an addiction. When one is addicted to online gaming, they detach themselves from their families and friends and only feel happy when playing online.
Online gaming addiction is detrimental to one’s health, and World Health Organization has recognized it as a mental health condition that needs to be tackled. Those addicted to video games spend up to 40 hours each week playing, which leads to them neglecting their life outside the virtual world.
Why People Get Addicted to Online Gaming
There are various reasons why one might get addicted to playing online games. Firstly, some of these games give them a feeling of being powerful and useful people in the virtual world. For example, 1ps shooter games give players a sense of being a savior to those in need by shooting down bad guys who are a threat to the victims. The fact that they get to use different firearms gives them a feeling of being fierce, brave, and skilled, which might not be the case in their real lives.
The same goes for hunting games, where players watch animals in their natural habitat before shooting them down. While such games might feel realistic, it is not easy to replicate your online hunting prowess into your real life. However, these games are highly addictive, which keeps players playing them nonstop.
The introduction of the play station and Xbox has been both a good and a bad thing. While some are getting an income from using these gadgets, others are falling deep into addiction, which affects their quality of life. They are only a way of escaping the harsh reality as they offer players an easier socializing space when in multiplayer games. Here are some helpful tips on how to avoid getting addicted to online gaming.
Set Limits
If you don’t wish to go cold turkey on quitting online gaming, you can start by setting limits. For example, if you love playing slots every day for a few hours, limit that to several days per week. Be disciplined and stick to this schedule if you wish to see any results. Like video games, casino games can be addictive too, especially when playing on online casinos since it’s always a button click away and no one can stop you but yourself.
You can also set a limit on how much money you are willing to spend on online betting. At the end of each week, check to see whether you stuck to your limits. It is one step closer to avoiding online gaming/betting addiction.
Start a Hobby
Another great way to avoid becoming an online games addict is choosing a hobby to practice away from your gadgets. You could start by reading books. Start with one to two books every week and increase the number as you go along. You could also try gardening, and grow some vegetables in your backyard. That will keep you occupied constantly and you will not end up getting addicted to online gaming. Another great hobby is traveling. You can do it solo or with your buddies. It is a great way to catch up with your friends and keep your social life alive.
Put Gadgets Away at Night
Avoid going to bed with your tablet, computer, or smartphone. Your emails can wait until tomorrow, and we all know that your fingers will be itching to tap on that game you just installed the other day. One game will turn to five then ten, and before you know it, it will be morning. You will be sleep-deprived, cranky, and still craving some more online games. Make sleep time just that and avoid getting distracted by any notifications from your devices. The best way to do this is to not bring them to bed in the first place.
Make Outdoors your Friend
Have you ever tried walking early in the morning? The air is fresher, cleaner, and more relaxing at this time of the day before any pollution takes place. Also, the silence around you will have your brain overflowing with creative juices. If you are not a morning person, you can also go out later during the day.
Consider going swimming, or on a picnic with your loved ones. You can also grab your hiking boots and have a great hike either alone or with friends. You will love and appreciate what nature has to offer you.
Conclusion
If you follow these tips, it is unlikely that you will get addicted to online gaming. They are great ways of enjoying your life without any detrimental effects. Try them today!
