My husband prefers playing on his gaming console than spending time with me

DEAR DEIDRE: I AM so fed up with my husband’s addiction to his games console.

I feel like a spare part sitting indoors watching him every evening. Gaming comes first for him.

I am 31 and my husband is 33. We have been married for eight years. We have a great relationship apart from this one thing.

He starts gaming as soon as he gets in from work and rarely talks to me when he’s playing. I feel invisible.

We used to socialise a lot, usually at the pub until my husband started drinking too much.

I was so pleased when he stopped. We still went out occasionally, either to go bowling or catch up with friends at their houses.

Then my husband got laid off and was unemployed for a couple of months, which is when he bought a PlayStation.

He spends hours playing with one particular friend. Sometimes they stay up playing into the early hours which makes him tired and grumpy the next day. He seems to live for his games.

I tried to tell him that I am deeply unhappy, but nothing changes.

How can I help him and save our relationship?

DEIDRE SAYS: You are feeling bored and neglected while your husband has replaced one addiction with another.

These games are designed to be addictive, so tell your husband he has to limit his gaming if he wants your relationship to work.

There may be underlying issues – probably linked with unhappiness when he was young.

Ask him to compromise, limiting his gaming days to during the week so you can have the weekends together.

This is a recognised problem, which the NHS can treat.

The National Centre for Gaming Disorders can help him (cnwl.nhs.uk/national-centre-gaming-disorders).