Rather than becoming demoralizing you, it’s better to analyze how it started. Some of the ways to get rid of video game addiction are as follows:
1. Acceptance: Accept that you’re addicted to games and understand that you can overcome them. Inform your near ones who are dear to you and request them to help you in getting rid of the addiction. Usually, when a person is in addiction he/she feels guilty or ashamed and fears sharing and takes help. Discuss first with yourself that your craving for the game is affecting you, your health and your loved ones. Understand from their perspectives how they’re concerned and worried about you.
2. Visualization: Visualize yourself from a perceptual position while you’re gaming how it is hurting your loved ones. List out the efforts you have put to end this addiction. If you had strived then analyze how far it was impactful and if you have not initiated any effort then plan for it and resolve that you will develop a plan for it.
3. Detachment: Detach yourself from gaming consciously for 12 hours strictly, then follow 24 hours detachment the next day and then make it 48hrs and then 72 hours next. See that you’re following a strict detachment of 72 hours and this will make you understand that addiction to technology is not an impossible effort rather it could be achieved with the help of your family. We tend to believe that addiction could never be resolved with strict rules it’s our perception it is wrong and possible to achieve provided you plan alternative distractions equally
entertaining but physical and not virtual it may be physical games, maybe travelling or maybe spending time away from home with relatives or on a farm if possible.
4. Mindful Gaming: Develop a tracker of your gaming times. Have a clear schedule before you. When would you play and after which minute you would stop without any longing further? Using a stopwatch, diary or excel sheet is a sort of mindful gaming. Another way of mindful gaming is to understand carefully the triggers of thoughts in what form, sound or images or feelings your urge towards the game is getting created and in what way your thoughts and behaviour are affecting, observe this carefully and mindfully, this will make you identify the pattern of urge and accordingly you can plan to change the pattern.
5. Practice what you preach: It may sound hypocritical but talk about the bad effects of gaming addiction. Discuss with everyone whom you meet about the addictions to gaming and how it could impact you physically, mentally and socially. This will make you more responsible and will remind you every time you initiate gaming. Indeed preach what you practice but the converse is also true practice what you preach, this would be a tough one for you but at the same time this will make others remind you regularly about your act.
6. Seek professional help: People hesitate to visit a psychotherapist or an NLP Practitioner who can resolve their addiction. Be confident and seek professional support this will help you towards new perceptions and avenues of life.
7. Some NLP Techniques: Anchoring, Changing Sub-modalities, SWISH Pattern and Meta Model are some of the powerful patterns through which gaming addiction could be resolved. This may take a few sessions and finding a profound NLP Practitioner can resolve the challenge.
