“I Escaped Into a World I Could Control”: An Autoethnography of Avatar Identification in Problematic Gaming

Authors

Abstract

This research paper offers insights into the psychosocial causes of problematic gaming (PG) and its correlation with mental health struggles. Through autoethnography, the first author critically evaluates his lived experiences of PG in relation to current research, incorporating extracts from personal essays. This study notes three themes that contribute to PG: gaming as creativity and control, escapism from real world stressors, and bonding with in-game avatars. Ultimately, PG represents a debilitating escape from real world issues that creates a negative mental health spiral. The same elements of creativity and social identity, when renegotiated, provide an opportunity to decrease PG and to re-engage with the real world. While research on PG has surged in the past decade, limited qualitative data, especially autoethnographic data, exists. This paper highlights lived experiences of PG, its relationship with mental health, and its roots in interpersonal relationships.

Author Biographies

  • Connell K.N. Green, Athabasca University

    Connell K. N. Green is a BABCP-certified high-intensity cognitive behavioural therapist working in the UK’s National Health Service. He completed a master’s in counselling at Athabasca University, where his research focused on avatar identification in problematic gaming.

  • Murray S. Anderson, University of Calgary

    Murray S. Anderson holds a Ph.D. in counselling psychology from the University of Calgary and is a registered clinical counsellor in British Columbia. He is director of Metanoia Victoria Counselling Hub, a clinic in Victoria, where he works with individuals, couples, and families. He has worked as a clinical counsellor for over 25 years.

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Published

2026-08-05

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 2 (2026): Regular issue

Section

Articles/ Articles

License

Copyright is retained by the Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy.