Adin, an 11-year-old boy, found gaming to be a vital part of his social life. He often played Roblox with friends for hours, which led his family to realize something was amiss. "Outside of school, that's the only way we talk, through games and like calling [on Discord], that's how we talk and bond," Adin explained. He admitted to skipping meals and sleep to continue playing. His father, Vikas, noticed Adin was increasingly resistant to participating in family activities to focus on gaming. "There's a bit of peer pressure too because if nine out of 10 guys are playing something and you don't play, you become the outcast," Vikas said.

Adin is among 300 patients receiving treatment at a specialized gaming addiction clinic at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Australia. This clinic is the first of its kind in a public hospital in the country. It accepts referrals from general practitioners, hospitals, and schools, primarily treating patients aged 15 to 19. Dr. Daniela Vecchio, a psychiatrist and head of the mental health division at Fiona Stanley, noted that gaming disorder is recognized by the World Health Organization.

Research indicates that around 100,000 Australian teenagers may be clinically addicted to video games. Concerns have arisen that gaming companies employ tactics that make moderation difficult. "The clinic was established because we noted patients whose lives were impaired by excessive time and focus spent on gaming, and their families were devastated by the consequences," Dr. Vecchio said.

Patients often become disengaged from family life, neglect school and work, and experience deteriorating mental health, leading to irritability, depression, and anxiety. Their behavior can change significantly, resulting in social isolation and aggression when boundaries are enforced. The clinic aims to help patients reconnect with regular activities through a comprehensive treatment approach involving psychologists, child and adolescent specialists, and pediatricians.

Part of the program includes collaboration with local educational institutions to encourage patients to study or work. Family involvement is also a key component of treatment. "We prescribe activities to do with the families, or we prescribe physical activities. We work with the whole system, not just with the individual, but we also treat the underlying conditions," Dr. Vecchio explained.

Patients at the clinic engage in group discussions and share their experiences. They also participate in offline activities, such as tabletop games, to foster social interaction.

Gary Chan, a researcher at the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, estimates that gaming addiction affects hundreds of thousands of Australians. He is developing a quick screening process for clinicians, which is currently being tested in Australia and other countries, including China and the United States.

Recent studies have shown that video games can alter the brains of teenagers, but reducing screen time can lead to significant improvements. Adin is working to limit his gaming time while still enjoying it. "The doctor was really nice and he understood that I could play games but I had to limit myself, so he would decrease the time that I could play each day," he said.

Vikas has noticed positive changes in Adin's sleep patterns but acknowledges that more work is needed. "I think the most important thing that happened here is that to solve a problem, first we need to acknowledge that," he said. "I'm pretty okay with gaming; you can do whatever you want to do in your free time, but not at the cost of what he needs to get done."