Thanks for asking me to be a part of this event, Marie-Claire. I'm happy to answer questions in order to help others have a good understanding of gaming addiction from mine and my son's experience.
Q
What were some of the things that you and Jake worked on together during that time when he was first stopping/reducing his video gaming?
A
The first time Jake detoxed from gaming, after he had time to rest and get back on a regular sleep cycle, he joined me in morning fitness classes in order to elevate his mood. I fed him healthy meals so he could regain the weight he’d lost. He was kept busy doing chores around the house and eventually went back to the pub he’d previously worked at until he returned to university for second semester. He attended weekly counseling sessions with a local social worker. And I monitored him at all times, concerned about his fragile mental health state and possible suicide.
Q
How is Jake doing now?
A
Today Jake lives on his own, in Toronto, and is a Software Engineer for a maintenance software company. He works in a healthy climate that he loves and where he has room to grow professionally. He lives in the twin tower to his older brother and his wife, so has a good support system close by. Jake has an active social life, but during COVID has had to visit with friends online. He still loves tennis and snowboarding. He just got himself a kitten for company and to nurture. And he is coming up to his fourth year of sobriety - he plays no video games at all. Sometimes he will speak with me and is happy to share his story if it can help another person and their family.
Q
It appears that Jake felt like an “abstinence” approach was what worked best for him. At any point, did you ever try a “harm reduction” approach (limiting game play rather than quitting altogether)?
A
Before giving up gaming entirely for the last time, Jake stopped playing online massive, multi-player games, and tried just playing console games only. That worked for a while, but then he found himself binge playing for two straight days, and decided that was dangerously addictive. He then decided to only play phone games, but would fall asleep with the game still running at night, killing his phone battery, and then having no phone alarm to wake him up. That scared him into thinking he could lose his job that summer and he was already working for this amazing software company that had promised to hire him full time when he graduated. He realized then that gaming was getting in the way of his career plans, so he quit altogether. So, in essence, he tried a form of harm reduction without even realizing he was doing it. But ultimately, he realized that harm reduction just doesn’t work for him.