Also known as Gaming Disorder, Internet Gaming Disorder, or problematic online gaming — a recognised disorder involving persistent, difficult-to-control gaming behaviour that can be diagnosed, treated, and recovered from, with the right clinical support.
It sits within the broader field of behavioural addictions — conditions involving persistent, difficult-to-control behaviours that can cause significant impairment or distress. It is studied and diagnosed under several overlapping names, reflecting how the field itself has evolved:
The two major diagnostic manuals treat this condition differently — an important distinction, not a technicality, since it shapes how it’s screened for and discussed clinically.
The World Health Organization's ICD-11 includes Gaming Disorder as a formal, diagnosable condition, covering both online and offline gaming. Diagnosis rests on three core features, all present over an extended period — usually at least 12 months, though this can be shortened if all criteria are met and symptoms are severe:
This pattern must result in marked distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, or occupational functioning.
The American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5 lists Internet Gaming Disorder in Section III, as a condition warranting further empirical study — not yet a formal DSM-5 diagnosis. It proposes nine criteria, drawn in part from substance use and gambling disorder criteria, with a diagnosis typically considered when five or more are present within a 12-month period.
Gaming dominates thinking even when not playing.
Irritability, anxiety, or sadness when gaming is taken away.
Needing more time gaming to get the same satisfaction.
Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control gaming.
Losing interest in, or reducing participation in, other recreational activities because of gaming.
Gaming continues despite known psychosocial problems.
Hiding the true amount of time spent gaming from others.
Using gaming to escape guilt, helplessness, or anxiety.
Jeopardising a relationship, job, or education because of gaming.
Recognise several of these patterns in yourself or someone you love?
A 20-item self-report test assessing all nine DSM-5 IGD criteria across six factors — salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse.
A self-report scale assessing severity based on substance-dependence-style criteria: craving, tolerance, withdrawal, and loss of control.
A nine-item scale, one item per DSM-5 criterion, widely used internationally for its brevity and psychometric consistency.
These are the everyday patterns behind the clinical criteria above — what family members or the person themselves are more likely to actually notice.
Frequently co-occurring
Frequently co-occurring
Commonly linked
Commonly linked
Documented association
Identifying and restructuring the thought and behaviour patterns that sustain compulsive gaming.
Individual work addressing the underlying emotional drivers — stress, avoidance, low self-esteem — behind the behaviour.
Structured peer sessions that reduce isolation and build shared accountability.
Rebuilding communication and household boundaries affected by compulsive gaming.
Peer-led, structured mutual-support models adapted from substance use to behavioural addiction.
A dedicated peer-support fellowship modelled on twelve-step principles, specific to gaming.
Physician-prescribed medication to manage co-occurring anxiety, depression, or ADHD — not a treatment for gaming behaviour itself, and always monitored by a psychiatrist.
The right combination depends entirely on assessment — not a fixed formula.
A confidential conversation can help clarify whether this is what's happening.
Screening tools and clinical interview establish severity, comorbid conditions, and starting point.
Structuring daily routine and addressing early irritability or restlessness.
CBT, individual and group therapy, family sessions where appropriate.
Progress reviewed formally; plan adjusted based on response.
Continued structured, peer, and family support beyond residential care.
We assess for medical, substance-related, and psychiatric causes before finalizing a treatment plan, ensuring an accurate diagnosis rather than assumptions.
Medication management is overseen throughout treatment by qualified psychiatrists and integrated closely with therapy.
Every enquiry and admission is handled with the utmost discretion, ensuring complete privacy for both the individual and their family.
Our residential setting is designed to provide the stability, routine, and support that long-term recovery depends on.
Families are guided and involved in the treatment process where appropriate, helping them understand the condition and support their loved one's recovery.
Ongoing psychiatric follow-up, relapse prevention planning, and continued support help ensure lasting recovery beyond residential treatment.
Assessment and diagnosis are overseen by our Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, working alongside our Consultant Psychologist, who draws on CBT, motivational enhancement, and insight-oriented therapy for relapse prevention and long-term psychological stability. Every case is reviewed against a full psychiatric picture, not gaming behaviour in isolation.
This page summarises general, publicly available clinical understanding of video game addiction for educational purposes. It does not replace an individual clinical assessment. Speak with our clinical team for guidance specific to your circumstances.