Online gaming has become one of the most popular ways for people to relax and escape for their day to day life.
For many people, online and internet gaming offers connection to other players, a place to explore their creativity and to escape from the day to day stresses of life.
Online multiplayer games allow players to interact with friends across time zones and continents, allowing them to develop skills and participate in communities, even if they are only online.
For members of the LGBTQ+ community, gaming can also provide a rare space where they can explore their own identity and self-expression. This might feel like a safer place to do this than in the offline, real world.
Nevertheless, as with many online activities, gaming can become problematic when it begins to take over a person’s life.
In fact, many people are now addicted to online and internet gaming. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) refers to a pattern of excessive gaming that often leads to distress and harm.
Symptoms of this might include obsessive levels of gaming, withdrawal from day to day life when you are unable to play, neglecting responsibilities such as work or school and loss of interest in other hobbies and activities.
In fact, research suggests that approximately 3 – 6% of people may experience symptoms of gaming disorder, with this number sitting even higher when it comes to younger people.
For some individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, online gaming can be complex. In some ways, it is able to provide an important escape from discrimination or isolation that you might be facing in the real world.
Likewise, it can also make you more vulnerable when it comes to addiction and online abuse from other players. Understanding your relationship with gaming is essential for individuals, doctors, families and support services working with individuals affected by gaming addiction.
This article explores the factors that might lead to a gaming disorder within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the potential psychological and social impact that addiction to gaming has.
Finally, we will discuss the importance of support and treatment for anyone suffering from an addiction to gaming.
Internet Gaming Disorder is now recognised as a behavioural addiction, usually involving by compulsive use of video games, particularly online games.
Individuals experiencing IGD may find it increasingly hard to control their gaming habits and use, even when negative consequences start to take over [1].
Common symptoms of internet gaming disorder include spending an increasing amount of time gaming, failing to attempt to cut down or stop playing games, as well as increased irritability or anger when individuals are unable to play the games they want to, when they want to.
As a result of this, people might start to neglect their responsibilities including education, work or their relationships. Likewise, they will also continue to play their games, despite the negative consequences that it is creating.
Excessive gaming has also been linked to several mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, issues with sleep and reduced overall happiness and life satisfaction.
In severe cases of addiction, individuals might start to withdraw from their social life or struggle to maintain studies, employment or relationships.
Whilst a gaming addiction can affect anyone, there are certain groups that might be more likely to become addicted to gaming, due to environmental, situational or psychological factors.
In fact, the LGBTQ+ community represents one of these groups, where specific experiences might increase the likelihood of addiction to gaming.
Online gaming can often make individuals feel anonymous, which is something that the LGBTQ+ community often looks out for.
When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, particularly young people who may still be exploring their identity and who they are, online gaming can offer a number of different benefits.
Some of these benefits are listed below for you:
Many games allow players to create their very own avatars and experiment with different identities and personalities, whilst allowing them to communicate and socialise.
This can provide a safe space for individuals to express aspects of their gender or sexuality without the fear of judgement of other people.
As mentioned above, online games frequently involve teams or communities where players are able to communicate regularly with people from all different parts of the world.
These groups can become important sources of friendship and emotional support for anyone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
For individuals facing stigma, bullying or family rejection, online gaming and even social media may offer a temporary escape from real life issues, such as bullying or discrimination.
In fact, research now suggests that online gaming communities include a significant proportion of LGBTQ+ players for this very same reason. One survey found that approximately 17% of all gamers identified as LGBTQ [2].
It is important that these positive aspects of gaming are not overlooked.
For many people, gaming is a healthy hobby that enhances their life. However, the same factors that make gaming appealing can also contribute to addiction, which we will explore in more detail below.
To understand why some LGBTQ+ individuals might be particularly vulnerable when it comes to a gaming addiction, it is important to think about broader mental health issues within the LGBTQ+ community.
Unfortunately, research suggests that LGBTQ+ individuals experience higher rates of psychological distress compared to heterosexual people.
This is often explained through the concept of minority anxiety, which refers to the chronic anxiety often experienced by people who belong to stigmatised groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community.
Minority anxiety might include a number of different symptoms, including experiences with harassment, rejection, lack of acceptance, fear of expressing their true selves and social isolation.
These experiences can contribute to a range of different anxieties, depression, fear and even feelings of loneliness.
In some cases, individuals may turn to certain behaviours, such as gaming, social media use or substance use to drugs or alcohol as a way of coping with their mental health issues.
For many different people, one of the key motivations behind excessive gaming is escapism. This means escaping from the daily stressors that could involve financial strain, family issues or even bullying [3].
However, online games allow people who play them the chance to immerse themselves in different alternative worlds, where they might feel more in control, confident or accepted compared to how they feel in the real world.
For individuals experiencing stress, rejection or loneliness, this escape can be particularly appealing and attractive to them [3].
For example, someone struggling with stigma related to their identity, how they look and how they dress might feel more free and accepted when interacting through an avatar, rather than their real life identity, where they might feel a bit vulnerable.
In these online and virtual spaces, the barriers and issues that exist in everyday, real life can temporarily disappear.
However, this can often backfire. In fact, over-reliance on gaming as a primary coping tool can create a cycle of avoidance from the real world.
Instead of addressing mental health issues, or real-world issues that might require an intervention, the individual may increasingly withdraw into gaming environments, which might not be healthy [3].
Over time, this pattern may lead to reduced social interaction in the real world, increased real-world isolation and issues with stress, anxiety and sleep. Likewise, an overreliance on gaming might lead to issues when it comes to relationships, work or school.
When gaming becomes the main source of emotional relief for anyone, stopping it can become really difficult.
Although online gaming communities can provide a lot of support for people, they are not always the most welcoming environments. Whilst they might seem great at first, things can often change very quickly when it comes to online relationships.
For example, online harassment and online bullying both remain significant issues when it comes to online gaming.
Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ players may come across homophobic or transphobic comments, social exclusion, or even targeted harassment whilst playing online.
For LGBTQ+ people, these experiences can compound existing stress experienced in the real world, which could lead to increased depression or anxiety.
In some cases, individuals may respond by isolating themselves even further or even self-harming as a way of coping.
Recognising early signs of gaming disorder is incredibly important when it comes to preventing more serious problems, such as other mental health issues such as depression or anxiety.
There are a number of different warning signs that might include gaming for very long periods of time, getting irritated when you are unable to play, neglecting personal responsibilities and hygiene, and a loss of interest in hobbies or other activities.
Other people might start to use gaming as a way of coping with stress or anxiety.
Friends, family members and educators may notice changes in behaviour before the individual recognises the issue themselves.
Early intervention can help prevent gaming from becoming a deeply entrenched habit.
Fortunately, there is a lot of support for those suffering from a gaming addiction. Effective support and treatment is available for individuals who want to improve and change their lives.
Treatment approaches often include a range of different therapy techniques, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing. Some of these therapy techniques are explained in further detail below.
CBT can help individuals identify negative patterns and habits, including ways of thinking and behaviours that contribute to excessive gaming and gaming addiction.
Gaming addiction therapists work closely with clients to develop healthier habits, coping strategies and better, balanced routines.
A lot of therapy and recovery will focus on improving your support system in the real world.
Encouraging participation in real-world community activities, support groups or supportive networks from work or school can reduce your reliance on gaming and allow you to create better relationships in the real world.
Establishing clear limits and boundaries around gaming time and habits will help restore balance and a sense of normality. Your therapist and any recovery plan will help you to do this.
In some cases, inpatient rehab programmes might be best, as it will provide structured support for individuals whose gaming habits have become severe.
Internet gaming has transformed how people play, enjoy their spare time, interact with one another and experience entertainment.
For many people in the LGBTQ+ community, online gaming spaces provide valuable opportunities for a sense of connection, identity and self-expression.
However, when gaming becomes addictive, it can develop into Internet Gaming Disorder, leading to significant mental, social and even physical consequences.
People who suffer from Internet Gaming Disorder are much more likely to experience anxiety, stress, social isolation and make themselves more vulnerable to online bullying and harassment, especially if you identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
Recognising these risks does not mean that you should avoid gaming altogether. Instead, it is important to remember the importance of balance, addiction awareness, treatment and support.
By understanding the LGBTQ+ community better, other gamers, therapists, families and support systems can better support those who may be struggling with gaming addiction or other addictions for that matter.
With the right help and support, individuals within the LGBTQ+ can gain some sense of control over their lives and over their gaming habits and feel better connected to those around them in both the real, and online world.
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/games/2024/feb/15/lgbtq-representation-in-video-games-glaad-survey
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10663235/
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
