Reasons for a husbands addiction to online games and its impact on the marital relationship How to deal with the problem

A Husband’s Addiction to Online Games: Understanding the Problem and Finding Solutions
A husband’s addiction to online games has become one of the common issues that can significantly impact married life. In many cases, husbands may start spending long hours in front of screens, which can negatively affect the relationship and emotional connection between partners.

Whether the reason behind it is an escape from reality or simply a form of entertainment, addiction to online games can lead to poor communication, increased tension, and a loss of balance in daily life.

In this Dalili Medical article, we will explore the psychological and social reasons behind a husband's gaming addiction and how to effectively address the issue to bring the marital relationship back on track. We’ll also look at how the wife can be part of the solution and support her husband in overcoming this addiction.If you're currently facing this challenge, this article will offer you practical strategies and a deeper understanding to help you deal with it in a healthy and constructive way.

Benefits of Video Games

1. Stimulating Thinking and Focus
   Strategic games and puzzles stimulate the mind and enhance critical thinking skills. They require the player to think quickly and solve problems in smart ways, which helps improve focus and decision-making.

2. Improving Hand-Eye Coordination
   Games that require quick movement, such as action or sports games, help improve hand-eye coordination. This benefits physical concentration and enhances performance in daily activities like driving or work that requires physical focus.

3. Developing Social Skills
   Online games offer players the chance to interact with people from different cultures. This enhances social interaction skills and teamwork, as players collaborate to achieve common goals.

4. Reducing Stress and Anxiety
   Using games as a form of entertainment can have a calming effect, helping players release stress and mental pressure. Games provide a healthy escape from reality, improving emotional well-being.

5. Boosting a Sense of Accomplishment
   Games allow players to achieve milestones, such as reaching new levels or earning rewards. This sense of achievement builds self-confidence and fosters positivity, even when the accomplishments are small.

6. Stimulating Memory
   Memory and puzzle games activate the brain, improving the ability to recall and organize information. This is beneficial in everyday life, as well as enhancing academic or professional performance.

7. Fostering Creativity
   Certain games that involve building or designing, such as Minecraft, stimulate creativity. Players develop innovative ideas and plan new things. These games enhance the ability to think outside the box.

8. Improving Language Skills
   Adventure and story-based games enhance vocabulary and the ability to understand new phrases and words. This helps improve language skills and communication.

9. Improving Leadership and Cooperation Skills
   In team-based games, players learn how to lead and collaborate with others to achieve common objectives. These skills can translate to real-life situations and foster teamwork.

10. Achieving Balance Between Mind and Body
    Games that require physical movement, such as sports games or virtual reality (VR), encourage physical activity, improving overall health and maintaining a balance between the mind and body.

11. Stimulating Quick Decision-Making Skills
    In games that require quick responses, players learn to make fast decisions under pressure. This enhances the ability to make correct decisions in emergency situations.

12. Encouraging Creative Problem-Solving
    Games that involve challenges or puzzles, like The Legend of Zelda, require players to come up with innovative solutions, helping to develop creative thinking and expand their horizons.

13. Increasing Endurance and Patience
    Video games with difficult stages teach players patience, as they must try repeatedly to reach their goal. This strengthens the ability to endure failure and persist in the face of challenges.

14. Developing the Ability to Work Under Pressure
    Games that simulate difficult situations, such as combat or sports games, help develop the ability to work under pressure, which helps players adapt to tough circumstances in real life.

15. Enhancing Spatial Awareness
    Games that involve navigating through 3D environments improve spatial awareness, helping players understand distances and movement directions. This skill is useful in daily activities such as driving or making decisions in large spaces.

16. Improving Coordination Between Movement and Thought
    Games that require high levels of hand-eye coordination, such as fighting or racing games, improve the player's ability to organize movements more quickly and accurately.

17. Increasing Entertainment and Fun
    Games provide a great source of entertainment and fun, which helps improve mood and reduce daily stress, thus enhancing mental well-being.

18. Increasing Adaptability and Fast Learning
    Online games help players adapt to rapid changes in the environment, enhancing their ability to learn quickly and adjust to new strategies.

19. Enhancing Negotiation Skills
    Multiplayer games that require collaboration among players contribute to teaching negotiation skills, as each player must reach common solutions to achieve a collective goal.

20. Social Enhancement through Multiplayer Games
    Online games provide an opportunity to communicate with players from different cultures, boosting social awareness and building new friendships, which is especially beneficial for those suffering from social isolation.

21. Opportunities for Creativity and Exploration
    In games like Minecraft or SimCity, players can express their creativity by building new worlds and solving problems in unconventional ways. This enhances innovation and planning skills.

Reasons for a Husband's Addiction to PUBG

1. PUBG as a Way to Prove One's Worth
   For many players, PUBG is a way to prove themselves. Winning a match, especially when eliminating all other players in a short time, creates a strong sense of victory. This challenge and rush to win are major motivations that make a person repeatedly play the game.

2. The Game is Everywhere
   What sets PUBG apart is that it is available on mobile phones, making it always within reach. The husband can pull out his phone at any time and dive into an exciting game, more engaging than any regular conversation. This makes the game a part of his daily life and increases his attachment to it.

3. Continuous Updates That Fuel Addiction
   A part of PUBG's appeal is the regular updates that add new maps, weapons, and daily challenges, attracting players to return to the game constantly. These updates give players a sense of renewal and continuous challenge.

4. Social Interaction Through PUBG
   PUBG provides an exciting social environment where players can communicate with each other through group chats or cooperate in battles. This social dynamic can lead to new relationships and friendships through the game. We've heard stories of people meeting, marrying, or even experiencing marital betrayals via the game.

5. Psychological and Behavioral Addiction
   The repetitive nature of playing and the continuous enjoyment from interacting with the game ultimately lead to psychological and behavioral addiction. Over time, it becomes difficult for the husband to stop playing due to the constant rush for excitement and victory, which may lead him to neglect other responsibilities.

6. Personal Reasons for the Husband's Addiction to PUBG
   While some people can play PUBG without becoming addicted, there are personal reasons that may cause a husband to develop an excessive attachment to the game. Some of the main reasons include:

7. Escaping Daily Life Pressures
   The husband may see PUBG as a way to escape the pressures of daily life. Whether it’s work problems or family issues, the game becomes an outlet for him. With the sense of enjoyment and excitement, he finds himself escaping reality, even if just for a short time, and enjoying the atmosphere of the game away from his worries.

8. The Game as a Source of Entertainment
   Sometimes, the husband might be living a stable life and have other hobbies. However, he may feel bored or desire new entertainment, so he tries PUBG. Over time, he may find himself getting engrossed in the game, gradually abandoning other leisure activities in favor of it. This is where addiction starts, as beneficial activities are replaced with continuous gaming.

9. Belonging to the PUBG Community
   The social aspect of PUBG creates a sense of belonging to a community, whether the husband is playing with real friends or meeting others through the game. This sense of belonging strengthens his attachment to the game, making it an essential part of his day. It's similar to being part of a group or sports club, where the player feels they are part of something bigger.

10. Escaping Marital Problems
    In some cases, the husband may play PUBG as a way to escape ongoing marital issues. Instead of confronting the marital challenges, he prefers to retreat into the world of the game, where everything seems more exciting and easier, far from the real pressures.

The Most Vulnerable Categories of Men to Electronic Gaming Addiction

1. Young Adults and Teenagers (18 to 30 years old)
   Young men in this age group are often in a phase of exploration and experimentation. They tend to be adventurous and eager to try new things. Electronic games offer them a chance to escape from daily problems, whether social, academic, or even financial. The sense of challenge and quick accomplishment in gaming increases the likelihood of their addiction.

2. Men with Emotional or Social Issues
   Men who face difficulties in their emotional or social relationships, such as a breakup with a partner or family problems, may turn to electronic games as an escape from feelings of loneliness and frustration. The games provide them with a virtual environment where they can retreat from the real world and the problems they face.

3. Men Going Through Career Transitions
   Men who are going through difficult phases in their professional life, such as unemployment or adjusting to a new job or career change, may feel helpless or frustrated. They turn to electronic games for entertainment and a sense of achievement, especially if they are struggling to find success or recognition in their professional lives.

4. Men Who Don't Care About Family or Social Responsibilities
   Some men who struggle to manage their family or social obligations may find in electronic games a way to escape daily pressures. The games provide them with a source of entertainment and a way to avoid social or emotional stress, leading to potential addiction as a means of evasion.

5. Men After Marriage or Fatherhood
   Some men, especially those under the pressures of family life and fatherhood, may turn to electronic games as a way to escape their responsibilities. Family life can be overwhelming, and games offer a private world away from these obligations, making it easier for them to fall into a cycle of addiction.

6. Men Who Seek Excitement and Challenge
   Some men enjoy challenges, competition, and the feeling of superiority over others. Electronic games offer the perfect opportunity to achieve this feeling through competing with other players and achieving in-game accomplishments. This challenge can turn into addiction, especially if they feel unable to achieve similar success in their everyday lives.

7. Men Who Suffer From Constant Anxiety or Stress
   Men who experience continuous anxiety or stress may find electronic games a way to relieve these psychological pressures. The games offer an escape from negative feelings, providing temporary relief, which makes them an enjoyable way to cope with anxiety and stress.

8. Men Who Lack Alternative Activities
   Men who do not engage in any social, sports, or other hobbies may turn to electronic games to fulfill their entertainment and social needs. Over time, gaming may become their primary activity, increasing the likelihood of addiction, especially if they lack other sources of entertainment or social interaction.

Signs of a Husband's Addiction to Online Games

1. Spending Long Hours on Mobile or Computer Screens
   If your husband spends long hours on his phone or computer without noticing the passage of time, whether during the day or night, this could be one of the first signs of his addiction to electronic games.

2. Losing Interest in Home and Daily Responsibilities
   When your husband starts neglecting daily chores like cleaning the house or taking care of the children, and spends most of his time playing games or on his phone, this could be a sign that he's becoming more focused on the games and neglecting his family.

3. Limited Communication and Interaction
   If you notice that your communication has become limited and the only thing he talks about is games or the internet, this could mean that he’s no longer as focused on your marriage as he once was.

4. Irritability When Asked to Stop Playing
   If you ask him to stop playing or focus on something else and he reacts angrily or avoids the conversation, this could be a sign that he's become so accustomed to the game that it's difficult for him to stop.

5. Postponing Important Appointments and Responsibilities
   When your husband starts delaying important appointments or household duties just to continue playing, it indicates that the game has become a significant part of his day, taking priority over other responsibilities.

6. Neglecting Emotional Connection
   If your husband starts distancing himself emotionally and prefers to spend long periods playing games instead of spending time with you, this means he's prioritizing the game over emotional bonding with you.

7. Denial and Refusal to Acknowledge Addiction
   A sign of addiction is when your husband denies any issue with his gaming habit. He might tell you that gaming is just a form of entertainment, despite it having become an essential part of his daily life.

8. Poor Sleep and Anxiety
   If your husband stays up late playing games or seems anxious when he stops playing, this indicates that the game is affecting his life patterns, making it difficult for him to relax or sleep without continuing to play.

9. Constant Neglect of Daily Responsibilities
   When your husband ignores his daily duties, whether at work or in his relationships with family and friends, and prioritizes gaming over everything else, it suggests he’s gradually becoming addicted.

10. Spending Money on Games
    If your husband begins spending money on purchasing new games or in-game items without necessity, this could indicate that he’s struggling to control his spending due to his addiction to gaming.

11. Feeling Empty When Away from the Game
    When he stops playing for a short period and feels mentally empty or physically tired, and seeks a way to get back into the game, this constant need to return suggests addiction.

12. Changes in Personal Appearance
    One clear sign of gaming addiction is a change in your husband's appearance. You may notice that he no longer takes care of his personal appearance, whether in his clothing or hygiene, because he’s so engrossed in gaming.

13. Delaying Returning Home
    If your husband starts delaying his return home after work or social meetings, or if he spends more time playing with friends than engaging in social activities, it could indicate he prefers gaming over other activities.

14. Social Isolation
    Your husband may begin isolating himself from family and friends, spending more time gaming online rather than participating in social or family activities.

15. Continued Play Despite Illness or Fatigue
    An addictive behavior is when your husband continues playing even when he feels sick or tired. He may ignore his health and keep playing because he feels he can't stop.

16. Lack of Progress in Real Life
    When your husband's entire focus is on electronic games and he neglects his personal development in real life—such as improving his professional skills or expanding his social circle—this indicates that he has become completely absorbed in the gaming world.

How to Treat Husband's Addiction to PUBG: Practical Steps to Change His Behavior

Addiction to games like "PUBG" has become a common issue in many marriages. If you're one of the wives dealing with this addiction, you're probably well aware of its impact on your marital life. This impact may show up as emotional neglect, family conflicts, avoidance of responsibilities, and loss of trust. But don't worry, there are ways you can help your husband overcome this crisis and restore balance to your relationship.

1. Set Limits on Play Time, Not Complete Cessation It’s important not to suddenly ask your husband to quit playing PUBG. Instead, try setting a specific time for playing so it doesn’t interfere with his responsibilities as a husband and father. You can help him organize his time to enjoy the game while still fulfilling his daily duties.

2. Avoid Arguments and Confrontations If PUBG becomes a point of conflict between you and your husband, his attachment to it will increase, making it harder for him to quit. So, try to avoid constant arguments about the game. It's better to talk calmly and rationally. Instead of continuous criticism, discuss the issue in a neutral and encouraging manner to motivate him to change his behavior.

3. Suggest Alternative Activities Indirectly Don’t directly say, "Leave PUBG and let's go out," but invite him to alternative activities without linking them to the game. For example, you could suggest going out for a romantic date or preparing a special dinner at home and ask him to put his phone down. This will make him feel more comfortable and focused on spending time with you instead of the game.

4. Reduce Stress at Home For positive change to happen, the home environment should be calm and free of tension. Avoiding arguments and excessive pressure on your husband can help him relax and pay attention to what's around him, including his family. This will make him more open to gradually changing his behavior.

5. Choose the Right Time for Direct Conversations Don’t bring up the topic of PUBG at inappropriate times, such as when your husband is tired or busy. Choose a time when he's open to talking. Express your feelings calmly and supportively about how his addiction to the game is affecting you. This conversation could provide an opportunity for him to reconsider his behavior.

6. Patience and Persistence Don't expect the change to happen suddenly or overnight. Changing habits takes time and patience. Be ready to work on building a balanced and supportive relationship, and avoid excessive pressure. Let things develop naturally, without rushing.

7. Utilize the Health Warnings in the Game Due to increasing criticisms about the effects of PUBG on players' health, the game introduced a health warning feature that appears after six hours of continuous play, where the game stops for 24 hours in some countries. Although addicted players may find ways to bypass this warning, you can use this feature as an opportunity to help your husband reconsider his routine and gradually reduce his playtime.

Tips for the Husband Addicted to Video Games: How to Overcome Addiction and Regain Your Life

Video game addiction has become a common problem in many relationships. In this article, we provide the most important tips that can help an addicted husband, especially to games like "PUBG", reduce his addiction and restore balance in his personal and family life.

1. Acknowledge the Problem The first step toward recovery is acknowledging that there is a problem. If you feel that your addiction to games is affecting your marital and family life, you need to be honest with yourself first. This awareness of the problem is the beginning of the path to solving it.

2. Set Time Limits for Playing It’s essential to set a specific amount of time for playing video games and stick to it. Use alarms or apps to track the time you spend playing, which will help you organize your time better and reduce the impact of addiction on your daily life.

3. Find Alternative Activities The best way to overcome addiction is to find enjoyable and interesting activities away from gaming. These could include exercising, acquiring new hobbies, or spending time with your family. Finding fun alternatives will help you focus on new things far from the games.

4. Open and Honest Communication with Your Wife It's crucial to be honest with your wife about your addiction. Talk to her about why you're attached to the games and the negative effects they may have on your relationship. Your wife should be supportive and understanding, which will help address the problem more effectively.

5. Gradually Reduce Playtime If stopping suddenly is too difficult, try reducing the time gradually. Cutting one hour of playtime daily, for instance, can be a good start. Over time, you can increase the time spent on other activities and achieve a better balance in your life.

6. Seek Professional Help If you feel that the addiction has gotten out of hand, you may need to seek professional help. Psychiatrists and behavioral therapists can help you address the root causes of the problem and provide the right treatment.

7. Engage Your Wife in the Game (Under Certain Conditions) Playing games together can be a way to strengthen your relationship. Choose cooperative games that can help build marital bonds. However, it is important that this is done in moderation and does not turn into a joint addiction.

8. Set New Life Goals It’s essential to set new goals that are unrelated to gaming. These goals may include improving your career or spending more time with your family. Setting goals will help you feel accomplished outside of the gaming world and give you new motivation.

9. Encourage Exercise and Social Activities Physical activities are one of the best ways to relieve stress and life's pressures. Practicing sports or participating in social activities helps enhance both physical and mental health and keeps you away from video games.

10. Positive Reinforcement Your wife can be a source of support and encouragement throughout this change journey. She can motivate you to reduce your playtime by rewarding you for significant progress. For example, you could plan a joint activity, like a special dinner, as a reward.

The Wife’s Role in Supporting an Addicted Husband

1. Empathy and Patience It’s essential for the wife to be supportive and patient. The husband may feel frustrated or guilty about his addiction, so emotional support is very important. With patience and understanding, the wife can help her husband overcome addiction.

2. Set Clear Boundaries for Playing The wife can set clear rules regarding playtime and family time. Designating specific times for joint activities, such as going out together or watching movies, can help improve the relationship and reduce the impact of gaming on family life.

3. Reorganize the Surrounding Environment A helpful step is to organize the home environment by setting a specific place for gaming, away from family activities. This can help reduce random playtime and create balance between personal and family life.

4. Reduce Triggers for Addiction The wife can help her husband reduce triggers that encourage constant gaming, such as disabling game notifications or setting specific times to open apps. This will help him organize his playtime better.

5. Reward Progress Gradually The husband may struggle to quit playing suddenly, so the wife can reward him for every positive step he takes. For example, reward him with a joint outing or an activity he enjoys, which will boost his motivation for change.

6. Encourage Social Activities Outside Gaming It's essential to encourage the husband to engage in real social activities, such as meeting friends or participating in community events. These activities give him the chance to socialize and achieve balance in his life.

7. Set Time for Self-Development The husband should allocate time for self-development, such as reading, learning new languages, or taking training courses. This will help him improve himself and focus on other aspects of his life.

8. Discuss the Negative Impact on the Relationship It’s important to talk to your husband about how addiction is affecting the relationship. The wife can explain how the addiction impacts emotional connection and shared time, in a calm and sincere manner.

9. Monitor Time Spent on Gaming There are many apps available that can help monitor how much time the person spends on games. The husband can use these apps to set daily or weekly playtime limits and gradually reduce it.

10. Patience and Mutual Respect The wife should practice patience and mutual respect during this journey. Video game addiction isn’t a simple issue, and with support and mutual respect, the husband can overcome it and return to his normal life.