How Video Game Addiction Affects the Human Body
Olivia Cole 
While video games have been around for more than 60 years, they have become massively popular since the 1990s and 2000s. As more people play, it is possible to observe the increasingly adverse effects that video gaming can have on the human body. Excessive gaming can, in some instances, become an addiction similar to other behavioural disorders associated with gambling, eating disorders, pathological working and media use. Over time, it affects a person’s health, behaviour and life, and can cause permanent changes to the body.
The team at CasinoGuardian decided to explore the risks of excessive video gaming and to find out how gaming addiction affects the human body over time. Apart from the indisputable psychological issues, there are also detrimental effects on physical health resulting from a sedentary lifestyle, prolonged screen exposure, insufficient exercise and the overall unhealthy habits associated with being addicted to video games.
What Is Video Game Addiction? How Much Gaming Is Too Much?
It is believed that in 2021 there were roughly 3.24 billion gamers around the world, a figure that is quite close to the global working-age population of roughly 3.53 billion. According to a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis, the global prevalence of gaming disorder was 3.05%, which means that there could be nearly 100 million video game addicts around the world at this point in time.
How do we define video game addiction, and how much gaming is too much? There is a common misconception that all avid gamers are gaming addicts and that playing games for two, three or four hours every day constitutes an addiction. In reality, gaming addicts may spend 60 to 100 hours per week on a computer, phone or gaming console, sometimes even more. However, time is not a good indicator of addiction of any sort, as admitted by experts. The World Health Organization, which added gaming disorder to the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases in 2022, identifies several major characteristics:
- impaired control over gaming
- gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities
- continuation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences
In order to be diagnosed as pathological, a gaming behaviour pattern should be evident for at least one year. Also, in order to be identified as an addiction, there should be withdrawal symptoms present, such as anxiety, irritability and sadness when the person does not play for some time. Some common symptoms of video game addiction are:
- Poor performance at school/work or failure to handle household responsibilities
- A need to increase gaming time in order to reach the same level of enjoyment
- Ignoring previously enjoyed activities and social relationships
- Using video games to escape or cope with problems at work, school or home
- A decline in personal hygiene as a result of excessive gaming
- Being unable to quit or reduce gaming
- Lying about the amount of time spent playing video games
- Withdrawal symptoms
How Gaming Addiction Changes the Body over Time
Video game addicts will often spend 9-10 hours per day playing, with sessions sometimes lasting for more than 15 hours at a time. This means that they are likely to have an overall sedentary lifestyle, sitting or even lying down for most of the day and neglecting sufficient physical activity. Gaming addicts generally have poor sleeping habits, which impact their overall health, and they make poor dietary choices – most prefer caffeinated and sugary drinks, fast food and unhealthy snacks, as these are more readily available.
Those addicted to video games typically stay indoors for prolonged periods and rarely exercise. They are often dehydrated, neglect personal hygiene and can even develop muscle atrophy as a result of reduced physical activity. Over time, all of this contributes to the development of obesity, vision problems, chronic back and neck pain, and repetitive-strain injuries to the wrists and hands. Other issues associated with pathological video gaming include overall weakness, poor balance and dizziness. Within five years of adhering to these behavioural patterns, addicts will display certain physical changes in their bodies:
Men
| Waistline and lower part of the body |
|---|
| Varicose leg veins |
| Weakness in one limb, or one limb may be smaller than the other |
| Swelling and pain in the feet and ankles |
| Pain in the backside and lower back |
| Fat on the buttocks |
| Chicken skin (keratosis pilaris) on upper arms, upper thighs, cheeks and buttocks due to a lack of vitamins A and C |
| Stiff blood vessels and atherosclerosis (plaque build-up of fatty substances and cholesterol) |
| Erectile dysfunction from reduced blood-vessel elasticity |
| Stress on the joints, particularly the knees, hips and spine, resulting from weight gain |
| Reduced sex drive |
| A sedentary lifestyle has an array of adverse health effects, including elevated all-cause mortality; cardiovascular-disease mortality; cancer risk; metabolic diseases such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia; and musculoskeletal diseases such as knee pain and osteoporosis |
| Abdomen and upper body |
| Belly fat, with more visceral fat surrounding the organs |
| Fat in the underarm area |
| A fatty hump between the shoulders resulting from elevated cortisol levels |
| Calluses on the wrists from excessive use of the mouse |
| Computer-mouse dermatitis – a dry, red, scaling rash or a thickened and slightly pigmented rash at the base of the palm or on the fingertips |
| Pain and swelling in the area between the thumb and index finger from excessive mouse use |
| Pain in the wrists from excessive use of mouse and keyboard |
| Thinned, inflamed skin due to malnutrition and vitamin deficiency |
| The body uses insulin less efficiently; gamers may develop insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome |
| Reduced immune-system function |
| High levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, along with spikes in glucose and insulin |
| Increased levels of ghrelin – the “hunger hormone” – and decreased levels of leptin, the hormone that suppresses appetite |
| High blood pressure owing to high sodium intake |
| Inflammation in the gut and digestive issues such as constipation, heartburn and diarrhoea, with bloating from consuming refined carbohydrates |
| Concentrated blood as a result of dehydration, so the cardiovascular system has to work harder to pump blood efficiently |
| Kidneys retaining more water because the body is dehydrated |
| Obesity increases the risk of hepatic steatosis (fatty-liver disease), cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. It is also a risk factor for cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, colon, rectum, kidney, thyroid and gallbladder. |
| Diets rich in red or processed meats are associated with an elevated risk of pancreatic, bowel and stomach cancers |
| A decreased metabolic rate resulting from unhealthy diets low in protein and vitamins |
| Easy bruising, slow wound healing, frequent nosebleeds and scurvy arising from vitamin C deficiency |
| The so-called dead bum syndrome (gluteal amnesia): over time the hip flexors begin to tighten while the gluteal muscles start to lengthen, leading to inefficient muscle activation, poor stabilisation of the pelvis, lower-back pain and pain in the feet and knees |
| Head and shoulders |
| Hunched back |
| Back and neck pain, stiffness and headaches |
| Hair loss and bald patches due to a lack of vitamins and other nutrients |
| Red, runny nose |
| Asthma, coughing and shortness of breath |
| Dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis (scaly patches on the skin) resulting from a lack of zinc and B vitamins |
| Bleeding gums and tooth loss arising from vitamin C deficiency |
| Mouth ulcers caused by a deficiency in iron and vitamin B |
| Dry, scaly skin due to vitamin C deficiency |
| Lack of sleep increases stress and cortisol levels |
| Decreased levels of human growth hormone, leading to reduced muscle strength and dry skin |
| Mood swings, depression and anxiety |
| Dementia resulting from reduced blood-vessel elasticity |
| Dehydration, which reduces fluid around brain tissue and affects overall cell function |
| Xerophthalmia and Bitot’s spots in the eyes due to vitamin A deficiency |
| Stale air triggering allergies, respiratory symptoms and sinus congestion |
| Increased stress from lack of sleep and from playing fast-paced action games |
| The body releases more cortisol and adrenaline |
| Insomnia and decreased energy levels |
| Chronic pain, headaches and increased susceptibility to infection |
| Possible increased levels of prolactin in men |
| Eyes and face |
| Blurred or double vision |
| Night blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency |
| Poor vision and the need to wear glasses |
| Dry, red eyes from staring at the screen for hours |
| Dry mouth, lips and tongue |
| Cracks in the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis) owing to dehydration and vitamin deficiency; sunken eyes and dark circles under the eyes resulting from sleep deprivation |
| More wrinkles/fine lines |
| Droopy corners of the mouth |
| Hanging eyelids |
| Pale skin from a lack of sleep and vitamin D |
| Computer vision syndrome / digital eye strain |
| Looking sad |
| Premature ageing |
Women
| Waistline and lower part of the body |
|---|
| Varicose leg veins |
| Weakness in one limb, or one limb may be smaller than the other |
| Swelling and pain in the feet and ankles |
| Pain in the backside and lower back |
| Fat on the buttocks |
| Hip and thigh fat |
| Chicken skin (keratosis pilaris) on upper arms, upper thighs, cheeks and buttocks due to a lack of vitamins A and C |
| Stiff blood vessels and atherosclerosis (plaque build-up of fatty substances and cholesterol) |
| Stress on the joints, particularly the knees, hips and spine, resulting from weight gain |
| Reduced sex drive |
| A sedentary lifestyle has an array of adverse health effects, including elevated all-cause mortality; cardiovascular-disease mortality; cancer risk; metabolic diseases such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia; and musculoskeletal diseases such as knee pain and osteoporosis |
| Abdomen and upper body |
| Less belly fat and less visceral fat surrounding the organs |
| The breast and armpit areas appear larger due to fat deposits |
| Fat in the underarm area |
| A fatty hump between the shoulders resulting from elevated cortisol levels |
| Calluses on the wrists from excessive use of the mouse |
| Computer-mouse dermatitis – a dry, red, scaling rash or a thickened and slightly pigmented rash at the base of the palm or on the fingertips |
| Pain and swelling in the area between the thumb and index finger from excessive mouse use |
| Pain in the wrists from excessive use of mouse and keyboard |
| Thinned, inflamed skin due to malnutrition and vitamin deficiency |
| The body uses insulin less efficiently; gamers may develop insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome |
| Reduced immune-system function |
| High levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, along with spikes in glucose and insulin |
| Increased levels of ghrelin – the “hunger hormone” – and decreased levels of leptin, the hormone that suppresses appetite |
| High blood pressure owing to high sodium intake |
| Inflammation in the gut and digestive issues such as constipation, heartburn and diarrhoea, with bloating from consuming refined carbohydrates |
| Concentrated blood as a result of dehydration, making the cardiovascular system work harder to pump blood efficiently |
| Kidneys retain more water when the body is dehydrated |
| Obesity increases the risk of hepatic steatosis (fatty-liver disease), cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. It is also a risk factor for cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, colon, rectum, breast, kidney, thyroid and gallbladder. |
| Diets rich in red or processed meats are associated with an elevated risk of pancreatic, bowel and stomach cancers |
| A decreased metabolic rate resulting from unhealthy diets low in protein and vitamins |
| Easy bruising, slow wound healing, frequent nosebleeds and scurvy arising from vitamin C deficiency |
| The so-called dead butt syndrome (gluteal amnesia): over time the hip flexors begin to tighten while the gluteal muscles start to lengthen, leading to inefficient muscle activation, poor stabilisation of the pelvis, lower-back pain and pain in the feet and knees |
| Fast food contains high levels of saturated fat, increasing the risk of developing breast cancer |
| Head and shoulders |
| Hunched back |
| Back and neck pain, stiffness and headaches |
| Hair loss due to a lack of vitamins and other nutrients |
| Red, runny nose |
| Asthma, coughing and shortness of breath |
| Dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis (scaly patches on the skin) resulting from a lack of zinc and B vitamins |
| Bleeding gums and tooth loss arising from vitamin C deficiency |
| Mouth ulcers caused by a deficiency in iron and B vitamins |
| Dry, scaly skin due to vitamin C deficiency |
| Lack of sleep increases stress and cortisol levels |
| Decreased levels of human growth hormone, leading to reduced muscle strength and dry skin |
| Mood swings, depression and anxiety |
| Dementia resulting from reduced blood-vessel elasticity |
| Dehydration reduces fluid around brain tissue, which affects overall cell function |
| Xerophthalmia and Bitot’s spots in the eyes due to vitamin A deficiency |
| Stale air triggering allergies, respiratory symptoms and sinus congestion |
| Increased stress from lack of sleep and from playing fast-paced action games |
| The body releases more cortisol and adrenaline |
| Insomnia and decreased energy levels |
| Chronic pain, headaches and increased susceptibility to infection |
| Possible increased levels of prolactin in women who are not pregnant, with disturbed breastfeeding due to changes in hormonal levels |
| Eyes and face |
| Blurred or double vision |
| Night blindness caused by vitamin A deficiency |
| Poor vision and the need to wear glasses |
| Dry, red eyes from staring at the screen for hours |
| Dry mouth, lips and tongue |
| Cracks in the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis) owing to dehydration and vitamin deficiency; sunken eyes and dark circles under the eyes resulting from sleep deprivation |
| More wrinkles/fine lines |
| Droopy corners of the mouth |
| Hanging eyelids |
| Pale skin from a lack of sleep and vitamin D |
| Computer vision syndrome / digital eye strain |
| Looking sad |
| Premature ageing |
Detrimental Effects on Mental Health
Of course, not everyone who is enthusiastic about video games is a gaming addict. Experts at the WHO explain that gaming addiction affects only a small percentage of gamers. Moreover, this compulsive behaviour does not appear within a few days or weeks but develops over a long period of time – around 12 months. At first, those affected would probably notice just a handful of addiction symptoms, but as time passes those symptoms become more severe and new ones start to appear.
If left untreated for more than a year, video game addiction will have the same consequences as other behavioural addictions – it will severely impact every aspect of the person’s life. Gaming addicts prioritise gaming activities to the detriment of their jobs, school, hobbies and social interactions. Over time, they become increasingly isolated, and their only communication with the outside world becomes the video game they play. This not only deepens the physiological health issues caused by excessive gaming but also intensifies the detrimental effects the addiction has on their mental health.
Gaming addicts often suffer from depression and anxiety, and react with irritability and anger when they are away from the game. They lack motivation and experience mood swings, being unable to cope with negative emotions. Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is common. In more extreme cases, some addicts develop agoraphobia, meaning a fear of leaving their home. At times, depression may become severe and, along with overall sadness, melancholy and hopelessness, cause the individual to have suicidal thoughts.
Clearly, video game addiction is a serious disorder that should not be ignored. It affects boys and men more than girls and women, but either sex is at risk. As more and more people have access to video games and the internet, an increasing number of cases of gaming addiction will appear – both in teenagers and in adults. In order to treat and prevent it, a greater understanding of how it may impair the physical and mental health of those affected is needed.