Cam Adair on Quarantine & Gaming Addiction

Cam Adair is the founder of Game Quitters, the world’s largest support community for video game addiction, serving members in 95 countries. His work has been published in Psychiatry Research, and featured in two TEDx talks, NPR, BBC, Forbes, ABC 20/20, CNN, VICE, and Bloomberg, amongst many others.

Listen here:

Quarantine & Gaming Addiction

By Cathleen O’Toole

            In this episode of the Dr. Denise Show we are privileged to welcome back a leading expert on video game addiction for a deep discussion about the effects of quarantine and gaming addiction.  Cam Adair is the founder of Game Quitters, the world’s support community for gaming addicts.  He travels the world to share what he knows about the science and emotions of addiction and is a speaker at countless college campuses — well he was, until the pandemic hit.

            Cam tells us how he still strategizes to flank his former addiction to gaming — especially when the world suddenly found itself locked inside, left to stare at a screen.  We talk about as some in the substance abuse recovery community are struggling, gamers too can relapse during this difficult time.

            We spent time talking about the retirement of some professional e-gamers.  Cam explained that the rigors of the sport lead to poor lifestyle choices that make stepping down from a gaming career in one’s early 20s a common occurrence.

            I was extremely interested in soaking in Cam’s knowledge on the Bartle player types: killers, achievers, explorers and socializers.  We learned about how video game developers program to appeal to these different Neurostyles in a way to make the game more interesting, engaging and consuming.

            In an incredible development, we learned of Cam’s success in putting together a certification program from clinicians.  He reports that many psychologists will purport to have video game addiction expertise but the knowledge can be spotty.  Partnering with Jamison Wiggins, the pair will train clinicians who can earn a certificate from an independent board that has done similarly for gambling addiction clinicians.  Their new venture is called Intenta Digital.

Here is the documentary about Cam, HERE!