ONLINE VIDEO GAME ADDICTION THERAPY ACROSS WASHINGTON
You're not lazy. You're not broken. You're coping.
Learn how to meet your needs without letting games become your only solution.
There's a reason you can't just "log off" – and understanding it changes everything.
You tell yourself, "Just one more match," but now it's 3 AM and you're still grinding, still raiding, still playing—exhausted but unable to stop. The assignments due tomorrow, the texts you haven't answered, the plans you canceled again—each one feels like evidence of your failure, of the real life you're falling behind in. The shame grows heavier with each level-up that comes at the expense of your actual goals and relationships.
It's not just about the hours lost, either. It's about what happens between sessions—the fog of fatigue that makes real life feel muted, the irritability when someone interrupts your game, the growing emptiness when the screen finally goes dark. For many, gaming isn't about fun anymore. It's about relief—relief from anxiety, from depression, from the overwhelming chaos of everyday life. Your rank, your gear score, your achievements provide the dopamine hits and sense of progress that reality doesn't seem to offer.
What started as entertainment has become a survival strategy—and while it's keeping you afloat, it's also keeping you stuck. You're not alone in this cycle of gaming, burnout, and regret. And you don't have to figure it out alone, either.
Your struggle isn't a character flaw—it's a sign that deeper needs aren't being met.
Therapy for Gaming Addiction Can Help You:
Understand why you turn to games with curiosity instead of judgment.
Learn practical ways to cope with stress, boredom, and emotional pain.
Reconnect with your focus, motivation, and sense of purpose.
Strengthen your identity beyond gaming and feel more like yourself.
Shift from escaping life to actively engaging with it.
MY APPROACH
Gaming addiction isn't something to be ashamed of—it's a response to real needs that aren't being met elsewhere.
Having navigated my own journey with gaming, I bring both professional expertise and personal understanding to our work. My approach merges practical strategies with exploration of what drives your gaming patterns. Together, we'll map your digital and physical worlds, building bridges between virtual achievements and real-life fulfillment.
Gaming addiction is like a powerful painkiller—effective in the moment but not addressing the underlying injury. I won't simply hand you restrictions—this is about honoring what gaming has done for you while building a life that offers the same rewards in more sustainable ways.
AS WE WORK TOGETHER,
We'll unpack why gaming addiction is so powerful: how games trigger dopamine, why quitting feels impossible, and how games are designed to keep you playing.
You'll gain insights into your gaming patterns, emotional triggers, and the specific needs games fulfill for you, so we can develop strategies that address the root causes, not just the symptoms. I believe gaming addiction isn't just about willpower or screen time—it's about your unique relationship with achievement, escape, stimulation, and connection.
The process is personalized and non-judgmental. We'll experiment with different approaches, keep what helps, and revise what doesn't. I believe in more than just reducing your gaming hours—I want to help you feel empowered in your relationship with technology, connected to meaningful offline experiences, and confident in your ability to engage with games on your own terms.
What is gaming addiction?
It is...
A pattern of gaming that interferes with your daily functioning, relationships, and wellbeing.
Feeling restless, irritable, or empty when you're not able to play.
Needing more intense or longer gaming sessions to get the same satisfaction.
Using games to escape from stress, anxiety, or uncomfortable emotions.
Continuing to game despite negative consequences to your health, work, or relationships.
Thinking about gaming even when doing other activities.
Downplaying or hiding how much time you spend gaming from others.
It isn't...
Just enjoying video games as a hobby or interest.
A character flaw or moral failing—it's a complex behavior pattern with neurological roots.
Simply about the number of hours played—it's about the impact on your life.
The same for everyone—it manifests differently based on personality, game type, and underlying needs.
Just a lack of willpower or discipline that you should be able to overcome alone.
Something only teenagers or certain personalities experience—it can affect anyone.
A permanent condition—with support, your relationship with gaming can change.
Discover how to enjoy games without letting them control your life.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions
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Gaming Addiction, officially recognized as "Gaming Disorder" by the World Health Organization, is a pattern where gaming takes priority over other important aspects of life. It's not about how many hours you play, but rather how gaming affects your overall wellbeing and functioning.
Some common signs of Gaming Addiction include:
Loss of control: Unable to stop or reduce gaming despite wanting to, playing longer than intended.
Increasing priority: Gaming becomes the dominant activity in your life, taking precedence over responsibilities, relationships, and other interests.
Continued use despite consequences: Maintaining or escalating gaming habits despite negative impacts on work, school, relationships, or health.
Withdrawal symptoms: Feeling irritable, anxious, restless, or sad when unable to play.
Tolerance development: Needing increasingly more gaming time or intensity to feel satisfied.
Deception or secrecy: Hiding or minimizing the extent of gaming behavior from friends and family.
Using gaming to cope: Primarily gaming to escape negative emotions rather than for enjoyment.
If these patterns are significantly impacting your daily functioning, relationships, or wellbeing, it may be worth exploring further. Gaming addiction is a real condition that deserves understanding and support—not judgment or shame.
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No, complete abstinence isn't necessary for most people. The goal of therapy isn't to eliminate gaming from your life—it's to restore balance and choice. For some clients, a temporary "digital detox" period can be helpful to reset patterns and develop new coping strategies. However, our long-term goal is usually to help you develop a healthier relationship with gaming where it can exist as one of many activities you enjoy rather than your primary source of coping, connection, or achievement. The right approach depends on your specific situation and goals.
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Yes, there's often a strong connection. For many people, gaming provides what's missing in their everyday experience: For anxiety, games offer control in an unpredictable world. For depression, they provide immediate rewards and achievement when real life feels empty. For ADHD, games deliver the constant stimulation and dopamine that your brain naturally seeks. Understanding these connections is crucial—your gaming habits might actually be an attempt to self-medicate underlying conditions. In therapy, we address both the gaming patterns and these underlying factors for lasting change.
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Willpower alone rarely works for changing gaming habits because gaming addiction isn't just a bad habit—it's serving important psychological needs. The difference with therapy is that we don't just focus on reducing gaming time. Instead, we identify what specific needs gaming fulfills for you, understand your personal triggers, and develop alternative ways to meet those same needs. We also address any underlying mental health concerns that might be driving your gaming patterns. Rather than just taking away your coping mechanism, we build new ones together that don't come with the same downsides.