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How to save an adult child from computer games. Gambling addiction. Psychotherapy of gambling addiction. The concept of gaming computer addiction
Gambling addiction (ludomania) is one of the most massive problems of our time. It affects people of different social status and different age categories.
In terms of severity, gambling addiction is equated to drug and alcohol addiction. This powerful element conquers human minds around the world. A striking example growth of the gaming trend - the number of users of the game "World of Warcraft". More than 4000 million people became the owners of the official version. It remains only to guess how many gamers use pirated versions of gaming platforms.
People with gambling addiction lose their sense of reality. Craving for the game prevents them from performing daily tasks. All thoughts, aspirations and intentions of a gamer are directly related to computer or gambling.
A person loses interest in the world around him, close people, professional activity and study. They forget about their obligations to their loved ones, abandon their own goals, directing all their efforts to find themselves in the game world. You cannot close your eyes to this. A harmless hobby can turn into a serious one. psychological problem. We can ignore a problem for a long time if it does not concern our relatives and friends. Awareness comes when young gamers lose interest in studies, sports, music. Gambling addiction in adults threatens with the loss of work and family.
Treatment of gambling addiction
But what if a beloved husband, a child or a reliable friend becomes a gamer? What to do if the relationship goes downhill, and the person close to you turns into a zombie? The only way out is to recognize the problem in order to get rid of it. Treating gambling addiction can be a difficult task. Like any pathological addiction, it is firmly rooted in the life of a playing person. Knowing how to get rid of gambling addiction, you can save the human psyche and destiny.
How to get rid of gambling addiction?
Treatment of gambling addiction involves the use of various psychological techniques and methods. We list the most effective of them.
Prevention of gambling addiction.
Make sure that casinos and online slots do not transform from entertainment into a terrible problem. Do not allow yourself or a loved one to lose more than 3-5% of your monthly income. Don't go beyond these limits. Don't try to "recoup". Then you will not face the question of how to get rid of gambling when everything has already gone too far. As for computer games, there should also be tough measures. You can allow your child or yourself to play for half an hour as a distraction. But after this time, there should be no excuses. The game process must be completed unconditionally. Blocking the growth of gambling interest is the principle pursued by the prevention of gambling addiction.
Awareness of the problem is the first and most difficult step in treating gambling addiction.
Going to a casino, playing online gambling or lottery is supported by the desire to improve your financial well-being. Computer game addiction is perceived by a gamer as a way to get distracted and have a good time. In fact, not many people managed to get rich in this way. And the addiction to computer games takes away all the free time of the gamer, occupies all his thoughts, interferes with self-realization. Until you understand that gambling is a serious problem, you will remain in the dark and will destroy your psyche and life step by step.
Treating gambling addiction with strong emotions.
Gambling is a source of adrenaline. The process of a computer game replenishes the hormone dopamine. Find another activity that will be a source of happiness and pleasure for you. A new hobby will help to easily and painlessly replace the dependence on slot machines.
Suppression of desire to play.
You need to be aware of the situation. Realizing that the game for you is an escape from reality is already the first step towards getting rid of gambling addiction. In the most difficult cases techniques are used to suppress the subconscious desire to play. Most effective methods- hypnosis, suggestion.
Motivation.
Are you looking for an answer to the question of how to get rid of gambling addiction? Then find a powerful one. Without strong goals and powerful attitudes, it will be difficult to get rid of the problem. Give your brain a target setting for action. Think about what you are depriving yourself of by spending time in the game. Set a new goal in life, leaving yourself no time to strengthen the addiction.
Reward.
Reward yourself with something nice for success. Buying a new thing, going to the movies, traveling, delicious food - these are the small prizes that you can afford. So dependence on slot machines will be replaced by something more pleasant. from the lack of gameplay will be replaced by new positive emotions. Of course, this issue must be approached consciously: you cannot replace gambling addiction with alcohol or begin to overdo it in food.
Employment.
People with gambling addiction should not suffer from. It is the main reason for the increase in addiction. Idleness can provoke a breakdown. Load yourself with work, sports, music. Look for new activities. Start Raising professional competencies. Make sure you don't have any free time. If a we are talking about the child, then occupy it in any way possible. Assign him the responsibility for the house, write it down in sports section. Don't forget about encouragement.
Clear goals and control over the problem will help get rid of this addiction. Surround your loved one with warmth and care. Don't forget about motivation and encouragement. The main thing is to bring a person back to life, to make him forget about his addiction. And the main rule in the question of how to get rid of gambling addiction: show the gamer how many interesting things there are in life for enjoyment and joy, let them feel it.
Computer games are an exciting process. We may not notice how we spent several hours behind him. It's pretty easy to get lost in fictional worlds and plot twists that will keep you on the screen for "another 10 minutes."
Psychologist John M. Grohol is sure Coping with Video Game Addiction, which in such a case can help track time. Write down what time you start playing and what time you finish. At the end of the week, calculate how many hours you spent playing games. Most likely, this figure will make you change your mind.
2. Set a limit
Set a timer to help you with this. Even if you continue to play after his signal, you will still know how much time you spent. And knowledge is the key to your salvation. Perhaps this will help to develop a rule, for example, play only with friends or only on certain days.
Do not limit yourself too much, this will aggravate the situation.
In addition to the time limit, set . Determine how many games per month you can afford.
3. Choose your games wisely
Some games take a very long time to complete. Discard them in favor of those that can be completed in a shorter time.
4. Don't be afraid to end the game if you don't like it
Many players try to choose more difficult games in order to prove to themselves and everyone what they are capable of. Pacify your gaming ego. It's only virtual reality. If the game doesn't give you pleasure, just don't play it.
Do not take online games as a real competition. No one will judge you if you just quit the game. It's your life, and it's up to you to decide how you spend your time.
5. Earn time to play
If because of games you abandon household chores, work and personal life, then you have serious problems. Try to earn the game. Do not sit down at the computer until you complete the current tasks. Remember that the goal is not to completely eliminate video games. It is important for you to realize that they are only part of yours.
Many people find it strange and useless to stream video games live on YouTube or Twitch. And in vain. Instead of wasting your time, you can watch how someone else does it. It doesn't have to be in front of a screen. You can do useful things, like cleaning.
7. Have a gaming hunger strike
Not everyone will be able to abruptly give up video games for a while. But sometimes it works. If you feel that it's time for you to return to reality, try deleting all games from your computer or collecting all the discs and taking them to a friend for safekeeping. For example, for two weeks or a month.
You will have more time for important things and meetings with dear people.
You will understand that real life much more interesting and games will not replace it for you.
8. Find the reason for your escape from reality
Computer games are a good way to relax. However, gambling addiction is a form of escapism. Consider if you are hiding from something in the virtual world.
If you have problems in your personal life, discuss them with your partner. If you are under pressure from work, seek help and try to find a solution to the problem. This is more effective than hiding behind a monitor.
In the game, we are all strong and hardy, but in reality - not always. But after all, you will not acquire these qualities if you persist in the trials that life has prepared for you.
The gambling business is so developed that not every person has the strength to pass by without trying their luck in slot machines. Many people know the feeling of joy from winning and disbelief in losing. Gradually, the desire to wait for your luck becomes so great that it prevails over common sense. Is everything really so superficial and what is fraught with such a hobby, is described in the article. After all, the question of how to get rid of slot machine gambling often worries relatives and friends of such a person.
Passion for the game
If you managed to get a prize, then the person begins to believe in his luck. He is sure that he has become the chosen one, unlike the others. The individual believes that some special source of income has opened up to him. At the same time, the player experiences unimaginable sensations, including joy and happiness. He wants to return to the machine to get a similar "dope" again. But gradually the euphoria is replaced by disappointment, a long wait for the wheel of fortune to turn towards itself. Therefore, the treatment of gambling addiction is a very responsible task that requires resolution at the earliest possible stage.
The system of slot machines is built in such a way that the losses in it significantly prevail over the number of bonuses. And if the player understands this at the very beginning, he is able to stop. After all, it is unreasonable to pay big money for a one-time feeling of victory. Otherwise, such a person begins to constantly play, can get into debt. In the case of such an addiction, treatment of gambling addiction is necessary. As a rule, the player's friends and relatives are the first to turn to a specialist for help when they find out about the problem. They should tactfully and unobtrusively help the sick person to get rid of addiction.
Illness requiring treatment
Gambling is a real modern disease. Getting rid of it is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. At least 10% of people on the planet suffer from this problem. Slot machines are a success, and quite often they are found in online casinos. After all, it is very convenient not to go anywhere, but to rotate the drum at home. Like, the hobby is absolutely harmless and no one will know about it.
Gambling suffers from people who are unstable. They are characterized by susceptibility to stress, as well as isolation. Such a player can be provoked to a breakdown by absolutely any little thing. He thinks: “How did it happen that now you can’t enjoy your favorite pastime ... After all, next to you, you just have to stretch out your hand, there are slot machines that have almost become native.” The player becomes angry, aggressive, withdrawn. In addition, this person himself is looking for a reason for a possible breakdown.
The importance of professional help
A person may believe that quitting a hobby is very easy. He thinks that for this it is enough just to stop the game. Then comes the period of manifestation of willpower. That is, the individual consciously suppresses the inner desire to place a bet. For this stage to actually bring the desired result, the player must have a strong motivational foundation. Otherwise, after some time, this experiment will fail with a huge bang.
If such a problem arises, care should be taken to contact the patient with a good psychotherapist. After all, gambling is a psychological addiction, so it is pointless to carry out drug treatment. Unless it should be taken into account: the efforts of a specialist will be justified and successful if the patient himself understands and recognizes the need for treatment.
Of course, it is always better to anticipate a problem than to deal with it later. Therefore, such a concept as the prevention of gambling should be given significant attention in the education of adolescents. Explanatory conversations should be held aimed at developing in the student an understanding of the unreasonableness of playing slot machines. You should also affirm in it the belief that it is impossible to get easy money, talk about the obviously larger number of losing bets in any casino.
What to do?
Let's say you find out that there is a player among your relatives or friends. How to be? The main thing, as already mentioned, is that a person is aware of the need for treatment. And then the relatives will not have a question: how to get rid of slot machine gambling? Experienced psychologists advise: the first thing to do is to remove the person from the gaming environment as much as possible. This stage consists in the maximum neutralization of situations that can push the individual to new game. Advise him to avoid places where there are machines.
The second important advice from experts: the player needs to spend less online. This will reduce the temptation to visit a virtual casino. If the work activity is connected with a computer, then labor efficiency should be increased. When you load yourself with tasks that need to be completed, there will simply not be time to visit the virtual gaming room.
If this does not help, and you do not know how to get rid of slot machine gambling, then try another way. It consists in a sharp reduction in the number of available Money for the player. You can block his accounts, personally take the salary received at work. Although here one should be aware of the possible appearance of credits, loans and debts. Therefore, such a person must be controlled.
Analysis of the situation
The problem of attachment to the game can be very deep. People often see in her elementary greed and unwillingness to realize passion in another area. In fact, things are somewhat different. The root of gambling, psychologists say, may be in problems in your personal life. Also, a harmful attraction can be caused by failures in the professional field, lack of comfort in everyday life. The passion for gambling develops due to pathological envy of more fortunate acquaintances or is the result of unfulfilled hopes.
To be able to overcome the disease, you should understand its true causes. A person must be clearly aware of what exactly prompts him to approach the machine and start the game. It is important for relatives to support the player, show him their care and participation, tell him that he is strong. This will help the individual to believe in himself, to gain determination. Psychologists recommend to take a person as much as possible: call him to the cinema, take him to picnics, invite him for a walk. In a word, do everything possible so that a person forgets about what he is so drawn to.
Choosing the Right Alternative
Experts are sure that in order to overcome a habit, you need to take care of its worthy replacement. Any hobby or sport can be an alternative. You can try not to remember what you liked before. Gradually the passion will be forgotten. It is best to purchase everything you need for the chosen activity. Let it be a good fishing rod or pottery kit.
How to get rid of slot machine gambling different ways take the initiative and take action. Remember that success depends on the degree of neglect of the disease. Psychologists say: a player will quickly forget about a habit if you involve him in sports. Let a person go to the store with friends and choose for classes good shape, comfortable nice shoes sign up for the gym on their own. This will give a greater likelihood that you will like the activity and want to constantly return to it.
It should be borne in mind that if you refuse to play, you can develop negative and until that time hidden inclinations. Among such addictions, psychologists call alcohol, drugs, high-speed driving. Habits can be different and each of them can adversely affect consciousness, health and life in general.
The most severe stage of gambling
You can talk about gambling addiction for a long time, but this does not change the essence of the problem. And if you can cope with mild stages on your own, turning to loved ones for help, looking for new entertainment, then in severe cases you can’t do without the help of a professional doctor. We are talking about the stage, which is characterized by a manic desire to play, lack of satisfaction from winning. The process is often represented by a chain of actions, without which a person has a poor idea of his further existence. This behavior is associated with severe depression and a deep sense of shame. At the same time, the consequences that arise as a result of experiencing such a stage can be significant.
Self-medication, which is performed when the disease is advanced, usually does not lead to healing. Therefore, the fight against gambling should be entrusted to a knowledgeable psychotherapist. Treatment must be comprehensive. Sometimes it is done on an outpatient basis.
How is the treatment going?
Primary treatment and diagnostic reception and its content depends on the chosen clinic. In any case, it consists of identifying the causes of the disease by the physician. The specialist should tell what the problem of gambling is and how to get rid of it. After the visit, the patient should be set to fight the disease. The doctor also provides the necessary psychotherapeutic treatment. Therefore, already as a result of the first reception, the desire to continue gambling becomes weaker. This is followed by individual treatment sessions. Their main goal is the maximum development and consolidation of the achieved positive result. Special techniques may be used, including drugs.
The doctor helps to carry out self-hypnosis, the action of which is aimed at correcting the psychological state of the player. He must begin to think differently, learn to independently find a way out of a difficult situation. And thanks to complex treatment, it becomes possible to free the patient from the influence of game hypnosis on him. Work is underway to form a person's indifference to gambling and restore psychological balance and stability.
pathological player
An already formed player can be recognized by a number of signs. They look like this:
- Excitement while playing.
- An upward trend in rates.
- Complete preoccupation with one's occupation, which is expressed in memories of the bets made and planning for the future. It also has to do with thinking about fundraising.
- The appearance of irritation and anxiety when it is necessary to limit rates or stop them.
- Perception of the game as a way to remove one's own problems. Such a person may seek to get away from depression and anxiety in this activity.
- He is constantly obsessed with the desire to recoup. This manifests itself the very next day after the loss.
- Deception of the psychotherapist, relatives and friends. This is done in order to hide the true level of passion.
- Capable of stealing to get money to finance a hobby.
- Can take risks in the name of his passion for the game.
- He is engaged in the fact that he re-borrows money to pay off debts that have appeared due to the game.
It should be understood that a lot depends on relatives and friends. If a player has appeared in the circle of acquaintances, then you should not condemn him, blame him or punish him in any way. You need to show maximum, but unobtrusive participation. It is also important to show the person understanding of the essence of the problem. In this case, you will be able to reach out to him and persuade him of the need for fruitful treatment.
A teenager with a gambling addiction is dissatisfied with real life, he has problems with learning, sleep disorders, changes in the daily routine, aggression, and refusal to help. Psychologists compare gambling with drug addiction and alcoholism, it is extremely difficult to get rid of it. To return a teenager to a normal life, parents need to work together and seek help from specialists.
What should parents do if their teenager has a gambling addiction?
It is impossible to categorically prohibit a computer. Turn off the Internet or throw it away game console, of course, you can, but this will only lead to the anger of a teenager, he will find a place outside the house where he can play.
Most effective method save a teenager from gambling addiction - give him as much attention as possible, spend time together and talk. Analyze the child’s daily routine, remember what the whole family does during the day, in the evening and on weekends. Place restrictions on computer use, but don't completely ban games. Be sure to explain to your child the reason for any changes.
Diversify the life of a teenager and family: arrange joint trips to the cinema, go out into nature more often, engage in sports education for a child. If you forbid constantly sitting at the computer, do not spend much time at the monitor yourself.
Help from a psychologist with gambling addiction
If a child is completely immersed in the virtual world and does not notice anything around, it is unlikely that parents will be able to correct the situation without the help of specialists. First you need to contact a school psychologist, and if he is powerless, find an experienced psychotherapist. Psychocorrection, constant attention and care of parents will help a teenager get rid of gambling addiction.
Prevention of gambling addiction
The basis of prevention is a safe environment in the family. The child should not feel alone and useless. Parents will prevent the development of gambling addiction if they show their children how beautiful and diverse real life is. Spend your free time together: go hiking, walk in the park, visit the skating rink or swimming pool. And most importantly - establish friendly and trusting relationships in the family.
Ridding a teenager of gambling addiction is difficult. This can only be done loving parents and experienced psychologists, and so that the child does not return to the virtual world, we must not forget about preventive measures.
I often heard from my friends that their friends, young people, husbands spend a lot of time at the computer, playing various games. Then it seemed to me, what a trifle, it means that they cannot interest a man in something else. Such a problem seemed to me far away, happening to someone else, but not to me. How wrong I was. My husband also began to "hang out" all his free time in on-line games. First misunderstanding, then resentment against him. Until I realized that it was a kind of disease, an addiction. It needs to be disposed of urgently. How I cured my husband's gambling addiction - I share my experience.
How to identify gambling addiction in a person - signs and symptoms
For starters, I turned to a psychologist to better understand the signs and nature of gambling addiction. There were quite a lot of them, they were all painfully familiar to me. Besides, they are well traced, it is easy to determine the pathology in a person .
So the signs are:
- Before the game - revival, gaiety, the desire to quickly finish things in order to immerse yourself in a parallel reality as soon as possible. Behavior, actions scream that he is in some kind of ecstasy, anticipation of the game.
- During the game - all emotions are aggravated, arousal is high, the emotional state improves significantly.
- If you need to exit the game , someone distracts him, demands attention, then quickly gets annoyed, anxiety appears.
- The futility of trying to limit time held in games.
- At first, there is an episodic craving for a computer , but it is replaced by a system.
- Constant Promises tie up a gamer, spend more time with the family are not crowned with success.
- The game as a way to get away from problems , loneliness, anxiety, bad mood.
Psychologist after consultation advised give your husband a little test to determine dependency. There are few questions in it, however, it will best show whether there is an addiction, and what to fear.
1. The frequency of games on the computer
- Daily.
- In one day.
- When you're bored and there's nothing to do.
2. Number of hours spent playing games?
- From 3 hours or more.
- Maximum 2 hours.
- Up to 1 hour.
3. Can you exit the game if necessary?
- I can not.
- Depending on the situation.
- No problem.
4. How often do you spend your free time playing games?
- Always or most of the time.
- Sometimes.
- Rarely.
5. Did the games interfere with attending important events?
- Yes, it often happens.
- Yes, there have been several times.
- No, it was not.
6. Do you have thoughts about games when you are busy with your usual activities?
- Regularly.
- Sometimes.
7. The role of computer games in your life?
- Significant.
- Important enough.
- I can live without them.
8. Do you sit down to play as soon as you get home?
- Is always.
- Sometimes.
- No, I don't sit down.
- Option "a" - 3 points.
- Option "b" - 2 points.
- Option "c" - 1 point.
8 to 12 points There are no significant symptoms of addiction.
13 to 18 points – there is a possible dependence.
19 to 24 points - most likely a gamer.
Why my husband is addicted to games - I find out the reasons for computer game addiction
I could not even think that my husband would have a computer obsession. Like spending a lot of time together, common interests, trips to new places. But this is how it happened, now it is necessary to take only the most decisive action in the fight against this deviation.
The psychologist told me what could be the causes of computer addiction. The main thing is to understand why a person goes headlong into the gaming reality . With that out of the way, in most cases you can help get rid of from addiction.
The most common reason - individual personality traits, character . For example, people who are touchy, vulnerable, depressed, have low self-esteem, and are prone to stress usually get away from problems by immersing themselves in a computer. They are comfortable and convenient there, no one bothers them, no one pesters them with stupid questions. They are there find a place to live . It's a comfort zone that you can't get out of on your own. These people may have difficulty building interpersonal relationships in a team, at work. In a similar way, finding no other way (but often just not having the desire to change something), they escape reality resulting in a dependency.
What is good parallel, network reality? The answer is on the surface - everything is simple there. There is a task a whole range of tools is offered for the solution . And even if an error occurs, it will not lead to negative consequences , for example, disapproval of superiors, abuse of loved ones.
Reason two - non-acceptance of oneself as one is, because of this, a feeling of loneliness and misunderstanding on the part of relatives . In this regard, a person is haunted by a feeling of tension, emotional exhaustion.
Another reason is closely related to childhood and the form of education. . There are two options here - overprotection or excessive demands . Two opposite moments, but they have a huge impact on the psyche, not for the better.
- In the first case - a dependent person, his parents did everything for him, he himself cannot take a step. The game is simplicity in action, and a foregone conclusion of the result.
- In the second variant - self-esteem is so low that the way out is in the computer, where you can become a winner as many times as you like, asserting yourself through fictional stories.
It often happens that a person is not interested in the reality that is happening to him. . “I’m bored, nothing good is happening, nothing to do” are typical thoughts of an addict who is looking for thrills in the networks. He does not understand that nothing will change from such whining. To do this, you need to make an effort -, more interesting, go to a neighboring city, go to a concert . No, of course, it's easier to sit at the computer and goggle in tanks. And in this case, the game is a way to fill a boring world.
What can be attractive in the game? For me, a person who uses a computer to view the news and work with the necessary information, nothing.
But for the gamer, this is a whole list of advantages:
- Having your own world , which is only available to him.
- Lack of responsibility for actions and mistakes.
- Complete immersion and escape from reality .
- Multiple possibility of correcting errors .
- Possibility make decisions independently and influence the outcome.
This is exactly what gamers miss. And in order to get rid of addiction, relatives and friends have to make great efforts, spend a lot of time, make a lot of attempts to change a person's mindset . It is difficult, incredibly expensive from an emotional point of view, and sometimes from a financial point of view. But it's worth it loved one regained a taste for life , not to the computer, but to the real one.
What to do if a person has a gambling addiction - popular methods of treating gambling addiction
Treatment methods various kinds gambling addiction a lot . From the usual help of a psychologist and psychiatrist to non-traditional ways, such as visiting Buddhist temples.
I will only talk about those that help not only in advertising, but also in real life:
- . The goal is to eliminate the psychological conflict, socially reintegrate the patient. But the main condition for effective assistance is the patient's consent to the sessions, the desire to cooperate with the doctor. Imposition, pressure will only have the opposite effect, aggravate the situation.
- group therapy . Everyone probably knows what it is. One psychologist and a group of people who want to be cured. They communicate, each tells his story, opens his emotions, discusses problems. This is a good opportunity to open up to people, not be afraid to show who you really are. Because all those who came, one might say, are in the same boat - the boat of psychological, emotional dependence. But here, too, the main point is the desire to correct the situation, to return to normal life. If there is no desire, there will be no result.
- Hypnosis . I know one person who really helped this method. But those who offer hypnotic services are mostly charlatans swindling money. So it is difficult to find a really able and knowledgeable person.
- Medical treatment . Medicines can serve only as an auxiliary element to the main type of treatment. So, for example, various
- dietary supplements improve sleep, relieve anxiety, normalize the psycho-emotional state. Vitamin and mineral complexes are suitable, but it is better to consult a doctor before taking them.
- Coding . I can’t say anything, many clinics offer similar services, characterizing the method as awareness of the destructive effect of addiction, as well as the situations that may arise as a result of it.
