Woman Gets £170,000 After Candy Crush Addiction

A woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, received a substantial payout from the National Health Service (NHS) after developing a debilitating addiction to Candy Crush. This addiction stemmed from impaired impulse control caused by the side effects of a prescription medication.

This medication, which is used to treat conditions like restless leg syndrome and Parkinson’s disease, belongs to a category known as dopamine agonists. These drugs artificially raise dopamine levels—a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and motivation—leading some individuals to seek out additional rewarding experiences, such as mobile gaming, which is adept at providing immediate gratification.

Small incentives found in games, like unlocking a loot box, acquiring new items, or completing levels, trigger dopamine releases in the brain. Following her initial prescriptions, the woman found herself “obsessively” playing Candy Crush and ultimately transitioned to virtual slot machine games.

The NHS has acknowledged that her physician neglected to inform her about the potential side effects and prescribed her a dosage that was twice the recommended amount. As a result, she was awarded £170,000 (approximately $215,000) in compensation from the NHS.

This incident isn’t isolated. Another individual also experienced significant financial loss due to a similar prescription and reported losing over £100,000 in online gambling, with those costs also covered by the NHS.

Details regarding the current health of these two patients have not been disclosed. Experts have suggested treatment approaches that include gradually reducing the medication dosage, switching to different medication, and incorporating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

While Candy Crush itself is not at fault, this situation underscores the risks associated with games designed to encourage prolonged engagement through rapid rewards, particularly for those more vulnerable to developing gaming addictions.

The World Health Organization has classified video game addiction as a mental health disorder since 2013. Although numerous studies have explored this issue, findings are inconsistent and vary among different demographic groups.