Blog

Intervention for Gaming Addiction

It can be sad and scary to watch someone you love becoming increasingly dependent on a repetitive behavior like gaming. As the urge takes over their life, it becomes all-consuming, quickly crossing the line between a hobby and a preoccupation. If a person you care about has lost control of their other obligations and responsibilities because they can’t stop playing video games, you may wonder how to help them accept they have a severe problem they cannot overcome alone. Organizing a successful intervention is one way to convince them to seek help and regain control of their future.

The word “intervention” may conjure up images of a family showdown where you tearfully confront your loved one about their gaming addiction and deliver a dramatic ultimatum about the consequences of not seeking help. However, the reality is that effective interventions require thoughtful planning to ensure things go right. Here’s what you should know about orchestrating an intervention for a video game addiction.

1. Choose the Location Wisely

You’ll want to hold the meeting somewhere safe and comfortable, but not in a place where your loved one can freely walk out if they’re unwilling to participate. It’s also unwise to stage an intervention in a public place that might embarrass people. Discuss the location with anyone else involved in planning the meeting, and take away your loved one’s access to technology so they can’t escape the intervention by playing video games.

2. Be Strategic About Your Invite List

Your intervention team is another crucial consideration. It’s OK to invite a mix of family members and friends, but leave out anyone who supports or condones the video game habit. Pick people who genuinely care for your loved one and have their best interests at heart. Ideally, they will have heartfelt, personal stories about times when the gaming addiction harmed them.

3. Write and Practice Your Remarks

Though you might want to speak from the heart, spontaneity does not lend itself to a successful intervention. Every member of the intervention team should prepare written remarks to make their point without wandering off-topic. 

Provide concrete examples of how the gaming addiction has adversely affected your life, while being careful not to blame or shame. Emphasize that you still love them and feel they’re capable of positive change.

4. Describe the Consequences 

Each person on the intervention team should decide in advance what they will do if the person with the gaming addiction continues to deny that they have a problem. For instance, if you’ve been providing financial support or doing anything else that enables the addictive behavior, make it clear that ends now. 

5. Hire an Interventionist

Even the most carefully planned intervention can quickly become emotionally charged and devolve into an angry argument. To avoid this unproductive spiral, you can hire a professional interventionist to be a neutral third party who can bring things back on track if they start heading in a negative direction. Our team has specific training in how to plan and organize a successful intervention, and our wisdom and experience can be tremendously helpful in guiding your group to the desired outcome.

6. Find a Treatment Facility

The final thing to do before holding an intervention is to research treatment facilities and choose one that’s a good match for your loved one’s needs. It might surprise you to learn how many different options are available. For example, you might want to explore dual-diagnosis treatment for simultaneously addressing a video game addiction and a co-occurring mental health disorder such as depression. If your loved one agrees to get help, there’s no time like the present. Let them know you’ve already lined up a treatment program where they can start overcoming their gaming addiction.

Get Help for a Loved One’s Gaming Addiction

At Whitman Recovery Service, our professional interventionists have conducted hundreds of interventions nationwide, with a 98% success rate. If you are worried about a loved one’s behavior, you might feel like you have nowhere to turn, but we are always here for you. Contact us to learn more about what we do and how we can help.