An obsession with video gaming is frequently thinking about the games we played, the next time we’ll be able to play, the big wins and terrible losses. Obsession plagued us day and night, even when doing our best to be present with someone or accomplish something important.

A compulsion to game is the overwhelming feeling of needing to play one more game or one more hour. It looks like the inability to shut off the game. Whatever limit we had in mind when starting the game is lost or forgotten. We would grind hour after hour, even when bored or angry with the game. When not gaming, the compulsion can feel like an itch that absolutely refuses to go away until scratched.

Obsession and compulsion often drove our decision making and thus controlled our lives. They repeatedly hijacked our attempts to set reasonable limits and prevented us from attending to our lives, relationships, and health. We need freedom from them. By taking the suggestions of the GAA program, we gain the ability to deal with urges and eventually lose the obsession with video games. We experience the freedom to make better choices and recover.