Are you addicted to gaming? Take our test!

If you, a member of your family, or someone you know, spends too much time playing video or computer games or going online, they may need a little extra help and support. How can you know when you’re having when too much of a good thing when it comes to games?

Take our test and find out whether you need some help.

Our game addiction test

Instructions: Score yourself out of 5 for the following statements where 0 is ‘Not True’ and 5 is ‘Totally True’.

1. You play games every day without fail.
2. You look forward to playing your games when you get home from work or school.
3. You feel very happy when you’re playing -sometimes euphoric.
4. When you stop playing you feel annoyed, angry or upset.
5. If you aren’t playing you have feelings of restlessness and irritability.
6. You prefer playing games to any other pastime such as watching films, reading or sports.
7. You say you’re just ‘checking your email’ and then spend hours online playing your games.
8. You completely lose track of time.
9. You prefer playing games than meeting friends socially.
10. You have many friends online that you’ve never met.
11. You lie about how you spend your free time.
12. Other areas of your life are suffering – perhaps work, or you don’t cook, or clean.
13. You use gaming to avoid confronting how you are feeling about other areas of your life, such as stress at work, grief after a bereavement or a relationship breakdown, or concerns about finances or your health.
14. You get up in the night to check on how things are going in your games.
15. You spend a lot of money on games, or progressing in games, upgrading your hardware and software packages, and accessories.
16. You feel guilty.
17. You have physical symptoms. This can include difficulty sleeping, headaches and migraines, back and neck ache, dry eyes, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
18. You stay up so late at night playing games that your work or education suffer.
19. You suffer with fatigue.
20. You sometimes spend all day in your sleepwear and forget to shower or eat.

Results

If you scored less than 40, you are interested in playing games but they don’t dominate your life. If you scored 40-60, you may want to think about easing back on your game playing. For anything above 61, you need to take a long hard look at your gaming habits and think about getting some support. If you dismiss this as nonsense, you may need help now.

Remember that there are negative consequences for any addiction, it is never healthy to skip meals or reduce the amount of sleep you’re getting and social isolation can lead to a host of emotional issues. No-one would suggest never playing video games, or games online, but ‘everything in moderation’ should be the key.

Other articles

How to spice up your life

Do you feel you're always doing the same things and not getting anywhere? It's common to feel stuck in a rut, treading water and just going through the motions.

Do you think too much? Or too little?

Feel like you overthink too much? Having a hard time making decisions? Or feel like you don’t consider your options enough? Find out how to strike a balance.

Signs of depression under the radar

It is not always obvious when someone is experiencing depression. Some people with depression mask their symptoms, hiding their feelings behind a smile to convince others they are happy.

Stop worrying and live in the moment

People spend so much of their time regretting the past and worrying about the future. But it’s not worth it! Even what happened yesterday doesn't matter anymore! Let go of the past and the future and make the most of every moment.

5 Signs of narcissistic perversion

Narcissism is a term we often see these days. But what does it mean? It's used to describe a person who is full of themselves or overly vain. However, it's not really about self-love.

Dealing with British Summer Time

Some people are overly sensitive to the time change and it can take days, if not weeks, for them to feel right again, while others barely even notice. 

I don't want to!

Motivation can be somewhat elusive - some days, you just can't seem to make yourself do the stuff you don't want to. But putting things off just leads to stress, frustration and a sense of guilt.

How to spot toxic behaviour

You see the word "toxic" everywhere these days, but what does it really mean? You've almost certainly come across someone who fits the description. Dealing with difficult personalities can be challenging and emotionally exhausting, to say the least.

How to beat irrational anxieties

Irrational anxieties can seem overwhelming, affecting every aspect of your life. Learn how to beat your fears and worries and take back control.

20 natural ways to prevent and relieve headaches

Headaches can be a real nuisance, especially if you get them frequently. Luckily, there are many natural ways to prevent and relieve headaches without needing to reach for over the counter medication.