● 43% of Gen Z play games every day

● In-game reward systems to bad relationships with parents can be the cause of our gaming addiction.

● Being restless when not playing games is one of the signs of addiction.

Almost every day, you spend time playing games . Game addiction even makes you forget the time, eat late, lack sleep, rarely socialize, and have difficulty focusing when studying or working.

Unfortunately, gaming addiction makes it hard to stop, especially if your circle of friends has a similar lifestyle. Surveys show that 43% of Gen Z play games every day.

So what makes us addicted to games?

Causes of game addiction

There are a number of factors that can cause us to become addicted to games , including:

1. In-game reward system

When playing games, we will get rewards in the form of additional points, new game characters, or the opportunity to advance to the next level. The system designed by game developers can motivate us to become addicted to playing games every day .

2. An escape event

Some people play games excessively to escape reality , for example because they have a bad relationship with their parents or want to reduce stress from work and school.

This condition is dangerous because it risks making us have the wrong perception that the only way to spend free time is by playing games.

Moreover, when playing games, our brain releases dopamine (a hormone that causes a feeling of pleasure). Without realizing it, the habit of playing games makes us addicted to the feeling of pleasure it causes .

In the long term, the brain becomes less sensitive to the pleasure of other activities (such as studying, socializing, and other hobbies) that are rarely done.

Signs that you are addicted to games include difficulty controlling the urge to play, and feeling restless when you don’t play them.

3. Personality type

Personality type can also influence our tendency to play games excessively.

Characteristics of people who are vulnerable to game addiction include:

• Low Agreeableness (attitude towards treating others): competitive, skeptical, outspoken, and not afraid of conflict
• Low conscientiousness : less organized, less disciplined, often delays work, and tends to avoid responsibility.
• Low extraversion (social interaction skills): more introverted, less fond of being the center of attention, and not very enthusiastic about socializing.

4. Lack of parental supervision

During growth, lack of supervision from adults—especially parents—can cause children to tend to spend more time playing games.

The reason is, the lack of supervision makes children lose understanding about the time limits for playing games, healthier alternatives for channeling energy, and examples of balanced gadget use from parents.

5. Bad relationship with parents

Poor relationships with parents can make children feel neglected, lonely, and anxious. As a result, children are at risk of using games as an escape until they become addicted .

Moreover, when parents often give gadgets to children to overcome the gap. On the other hand, children play games to fulfill their unbalanced psychological needs.

Game addiction is dangerous to health

Gaming addiction should not be underestimated. Various studies have shown that excessive gaming can have health impacts, such as making us more aggressive , experiencing impaired vision , frequent back pain , and obesity .

So, don’t wait until you’re sick before you stop. If you experience signs of gaming addiction that start to interfere with your daily life or your relationships with others, try to slowly stop yourself from playing games.

If necessary, delete the app and keep the gadget/game console away from you. Do other activities that take your energy and attention away from the game, such as exercising, playing music, or doing social activities.

If it doesn’t work, don’t hesitate to ask for help from a psychologist or psychiatrist to overcome your addiction, okay!

Author Bio: Ersa Lanang Sanjaya is a Lecturer, Faculty of Psychology at Ciputra University