United States
SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential, 24/7, with treatment referrals in English and Spanish.
Noticing early is the easy version · 5 minute read
The line moves quietly. Most people cross it unnoticed.
A drink after a rough loss, something to take the edge off before a stream - the line moves quieter than you'd think. Using alcohol, weed, energy drinks, or anything else to get through a stressful queue, a rough loss, or social anxiety before going live isn't automatically a problem - but the line between "helps me relax" and "I can't relax without it" moves quietly, and most people cross it without noticing.
If you are in immediate danger, stop reading and call your local emergency number now - 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK and Ireland, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand, or 112 across most of Europe.
Questions worth being honest with yourself about
- Do you need it to do something you used to do without it - queue up, stream, socialize, sleep?
- Has the amount crept up, even though you didn't decide to increase it?
- Have you hidden or downplayed how much, to someone who'd worry?
- Do you feel it the moment it's not available - irritable, anxious, unable to settle?
Why gaming culture makes this easy to miss
Energy drinks, edibles, and drinking during a session are so normalized in a lot of gaming spaces that a real pattern can hide in plain sight, mistaken for just "part of the culture" instead of what it actually is.
Noticing early is not the same as having a huge problem. It's the version of this that's easiest to turn around.
Getting help
See the note above for the free, confidential drug-and-alcohol helpline where you live. None of these calls commit you to anything beyond a conversation.
Real help, wherever you are
Help where you live
Services and numbers change over time. If one of these is wrong or missing for your country, telling us is worth more than anything else on this page.
Canada
Wellness Together Canada (wellnesstogether.ca) offers free counselling and resources online, or call 211 to be connected to a local addiction service.
United Kingdom
Talk to Frank is 0300 123 6600, free and confidential, with live chat also available at talktofrank.com.
Australia
The National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline is 1800 250 015, free and confidential, 24/7.
New Zealand
The Alcohol Drug Helpline is 0800 787 797, free and confidential, with web chat available too.
Ireland
Look up the current HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline number at hse.ie - it's the most reliable source for the exact number and hours.
Worldwide
There's no single worldwide number. Search for your country's official drug-and-alcohol helpline, or use Befrienders Worldwide (befrienders.org) as a directory of local crisis and support lines.
Common questions
The questions people actually ask
How do I know if it has become a problem?
Four honest questions: do you need it to do things you used to do without it, has the amount crept up without you deciding to increase it, have you hidden how much from someone who would worry, and do you feel it the moment it is not available.
Why is this easy to miss in gaming spaces?
Because energy drinks, edibles and drinking during a session are so normalized that a real pattern hides in plain sight, mistaken for part of the culture rather than what it actually is.
Does noticing early mean I have a serious problem?
No, and it is the opposite. Noticing early is the version of this that is by far the easiest to turn around, which is exactly why it is worth being honest about now rather than later.
Do I have to quit to get help?
No. Helplines talk with people who have decided nothing at all, every single day. None of these calls commit you to anything beyond a conversation.
What if it is covering something else?
It usually is. Anxiety, grief, a hard home life or loneliness underneath the habit will keep pushing it back up until it is dealt with alongside the drinking itself.
Keep reading
If this one found you
From people who love games
When Gaming Stops Being a Choice
Not everyone who plays a lot has a problem. Here's the actual difference.
Someone you love
Recognizing Suicide Warning Signs in a Friend
Most people show signs before a crisis, not just during one. Here's what to actually watch for, and what to say.
The human
Taking Care of the Body You Live In
The admin side of being a person - the appointments and basics nobody walks you through.
Whatever you decide
You do not have to be certain to deserve help
Hotline advocates spend most of their time talking with people still working out whether their situation counts. You are allowed to call to think out loud.