AUD was diagnosed based on the criteria of the DSM-5 and inclusion in this group was restricted to those who consumed at least 7 alcohol drinks per day. The severity of AUD was estimated using the AUDIT; the M ± S.D. AUDIT score of the AUD patients was 24.071 ± 5.422 and the M number of standard alcoholic drinks consumed by this group per day was 11.654 ± 7.397. The AUD patients in the present study played Internet games less than 2 h per day and had abstained from alcohol use for at least 2 weeks prior to participation in the study; abstinence from alcohol was verified by self-report and reports from caregivers.
