My little brother is so addicted to video games that he can’t even go to the bathroom.

You are right to be worried, says our elder. It’s time to get him some help.

Dear EWC

My little brother is severely addicted to video games. He stays up nights upon nights playing the same game. He refuses to do what he is told to do like shower and normal hygiene. Every night he ends up sleeping on the floor next to his gaming console with the same clothes from the day before and he gets extremely angry whenever you show affection and ask him to put away his game for a moment. He even pees in a bottle because he is too busy playing a video game instead of going to the bathroom which is less than five feet away from his bedroom. For example, today was bad! I went into his room to find something and he was still playing (not a surprise) but his room reeked! It smelled like pee and sweat, it was very gross… I told my mom and she says “That game will be mine until you learn not to be gross!”

He freaked out!! My mom made him a shower and he was crying. She told him to clean his room and I had to end up helping (well actually doing it for him because he threw such a fit!). My mother said he can get his game back as he learns to be nicer and behave. As you could imagine, he was hysterical and cried and begged all for a game. My mom eventually returned it to him; however, he continues to be rude and disrespectful. Please help!! How do we get him to understand that a simple video game isn’t his whole life and he could easily leave the game and his online friends to enjoy and respect his family, as well as himself? Please please, please! My brother isn’t the same anymore! He’s possessed by this game! Thank you so much for reading this.

NanaPopo replies

I am very happy you wrote because your brother is showing all the signs of video game addiction. It is as true addiction as gambling or alcohol and as difficult to control.
Your parents are the ones who need to handle this although you can help. It could be they don’t realize how your brother’s playing is affecting him. Here is an article to help explain this. https://www.addictions.com/video-games/.

There are many other online resources also.

It is very important your parents take action because the consequences are more than just not showering or cleaning his room. It will take great strength and patience for your parents to get your brother weaned off video games, but it is for his mental and physical health that it should be done.

Thank you for writing. You have done your brother a big favor although he’s not going to think that at first.

Letter #: 434484
Category: Children