The video for this presentation is available on our Youtube channel: https://youtube.com/allceuseducation A continuing education course for this presentation can be found at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/index?c= Texts: This course was based in part on Internet and Gaming Addiction: Current Perspectives by Daria Kuss, and Current Psychiatry Reviews, 2012, 8, 292-298. Internet Addiction: A Brief Summary of Research and Practice Hilarie Cash et. al. CEs for this presentation can be earned at https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/search?q=internet+and+gaming Objectives Define Internet and Gaming Addiction Explore how these behaviors can develop into addictions Identify risk factors in individuals more predisposed to becoming addicted Identify characteristics of video games and online activities that make it addictive Review the most commonly accepted goals for treatment of internet and gaming addiction Review the most common biopsychosocial interventions to address internet and gaming addiction Unlimited Counseling CEUs for $59 https://www.allceus.com/ Specialty Certificate tracks starting at $89 https://www.allceus.com/certificate-tracks/ Live Webinars $5/hour https://www.allceus.com/live-interactive-webinars/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CounselorToolbox Help us keep the videos free for everyone to learn by becoming a patron. Pinterest: drsnipes https://www.youtube.com/user/allceuseducation Nurses, addiction and mental health counselors, social workers and marriage and family therapists can earn continuing education credits (CEs) for this and other course at: View the New Harbinger Catalog and get your 25% discount on their products by entering coupon code: 1168SNIPES at check out AllCEUs has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6261. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC Credit are clearly identified. AllCEUs is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. AllCEUs is also approved as an education provider for NAADAC, the States of Florida and Texas Boards of Social Work and Mental Health/Professional Counseling, the California Consortium for Addiction Professionals and Professions. Our courses are accepted in most states through those approvals.

1. Internet and Gaming
Addiction
Presented by: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes
Executive Director, AllCEUs
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2. Objectives
 Define Internet and Gaming Addiction
 Explore the metamorphosis of internet use and
video games into addictive behaviors.
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3. Why I Care/How It Impacts Recovery
 The internet provides an immense amount of
information, although not all credible.
 Constant novelty of the internet can serve as an
escape
 Video games, online gambling, online shopping
and pornography all have the potential to become
problematic
 Social media also has an addictive quality that
can cause withdrawal and exacerbate mood
disorders and/or addictions
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4. Symptoms
 Downplaying and defensiveness about how much time you
spend playing computer or video games
 Lack of control: Spending more and more time playing
video or computer games to get the same enjoyment
 Withdrawing from friends, family, or your spouse to the
point of disrupting family, social, or work life
 Experiencing feelings of anger, depression, moodiness,
anxiety, or restlessness when you’re not gaming
 Spending significant sums of money for online services,
computer upgrades, or gaming systems
 Preoccupation: Thinking obsessively about being on the
computer or playing video games even when doing other
things
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5. Consequences
 Physical
 Carpal Tunnel
 Migraines
 Sleep Disturbances
Insufficient sleep
Circadian rhythm disruption
 Depression/Neurotransmitter Imbalance
 Backaches
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6. Consequences
 Social
 50 percent report a strain in their marriage as a result
of their addiction
 Failure to develop effective face-to-face interpersonal
skills
 Inability or agitation “sitting still”
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7. What Makes a Video Game Addictive
 High Score
 Beating the Game
 No Ending to the Game – i.e. Massive Multiplayer
Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs)
 Role Playing
 Novelty/Discovery
 A good portion of World of Warcraft is spent exploring
imaginary worlds, and Minecraft is spent designing new
worlds
 Relationships
 Acceptance
 A place to anonymously try out different personas
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8. What Makes a Video Game Addictive
 Researchers at Hammersmith Hospital in London
conducted a study in 2005 which found that
dopamine levels in players' brains doubled while
they were playing
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9. Risk Factors
 Need to escape
 Poor interpersonal relationships
 Easily bored
 Sensation seeking/adrenaline junkies
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10. Treatment
 Goals
 Abstinence from problematic applications/sites
 Balanced internet usage
 Interventions
 Prevent use
parental controls: Turn internet off at a certain time
Firewalls
Timers
Look for and accentuate exceptions
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11. Treatment
 Interventions
 Prevent use
Don’t forget tablets and smart phones
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12. Treatment
 Interventions
 Decisional Balance
Benefits to use
 Can help identify psychosocial issues needing attention
 Can identify areas in which to target alternate rewards
Drawbacks to use (Accentuate this quadrant)
Benefits to abstinence (Accentuate this quadrant)
Drawbacks to abstinence
 Can help identify psychosocial issues needing attention
 Can identify areas in which to target alternate rewards
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13. Treatment
 Interventions
 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Distress Tolerance and Impulse Control)
 Motivational Enhancement Therapy
 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
 Psychoeducation
 Self Esteem
 Interpersonal skills
 Communication
 Relationship
 Coping skills
 Goal Setting
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14. Treatment
 Interventions
 Medications: Temporarily rebalance neurotransmitters
with
SSRIs (Lexapro, Welbutrin)
Naltrexone (an opiate agonist)
Dexmethylphenidate
 Exercise
Increases serotonin and dopamine
Sunlight can help regulate neurotransmitters including
melatonin and improve sleep and mood
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15. Treatment
 Interventions
 Nutrition
Water (dehydration can cause symptoms of depression)
Oats
Bananas
Chicken
Dairy products
Green leafy veggies
Almonds and walnuts
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16. Apply It
 Identify 3 ways you could have used this information
in the past week.
 What was the situation?
 What did you do?
 If you would have had this new information, what could
you have done differently?
 How can you start integrating this knowledge into your
routine?
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17. Summary
 Like other addictions, internet addiction can have
physical, social, financial and emotional
consequences
 In our digital age, it is highly unlikely that people can
completely unplug.
 Similar to other behavioral addictions like eating and
sex, it is necessary to identify the motivations behind
the internet use
 Additionally, by its very rewarding nature, internet
addiction will cause neurochemical imbalances which
can lead to depression and apathy.
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18. Summary
 Recovery involves addressing
 Underlying mood, self esteem and coping issues
 Identifying triggers for use and ways to deal with them
 Creating a relapse prevention plan
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19.  VideoGameAddiction.net
 NetAddictionRecovery.blogspot.com
 "Virtual Addiction" David N. Greenfield, Ph.D.,
 "Caught in the Net" Dr. Kimberly Young
 Center for Internet Addiction Recovery
 American Psychiatric Association
 Online Gamers Anonymous ( http://www.olganon.org)
 Gentile, D.A. (2009). Pathological video game use
among youth 8 to 18: a national study. Psychological
Science, 20, 594-602.
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