Adolescent Gaming Addiction

Hi everybody. I have a 12 year old son who is very tech savvy and focussed and while he is quite social, his socialisation tends to happen more in online forums (these are children from his school or his neighbourhood that he knows, not just randoms from the inter-web). Where our other children go to their friends houses, Mr. 12 tends to stay in his room and is happier socialising from afar (this is not abnormal for him, he has always been less interested in face-to-face interactions). My husband and I have noted, and discussed with him, our concerns that the amount of screen time he uses is concerning and the risks of developing an addiction. Until he started high school he only had a tablet that his Daddy (who is also a tech-head) could monitor the use of so the situation was managed, but now that he has a phone (he commutes to school everyday and needs the phone for my comfort and security in case anything happens or he misses the bus etc.) as well as a school issued laptop, the extra devices make monitoring usage more difficult to manage.

We noticed and discussed that he was sleeping more than normal after school, like getting home and sleeping all night through, but as he seemed otherwise healthy we just chalked it up to puberty and growth spurts. This morning, I recieved a text message from my son while I was walking the dog explaining that he had stayed up all night on screens and was quite distressed. In his message, he explains that he has been doing this most nights, waiting until his dad and I go to bed and then getting up and gaming all night, but this was the first time he's stayed up until the morning (on a school night). He has asked for help stating that he can't seem to help it and is worried about his health. He is normally a very conscientious student and his grades and attendance at school matter to him, but in retrospect I can see a decline in his attendance and in-school activity.

So, my boy is currently sleeping instead of getting dressed for school and his dad and I have discussed a plan of action to help him overcome his gaming addiction, which includes removing all screens from his room, putting more emphasis on him spending time with the family and out of his room, and giving him manual labour chores around the house (walking the dog, mowing the lawn etc.) in an attempt to help tire his body as well as his mind. We do speak very openly about addictions (I'm a recovered addict) so there is a clear communication about why we have made these choices, but I have to admit I'm feeling a bit of doubt and remorse that we missed this.

I'm wondering if the parental brains trust have any insight, resources or experience to share that might help us make this easier and more successful for my young man. I'm really proud of him for asking us for help and don't want him to lose motivation....especially as screens are something he needs to use everyday so tackling this is extremely tricky.