by Perlea, Victor ¹, Mayer, Gwendolyn ¹

• ¹ Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg

This is the extended version, for the abridged version click here
The introduction and overview can be found here

Disclaimer:We have compiled this information to the best of our knowledge based on current scientific literature (as of May 2026). However, we do not provide diagnosis or treatment recommendations. If you notice any mental health concerns in yourself or in a child or adolescent in your care, please consult a medical doctor.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) describes the inability to control one’s use of computer games (online or offline). Those affected experience strong cravings, tolerance building and withdrawal symptoms. The illness can lead to everyday impairments and severe suffering, such as social isolation, anxiety, or depression for those affected.
On average, an estimated share of 2% of children and adolescents in representative populations are affected: Paulus et al. 2018: https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13754

Risk factors

There are many theories about the reasons, why people get addicted from gaming. On average, there are more males than females affected, and the peak age group are older adolescents. Personal risk factors include low self-esteem, social isolation with few or no friends in real life, limited social functioning, limited leisure or recreational activities, poor school or academic performance, increased truancy, low engagement in school, poor school or academic performance, or unemployment. See Paulus et al. 2018.

Treatment approaches

Treatment recommendations refer to manualized cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and family-based interventions rather than to pharmacological approaches Pogarell et al. (2023): https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-3-437-23492-7.00013-6
More information: https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/gaming-disorder

References for this article are here