Natural recovery and gaming disorder: a case series

Abstract

Conceptualizations of recovery in gaming disorder (GD) remain relatively underdeveloped. While remission without formal treatment appears common in longitudinal data, the mechanisms through which it occurs have received little systematic attention. In contrast, natural recovery—the resolution of addictive problems without formal treatment—is well documented in substance and gambling research, where it has prompted broader reconceptualizations of how and where recovery unfolds. Using longitudinal qualitative data from Finland, Slovakia and South Korea, this case series examines how individuals who had previously experienced self-identified gaming-related problems reached recovery without successful intervention explicitly targeting their gaming behaviour. Six recurring recovery pathways were identified: axiological shift, social enforcement, gradual regulation, reflexive transformation, healing comorbidity and environmental transformation. Rather than centring on abstinence or direct symptom elimination, recovery emerged through reconfigurations of life structure, social roles and personal value hierarchies. In most cases, gaming did not disappear but was repositioned within a broader ecology of responsibilities and relationships. These findings suggest that natural recovery in GD may be better understood as a contextual and relational reconfiguration rather than solely as symptom reduction. The pathways identified here provide a conceptual stepping stone towards more comprehensive frameworks for understanding the recovery process in GD.