If you’re here because you’ve said – my wife left me because of video games!
You aren’t the first person to say this.
In fact, it’s estimated that video game addiction is the cause of at least 15% of divorce cases in the US.
Here is a look at the impact spending more time on the computer than with your spouse can cause, and what you can do to rectify your behavior!
My Wife Left Me Because of Video Games
When you think about it, it’s really not that hard to see how video games can ruin a marriage.
For one, video games take up a lot of time.
The average person who plays video games spends about 13 hours a week playing them.
That’s around 2 hours every day!
And if you’re spending more time playing video games than you are with your wife, it’s only natural that she’s going to feel neglected.
But it’s not just the amount of time you’re spending playing video games that can ruin your marriage, it’s also the way you’re acting when you’re playing them.
Many people who play video games tend to get very wrapped up in the game and can get quite aggressive if things aren’t going their way.
This can lead to a lot of arguments and a lot of women report being scared or seeing a change in their partners that make them feel uncomfortable.
Related – How to help your husband if he just wants to be left alone all the time.
The Dark Side of Video Game Addiction
I know what you’re thinking as you read this, “I’m not addicted to video games, I just enjoyed playing online to unwind.”
It’s hard to quantify what makes someone a video game addict. But basically, if you can’t leave your games alone for a day or several days at a time, you’re addicted.
If playing games is taking up so much of your time that it’s affecting your work, social life, marriage, or anything else in your life, you’re addicted.
If you’re thinking about playing all the time and can’t wait till you next get online or get anxious about not being online playing games, you’re addicted.
If playing games has cost you your marriage – you’re addicted!
Health Implications of Video Game Addiction
If losing your wife, seeing your career go downhill, and isolating yourself from your friends and family isn’t shocking enough for you.
There are also physical and mental implications to playing too many hours of video games.
For example, physically, you can suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, poor vision, and weight gain.
Mentally, you can become anxious, depressed, and have trouble sleeping.
All of these mental and physical problems can lead to a further decline in your life and make it even harder to fix your relationship with your wife or get her back.
So, if you’re addicted to video games and your wife has left you because of it, what can you do?
The First Step Is to Realize that You Have a Problem
This isn’t going to be easy, but it’s important.
You need to realize that you have a problem and that playing video games is negatively impacting your life.
If you can’t do this, you’re not going to be able to change your behavior and get your wife back.
It’s fine to ask for professional help or lean on friends and family, too. Never be afraid or ashamed to reach out and get help.
The Second Step Is to Make a Commitment to Change
Getting help is a huge part of the process, but you’re never going to be able to benefit from the help if you’re not committed to changing.
This means setting some ground rules for yourself.
For example, you might commit to only playing video games for an hour a day or only playing on weekdays.
Whatever you decide, make sure it’s something you can stick to!
The Third Step Is to Seek Help If You Can’t Quit on Your Own
If you’ve tried to change your behavior and you just can’t seem to stick to it, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of and there are plenty of resources out there that can help you get your life back on track.
Related – Does your husband spend more time playing games than with you?
How Many Marriages End in Divorce Because of Video Games?
It’s hard to say exactly how many marriages end in divorce because of video games.
I’ve seen it estimated that video game addiction accounts for around 15% of all divorces in the US.
This sounds about right, but there is a lot more to this than simply saying video games are the cause of 15% of divorces.
You have to remember that there are often underlying reasons why guys turn to video games.
Video games, much like most isolating pastimes are a way some guys find an escape from their daily lives.
If there is something that isn’t going well in a guy’s life, whether it be his marriage or his career, he might turn to video games as a way to escape.
It’s not the video game’s fault that the marriage is ending, it’s just a symptom of the problem.
So, if you’re struggling in your marriage and you’re worried that video games might be to blame, take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
There are often other underlying issues that need to be addressed first.
Related – Signs your partner wants to be left alone!
Image credits – Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.
I think you should care of your family as well. All the other advises are already mentioned in the post.