Video Game Addiction Test
A free, private 9-question video game addiction self-check adapted from the DSM-5 gaming disorder criteria, with self-scoring instructions, result tiers that route to treatment, and clear next steps. Frames the result as a signal, not a diagnosis.
Battling addiction & ready for help?
A Video Game Addiction Test You Can Take Right Now
This self-check asks 9 questions, the same set of features clinicians use to recognize gaming disorder, and tells you whether what you’re living with matches the pattern they take seriously. It takes about two minutes. It can’t diagnose you, because no self-test can. Only a clinician can do that. What it can do is tell you whether the worry that brought you here deserves a closer look.
Your answers stay with you. Nothing is stored, nothing is sent, and nobody sees your result unless you choose to share it. Answer honestly about the past 12 months, for yourself or, if you’re a parent, about your child.
- This self-check is built on the nine DSM-5 features of gaming disorder — the same set behind a validated 9-item gaming disorder screen[1].
- A score of 0–2 reads as a healthy range, 3–4 as worth watching, and five or more of the nine matches the clinical threshold for gaming disorder — counted over the past 12 months, with genuine harm to daily life[2].
- A result is a signal, not a diagnosis — a self-check flags the pattern; only a clinician can confirm it.
How to Score the Video Game Addiction Test
If the interactive check above isn’t loading, you can score yourself by hand. Over the past 12 months, count how many of these nine you’d answer “yes” to, for yourself or your child:
- Preoccupation. Is gaming the main thing on your mind, even when you’re not playing?
- Withdrawal. Do you feel restless, irritable, anxious, or low when you can’t game?
- Tolerance. Do you need to spend more and more time gaming to feel satisfied?
- Failed cutbacks. Have you tried to play less and been unable to?
- Lost interests. Have hobbies, friends, or activities you used to enjoy fallen away because of gaming?
- Continued despite harm. Do you keep gaming even though it’s hurting your sleep, school, work, money, or relationships?
- Deception. Have you hidden or lied about how much you game?
- Escape. Do you game mainly to escape or relieve a bad mood, like anxiety, guilt, or sadness?
- Real-world cost. Have you risked or lost a relationship, job, or opportunity because of gaming?
Tally your yes answers. These nine map directly to the criteria clinicians use, the same set behind a validated 9-item gaming disorder screen[1].
What Your Video Game Addiction Test Result Means
Read your tally against these tiers. They mirror how clinicians weigh the same nine features, but they describe risk, not a diagnosis.
| Your yes answers | What it suggests | A sensible next step |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 | Gaming is likely within a healthy range. | Keep an eye on the danger hours if gaming is creeping up. |
| 3–4 | A worth-watching pattern. Some control may be slipping. | Set firm limits now; revisit in a few weeks. If it’s not holding, talk to someone. |
| 5 or more | Matches the clinical threshold for gaming disorder. | Worth a real conversation with a clinician who can assess it properly. |
A 5-or-higher result is the one to take seriously. That threshold, five of nine features with genuine impairment to daily life, is the cutoff clinicians use, and it’s held up in interview studies as a meaningful line[2]. It doesn’t mean a diagnosis is certain. It means the pattern is strong enough that a professional should take a look.
If you landed at 5 or more, the most useful next move is to get matched with the right help →, or to look at video game addiction treatment and rehab → to see what the options actually involve.
A Lower Score That Still Worries You
If you tallied under five, that doesn’t close the question. The number is a guide, not a verdict, and these cutoffs are designed to be cautious. If gaming still troubles you, or you’re a parent whose gut says something’s off, that matters regardless of the count. Trust the worry enough to keep watching, and don’t wait for a perfect score to ask for help if things are sliding.
The same nine features can mean different things depending on what’s underneath. Gaming disorder rarely travels alone. It shows up alongside depression and anxiety, and the relationship runs both ways, with low mood linked to more gaming and the gaming linked to lower mood over time[3]. So two people with the same score can need different help. That’s exactly why a self-check points toward a clinician rather than replacing one.
Why You Can’t Just Stop, Even With a High Score
If you’ve already tried to cut back and couldn’t, that isn’t weakness, and it isn’t about being lazy or undisciplined. Games are engineered to keep you playing, and a habit grooved deep enough starts running on autopilot, independent of what you consciously decide. That’s why willpower alone so often fails, and why the answer is the right kind of structure and help, not just trying harder.
It’s also why a high score isn’t bad news. It’s the cue to stop fighting the symptom and start treating the cause. Counseling built for gaming, especially CBT, has the strongest evidence behind it, and most people who get it reduce their gaming and feel better[4][5].
What to Do After Your Video Game Addiction Test
You don’t need a formal diagnosis to take a next step, and a clear move beats sitting with the uncertainty.
- Say one true sentence to someone who can help. It can be as plain as: “I think my gaming is out of control and I want to do something about it.” That’s enough for a good clinician to take it from there.
- Set a limit you can enforce today. Turn on parental controls and app timers, and if things are out of hand, pause the game or move the console for a few days while you regroup.
- Know that treatment works. Gaming disorder responds to structured help, and most people who get it cut their gaming and feel better[5][4].
- If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself, reach out now. Problem gaming in young people runs alongside depression and higher rates of self-harm[6]. Call or text 988 any time.
When you’re ready, you can find treatment near you or get matched with the right help. To understand the pattern this check is reading for, see the warning signs of video game addiction →, and for the bigger picture, start with the full picture of video game addiction →.
This self-check is a mirror, not a diagnosis. If you or someone you love is in immediate danger or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.
If any of this lands, the next step doesn’t have to be a big one. Our treatment centers directory can point you to the right level of care. Reaching out today is a real step forward — and one you can make right now.
Frequently asked questions
Is this video game addiction test accurate?
It’s a reliable screen, not a diagnosis. The nine questions map to the DSM-5 features clinicians use to recognize gaming disorder, the same set behind a validated 9-item gaming disorder screen[1]. A screen is built to flag people who may need a closer look, never to confirm a diagnosis on its own. Treat a high result as a strong signal to talk with a clinician, who can assess the full picture and tell the difference between gaming disorder and something underneath it.
How many questions do you have to answer yes to for gaming addiction?
Five or more of the nine, over a 12-month period, with genuine harm to daily life. That five-of-nine threshold is the cutoff most U.S. clinicians use, and it’s held up in interview studies as a meaningful line between heavy gaming and a disorder[2]. Reaching it doesn’t make a diagnosis certain, but it means the pattern is strong enough that a professional should take a look. A score of three or four is a worth-watching zone where setting firm limits now makes sense.
What does it mean if I score high on a gaming addiction test?
A high score means your gaming matches the pattern clinicians take seriously and deserves a real conversation, not that you’ve failed at anything. It’s the cue to stop fighting the symptom with willpower and start treating the cause. Counseling built for gaming, especially CBT, has the strongest evidence, and most people who get it reduce their gaming and feel better[4][5]. The best next step is to get matched with the right help at /find-treatment-help/.
I scored low but I'm still worried about my gaming. Does that matter?
Yes, it matters. The number is a guide, not a verdict, and these cutoffs are deliberately cautious. If gaming still troubles you, or you’re a parent whose gut says something’s off, that’s worth trusting regardless of the count. Keep watching the pattern, set limits if it’s creeping up, and don’t wait for a perfect score to ask for help if things are sliding. A self-check is one input, not the final word on whether something deserves attention.
Can I use this test for my child?
Yes. Answer the nine questions about your child’s gaming over the past year, as best you can observe it. Be aware that some symptoms, like preoccupation or using gaming to escape a bad mood, are easier to see from the inside, so a conversation with your child and, ideally, a clinician fills in what you can’t observe. If the result lands at five or more, or if your worry is strong whatever the score, a professional assessment is the right move. For teens, involving the family is part of what helps, and a randomized trial found family therapy reduced gaming disorder in adolescents[7].
Why can't I just stop gaming if I know it's a problem?
Because knowing isn’t the same as being able to, and that gap isn’t weakness. Games are engineered to keep you playing, and a habit grooved deep enough starts running on autopilot, independent of what you consciously decide. That’s why willpower alone so often fails and why the answer is structure and the right help rather than just trying harder. A high score on this check isn’t bad news; it’s the signal to match a real condition with treatment that works[4].
Get Treatment Help
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, getting help is just a phone call away, or consider trying therapy online with BetterHelp.
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