Video games are an integral part of life for many, offering entertainment, community, and even cognitive benefits. But for some, gaming can shift from a healthy pastime to a problematic behavior known as Internet Gaming Disorder that disrupts daily functioning, relationships, and overall well-being.

So how can health coaches like you distinguish between passionate gaming and gaming disorder? And how can you help clients set healthy boundaries without judgment or shame? These questions are becoming harder to ignore as digital habits evolve faster than most training programs can keep up with, which is exactly the gap HG Institute was built to close. 

What is Internet Gaming Disorder? 

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a pattern of gaming behavior that can lead to significant impairments or distress in other areas of the gamer’s life. Think of the teenager who starts skipping school to play games, or the adult whose friendships begin to erode because gaming has quietly become the priority—not out of a moral failing, but because the brain's reward systems have been shaped in ways that make stopping genuinely difficult.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), the American Psychiatric Association recognizes Internet Gaming Disorder as a condition warranting further study, but it is not yet classified as a formal diagnosis. For health coaches, understanding these patterns and knowing when to refer clients to mental health professionals is key to providing informed, ethical support.

Problematic gaming or passionate gaming?

Because video games aren’t inherently bad, it’s important to be able to distinguish between problematic and normal gaming behavior. In fact, video games can offer many benefits as long as your client can establish healthy boundaries around them.

For example, playing video games for the whole weekend might sound problematic to some people. However, if your client has finished all their work and they’re not neglecting other aspects of their life, their gaming habits are perfectly fine. In this case, your client has a healthy relationship with gaming, using it to decompress and have fun. Many people even form meaningful relationships through online gaming.

On the other hand, when gaming gets in the way of responsibilities, relationships, sleep, and overall health, that’s when we can help them manage their gaming behavior.

Warning signs of gaming disorder

Here's what internet gaming disorder symptoms can look like in your clients:

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not playing games, such as anxiety, irritability, and sadness

• Neglecting personal relationships

• Losing interest in other hobbies 

• Using gaming to avoid emotions and feelings

• Falling behind at work or at school

• Giving up sleep to play video games

• Constantly thinking about gaming even when doing other activities

• Avoiding or forgetting to do household chores

• Neglecting physical and mental health

If their life is severely impacted by their gaming habits beyond a health coach scope, consider referring them to a mental health professional who specializes in gaming addiction.  

What causes video game addiction?

To effectively address any addiction, it’s important to understand what’s driving it. Video game addiction is no different; there’s always an underlying reason behind excessive play. Take time to explore your client’s motivations and circumstances to identify the root causes, so you can help them make meaningful, lasting changes.

Escaping and coping with problems

When someone is facing tough challenges in their life, whether it’s being bullied at school, loneliness, relationship problems, or a lack of meaning, video games can be a powerful coping mechanism. They offer immersive worlds in which players can be someone else and escape their reality. Add to that the addictive mechanics of gameplay, and it’s easy to understand why people can engage in excessive play to the detriment of their mental and physical health, relationships, and personal growth.

Finding community and companionship

One positive benefit of gaming is that it allows people to make friends and find community online. This is especially true for those who have trouble making connections in real life. However, gaming addicts can become so immersed in online communities that they neglect real-life relationships or avoid in-person connections. As humans, it’s healthy for us to socialize and connect face-to-face. 

After an extended period of neglecting their relationships, they may find that they’re lonelier than ever once they turn off the game, which encourages the toxic cycle of addictive gaming.

Need for external validation

For many people with low self-esteem or a lack of confidence, video games can satisfy a deep-seated need for external validation. In real life, they may not receive much recognition or encouragement from family, friends, peers, or love interests. But in a game, they can take on the role of the hero, leader, or “main character,” someone whose achievements are visible, celebrated, and rewarded.

Sense of accomplishment 

Video games are designed to give players a sense of accomplishment. Players experience constant feedback—leveling up, unlocking achievements, and completing challenges—that provides a quick hit of satisfaction and progress. Even though these achievements are temporary and require little physical effort, they can feel deeply rewarding.

Compared to the long, uncertain process of achieving real-world goals—like finishing a degree, building a career, or training for a sport—gaming offers a faster, more predictable path to success.

How to create healthy boundaries around gaming

As a mental health coach, once you understand why a client is gaming, you can help them build practical boundaries that preserve the benefits of play while reducing the negative impacts. Help your client take it one step at a time to ensure their progress can be sustained over the long term.

Set time limits on gaming

Establishing appropriate time limits will depend on the person and their needs and habits. Have a discussion with your client about what time limits are feasible and fair after they’ve taken care of their responsibilities (family, household, work, etc.).

For example, they can play 1 to 2 hours on weekdays after they’ve finished chores and work. On weekends, they can play 2 to 4 hours as long as it’s divided into blocks (e.g., two 90-minute sessions). Prioritize taking short breaks away from screens to break up longer sessions of gaming.

Incorporate other activities or hobbies in your client’s life

People engage in problematic gaming because it fulfills social, achievement, or escapism needs. Help your client incorporate activities that also fulfill those needs so they don’t need to rely solely on gaming. Focus on hobbies that they used to enjoy or introduce new activities.

For example, if your client used to enjoy being physically active but has become more sedentary since gaming, they should dedicate time to workouts or a sport once a week (or more!). 

To help your client stay consistent, keep them accountable in each session by asking about how they’re enjoying it and their progress. You can also encourage them to do these activities with a friend to make it more enjoyable.

Integrate healthy habits into their routine

Healthy routines create the foundation for lasting behavior change. When clients take care of their physical and mental well-being, it becomes much easier to maintain boundaries around gaming. 

One of the best ways to treat gaming disorder is to encourage your clients to build simple, consistent habits such as:

• Prioritizing getting a full night of sleep 

• Avoiding games 60 to 90 minutes before bed

• Getting to sleep at a decent hour

• Getting regular exercise, at least once or twice a week

• Eating consistent, healthy meals

• Drinking plenty of water each day

• Taking their vitamins

Focus on cultivating in-person relationships

Friendships and communities built online can be deeply meaningful, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of real-life relationships. Face-to-face connection is essential to your client’s mental health, sense of belonging, and overall fulfillment.

Because gaming can easily eat into quality time with loved ones, encourage your clients to set intentional boundaries that protect in-person connection:

• Create phone- or console-free windows. For example, make morning, dinner time, or the first hour after work device-free. A visible timer or a basket for devices can make this feel structured but simple.

• Design family or partner rituals. Suggest activities like a weekly walk, a game-free date night, or a shared hobby that brings them together offline.

• Encourage co-play over isolation. When possible, recommend in-person social activities that fulfill the same connection needs as online gaming, such as sports leagues, tabletop games, or collaborative creative projects.

From problematic gaming to healthy habits: Finding balance beyond the screen

Given the level at which gaming is intertwined with daily life for digital natives, health coaches play an important role in helping clients navigate their relationship with it. Understanding the difference between passionate gaming and problematic gaming is key, not to stigmatize video games, but to recognize when it begins to interfere with your client’s well-being.

By identifying the underlying causes of excessive gaming, you can help your clients address the root issues rather than just the behavior itself. From there, guiding them to set realistic boundaries, nurture healthy habits, and re-engage with real-world relationships can make all the difference. Ultimately, your support can empower clients to rebuild balance in their lives so gaming remains a source of joy and connection rather than control.

Ready to go deeper into this topic? Our course Game On or Game Over? An Introduction to Video Game Addiction covers how to identify signs, understand underlying mechanisms, and develop prevention and intervention strategies, all in 1.5 CE-accredited hours. 

HG Institute also offers a coach certification program, continuing education credits, and specialized digital wellness training built specifically for practitioners working with the digital generation. Because the more fluent you are in your client’s world, the better you can help them find balance in it.