The multi-billion dollar video game industry is in the business of creating fun and enticing games that can be addictive. As addicted gamers feast on digital indulgences, real life is neglected and their reality crumbles around them.

Recent headlines highlight the extent of some video game addictions:

“New Mexico mom gets 25 years for starving daughter.” – Fox News
“China used prisoners in lucrative Internet gaming work.” – Guardian News
“Online gamer killed for selling virtual weapon.” – Sydney Morning Herald
“South Korean dies after games sessions.” – BBC News

Bill Arnold and George Fraser have seemingly covered all the basis of addiction over the past few years, but for the first time they cover an addiction that can fly under the radar – video game addiction. Dr. Andrew Doan, author of Hooked on Games, shares his first-hand experience of being addicted to video games, and he delves into the science of addiction itself.

Dr. Doan was an addicted gamer, who at his peak, invested over 20,000 hours of playing games over a period of nine years. Dr. Doan’s reckless compulsion to play games transformed him into a monster that almost destroyed his family, marriage, and career. He shares his expertise to educate others on the dangers of video game addiction and to provide hope for video game addicts and their families. Dr. Doan shares steps for gaming addicts to achieve recovery and steps for families and loved ones to intervene.

Tonight’s Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our addiction – that our lives had become unmanageable.

Key Verses:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Highlight – Gaming addictions

Gaming addictions