Seven clinically validated self-assessments, CBT self-help programs, eye strain tools, parental guides and the science behind behavioural addiction.
The IAT (Kimberly Young, 1998) is the gold-standard screening instrument for problematic internet use — validated across 113 studies in 31 nations.
Compulsive online gaming, gambling, shopping — the screen becomes a casino that never closes, delivering endless dopamine.
Obsessive web surfing and doomscrolling. The need to "know everything" turns into hours lost in news cycles.
Excessive investment in online relationships — often at the cost of real-world connection and intimacy.
Using the internet to avoid negative emotions, stress, or problems. The online world becomes a refuge from reality.
Needing more and more screen time to feel satisfied — and feeling irritable or anxious when forced offline.
20 questions, no scrolling, results in under 5 minutes. Free and anonymous.
Gambling disorder affects 0.2–5.3% globally. The 'chasing loss' feedback loop causes escalating financial and psychological devastation.
Inability to regulate the frequency, intensity, or duration of gambling despite repeated attempts to cut back.
Loss triggers distress → urge to recover exact amount → larger bets → deceit to fund it → financial collapse. The cycle accelerates with each rotation.
Patients routinely conceal losses, lie to secure funding, and mask the extent of impairment from family — making it the most under-recognised behavioural addiction.
Gambling activates the same dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway as opioids and cocaine. Naltrexone reduces cravings by blocking this reward signal.
Intensity fluctuates with acute stress, depressive episodes, and substance use — requiring the comorbid engine to be treated, not just the gambling behaviour.
9 questions based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index — the clinical gold standard.
Gaming disorder (ICD-11, 2019) affects ~3% globally — rising to a critical 2% clinical addiction rate among children and adolescents.
Gaming takes definitive precedence over family, education, and social obligations. Sleep, meals, and hygiene are sacrificed for sessions.
The $100B industry leverages immersive, 24/7 virtual realities. Usage degrades into clinical escapism with profound cognitive deficits and social withdrawal.
Irritability, restlessness, and anxiety when gaming is removed. Withdrawal mirrors negative affective states seen in substance cessation.
Extended sedentary hyper-focus causes clinical obesity, severe ophthalmic degradation, cervical spine trauma, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Children and adolescents are uniquely vulnerable. Early exposure via unregulated games, loot boxes, and virtual currencies accelerates onset.
7 questions based on the Gaming Addiction Scale — validated for adolescents and adults.
| Dimension | Gaming Disorder | Gambling Disorder |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Risk Group | Children & Adolescents (2%) | Young Adults & Adults (high impulsivity) |
| Core Driver of Escalation | Escapism from negative affect & low self-esteem via avatars | The financial 'Chasing Loss' feedback loop |
| Diagnostic Standard | ICD-11 (2019) · GAS-7 / IGDS-9 | ICD-11 & DSM-5 · PGSI / NODS-CLiP |
| Physical Manifestation | Obesity, carpal tunnel, sleep architecture destruction | Systemic stress response & severe financial depletion |
| Pharmacotherapy | Bupropion showing early efficacy; SSRIs for comorbidities | Naltrexone (50–150mg) reduces craving & the 'high' |
| Gold Standard Treatment | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — the most widely recommended psychosocial treatment for both disorders | |
Based on international clinical standards (WHO AUDIT, DAST-10, and Fagerström FTND), these confidential screens help evaluate your use patterns and connect you to evidence-based guidance.
The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) evaluates physical dependence. Personalisable for both smoked and smokeless tobacco (gutka, khaini, paan masala) to provide tailored feedback.
Developed by the World Health Organization, the 10-question Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test is the global standard for identifying harmful patterns and probable dependence.
The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) evaluates consequences associated with drug use (prescriptions, over-the-counter, or illicit) over the past 12 months using a quick binary scale.
58% of office workers report Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Take the quiz to find out your personal risk level — and get targeted recommendations.
Blink rate drops from a normal 15/min to as low as 5/min during intense screen use, drying the ocular surface and causing chronic discomfort.
Prolonged focal vergence strain fatigues the ciliary muscles, causing blurred vision, photophobia, and tension headaches radiating from the brow.
Each inch the head tilts forward adds ~10 lbs of cervical strain. Gaming-induced cervical degeneration is now documented in teenagers.
Repetitive controller and keyboard use inflames the median nerve, causing pain, numbness, and reduced grip strength over months of heavy use.
Blue light at 480nm suppresses melatonin production by up to 50%. Screen use within 1 hour of bed significantly delays sleep onset and reduces REM duration.
10 questions based on the CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) symptom scale. Identifies your severity level and gives personalised recommendations.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This relaxes ciliary muscles, reduces asthenopia, and — crucially — interrupts the compulsive scrolling loop that addictive platforms engineer.
Gambling, gaming, and internet addiction activate the same dopaminergic mesolimbic pathways as alcohol, opioids, and stimulants.
The origin of the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway — triggered equally by chemical intake, digital novelty, or financial risk. This is where the addiction begins.
The reward centre. Sustained behavioural hyper-stimulation reduces natural dopamine receptor sensitivity — creating structural dependence identical to substance use.
Neuroimaging reveals decreased activation in addicted individuals, directly correlating to high clinical impulsivity and an inability to self-regulate. This is why willpower alone fails.
The wider implicated neural circuitry cementing the chronic, relapsing nature of the disorder. We must treat the engine driving the escapism, not just the behaviour.
Inability to regulate the frequency, intensity, or duration of the behaviour despite wanting to stop.
The behaviour takes definitive precedence over occupational, educational, familial, and social obligations.
Sustained engagement regardless of severe negative consequences — financial ruin, academic failure, relationship breakdown.
Cognitive restructuring, trigger mapping, urge surfing, and relapse prevention. CRAFT model for family systems.
Naltrexone for gambling. SSRIs + Bupropion for comorbid depression/impulsivity. No FDA-approved primary drug — treatment targets the comorbid engine.
Gamblers Anonymous, peer support groups. Removes clinical stigma, builds accountability, retains patients longer.
Avoid screens at least 1 hour before sleep. Blue light suppresses melatonin — screens after 10pm add 2+ hours of poor-quality sleep on average.
Delay checking your phone for the first 30 minutes after waking. This protects cortisol regulation and prevents dopamine priming before the day begins.
Use focused 90-minute work blocks instead of fragmented multitasking. Notifications are engineered to fragment attention and prevent deep flow states.
Infinite scroll, loot boxes, and variable reward notifications are deliberately designed using behavioural psychology to maximise session length.
Charge your phone outside the bedroom. Remove addictive apps from your home screen. Use grayscale mode. One extra tap of friction reduces usage significantly.
Every hour online is an hour not investing in offline relationships. Schedule real-world connection deliberately — it's the most evidence-based protective factor.
Gaming disorder's primary risk demographic is children and adolescents. Early intervention prevents clinical addiction formation.
Schedule Wi-Fi access on popular routers. Cutting internet at 10pm removes the late-night addiction window without daily conflict.
Use Digital Wellbeing (Android) and Screen Time (iOS) to set per-app daily limits and downtime windows. Start at 1.5h/day for under-15s.
The WHO recommends under 1 hour/day for under-12s. Set console parental controls. Discuss loot boxes — they meet the clinical definition of gambling.
Use DNS-level filtering (NextDNS, OpenDNS) to block gambling sites, excessive gaming platforms, and adult content at the network level.
The most protective factor is a non-judgmental conversation. Ask "what do you get from gaming?" not "why are you always on your phone?"
If gaming or gambling interferes with school, sleep, or relationships for 12+ months and your child becomes aggressive when you intervene — seek professional assessment.
Gamified focus timer that rewards staying away from your phone. Plants a real tree when you complete sessions. 10M+ users.
Cross-platform app and website blocker. Block social media during work hours across all devices simultaneously.
Specialised gambling site blocker. Cannot be self-uninstalled — designed specifically for gambling disorder relapse prevention.
Parental monitoring of app usage, daily limits, and location. Requires approval for app downloads.
Use Google Calendar to schedule deep work, offline exercise, and device-free meals as recurring commitments.
Switching to grayscale removes the colour signals that social media uses to trigger dopamine. Available on all smartphones in accessibility settings.