Mobile games have been around for over a decade, enticing cell phone users to compulsively play at all hours of the day and night.  It is easy to see why this can quickly become an addiction, with games at your fingertips at all times.  Many of those partaking in mobile games enjoy the escape from reality that these games can offer.  However, this escape can easily turn into a compulsive gaming addiction, affecting your everyday life and relationships with others.  Neglecting your everyday responsibilities is a sure sign that your mobile gaming has elevated to a level of compulsive gaming and addiction.

Mobile Games are Designed to Entice Your Brain

The bright colors, the sounds, and the rewarding feelings that go along with playing mobile games are not an accident.  These games are designed in such a way to give your brain a release of pleasure.  They are also created to eliminate the perception of time, meaning that you can easily spend hours on a mobile game without realizing how much time has passed.  The combination of colors, sounds, and the rewarding feelings that go along with playing these games on your cell phone all make this highly addictive.  Combined with the ease of likely having your mobile device with you at all times, the convenience of playing anywhere may be too tempting to resist.

Signs that Your Mobile Gaming Habit Has Become an Addiction

When you begin to use mobile gaming as a way to escape real-life, avoiding problems and relationships, this has likely become an addiction.  Everyone needs a mind-numbing escape now and then but if you are turning to mobile games instead of dealing with your feelings, this has likely become a problem.  Compulsive gaming can affect your ability to sleep, work, and spend time with friends and family, when you instead choose to spend your time gaming on your phone.  The result is neglecting priorities in your life, from work and household chores to suffering relationships and intimacy with your partner.

The Dangers of Compulsive Gaming on Your Cell Phone

In many cases you will find that the mobile game will be free to play.  However, as you begin to develop an addiction to playing, there will often be opportunities to spend money to continue playing.  Just like any other addiction, this compulsive need to play, neglecting your priorities and spending money on the game, is a sign of a problem and should be addressed.

Finding a Healthy Balance with Mobile Games

It isn’t necessary to give up mobile games entirely, but you should take some steps to prevent this from becoming an addiction.  Tracking your screen time and setting limitations for yourself is one way to safely enjoy these mobile games, without neglecting everything around you. 

If you are still struggling to quit mobile games, some therapy sessions may help to find the underlying issue.  In many cases there is an unresolved issue in your life, and you are using mobile games as way to escape.