Video games are supposed to be fun... A good way to kill some time, and maybe some aliens. But, then you start staying up late to play World of Warcraft, or call in sick to get through one more realm of EverQuest. A guy in South Korea actually died of heart failure after playing a game for 50 hours straight. A problem, definitely. But, can video games be an addiction? So far, the American Psychiatric Association says no, but they're still studying the issue. Where do you draw the line between bad behaviors and addiction?
Blog Of The Nation
I think it is possible to be addicted to video games. I've been compulsive about video gaming and had trouble stopping. I still play occasionally and when I do I find it very hard to stop. Also I noticed when my life is fuller (girlfriend & more activities) gaming takes a back seat. I have a friend whose life revolves around gaming. I think he's addicted. He plays 12 hours at a time and is in real financial trouble.
The new generation of online role playing games takes all of the involving, and even positive aspects of video games, and removes the two major limiting factors:
1. A story that ends
2. The ability to save your game so you can return to it just as you left it.
I had a group of friends I enjoyed spending time with, until they started playing World of Warcraft and no longer wished to talk about anything else. Suddenly they became distant acquaintances.
Recognizing addiction, regardless of the affliction, no days seems a precursor to the pharmecutical companies providing a "fix" for a price.
i'm 25 and have been playing video games since i can remember, violent, non-violent, online rpg...every kind of game for long durations and short...never heard of someone getting "high" from video games. if one didn't have games to get "addicted" to it would def. be something else that would suck them in...this is a ridiculous idea in my opinion.
I come from an addictive family (alcohol). There is also a lot of depression in my family. I wonder if there is a proven connection between depressive personalities and addictions?
The "Big Book" of Alcoholic Anonymous defines alcoholism, an addiction to alcohol, as: "If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, OR if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic" (p. 44).
I imagine this same set of criteria can be used for a gaming addiction, since it is used in Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Over Eaters Anonymous, etc.
Is it not objective to define addiction by the level of suffering caused by quitting.
Jediah Blankenship, Gamer - Chico CA
I believe that there is a clear distinction between behavioral and chemical addictions. In online gaming it is the sense of accomplishment, acceptance and success which is addictive, not the game itself. Similar behavior patterns can be found among businessmen and athletes, can it be destructive to your life? yes, is it a medical condition, no.
Its a pastime that requires a bit of dedication. Massive multiplayer rpgs absolutely require dedication as they are living worlds that change. It is a bad habit, but not addictive. Is it any worse than watching tv?
Videogames are an immediate avenue for people to 'accomplish' something. I play MMOs or RPGs or sports games and get a feeling of accomplishment, something to work toward right now. As time goes on one strives towards certain goals, etc. and pushes themselves to reach them, similar to what a 'work-a-holic' would do once they became invested (as far as time and money) in a business. That's where the addiction in videogames comes in - it's viewed as focus and determination in the busines world.
It seems like this addiction is mostly male. Are there any women faced with video game addiction? What is it about video game addiction that doesn't seem to affect women as much, if at all?
Video games are addictive in my opinion. So are sports, a major addiction in this country, but not one that is discussed in America. I listen to NPR and play spider solitaire over and over. I think this is somewhat wasteful of my time, though I enjoy listening to NPR. When my computer is slow to respond to a request, I play solitaire. I prefer to play solitaire to getting other work done on my computer that I should get done. My addiction isn't so bad that it interferes with employment, but it is there all the same. I think I'm addicted to Solitaire partly because of the Bush Administration. I'm killing time until hopefully we get our country back.
I personally find both video games and chat rooms very addictive. I rarely indulge in big, interactive video games and I have to be careful about how often I visit bulliten boards and chat rooms (like this one) as well. I find with both that if I'm not careful I lose track of time and have a hard time making myself get off and I find myself less willing to do other activities.
Are we talking about addiction to online role playing games or individuals with addicition issues in general? The speakers and callers (with exception of the first speaker who is wiling to diagnose her clients on the basis of anecdotal "evidence") are all individuals with a history of addiction. Wouldn't this make them more vulnerable to ANY type of repetitive and pleasurable activity and not just online games?
I personal believe that games which are open-ended (such as online games) are much more addictive. When a video game has an end, such as the story line type of game, there is conclusion and the game is over. Online games are often never-ending and there is always more to be done; thus, more addictive.
I played an online game for 3 years it destroyed my marriage, I payed little attention to my only child at the time and still think of playing this game after a year of not playing anymore. Yes these games are addictive!
I am an avid gamer! 35 y/o, and I believe it is addictive.
Please tell that fancy doctor to please pick up a game he likes, and we'll talk later, once he's done playing.
This is an addictive activity, that as some drugs, will take you to another world, a nicer happier place.
I hope you ask the actual gamers, anyone who's willling to (at least anonimally) to acknowledge this phenomenon.
Video games are hobbies and ways for people to spend their time. Should there be DSM entries for sports as well? Maybe basketball addiction for youths that play basketball? Nowadays the online world is a great way for people to make friends and connect with people. Video games are fun and enjoyable. If someone becomes 'addicted' to video games they would be just as likely to become addicted to anything else.
Please talk about the effect of videogames on children. When I was my grandson;s age, there were highly addictive pinball machines, but we had to put in a nickel or a dime each time we wanted to play. A child soon ran out of nickels. Replying games now is free, and the only control is the parent.
I don't know if you can call it a line, it is difficult to set definate guidelines. All I know that I believe that games are addictive. Our son suffers from it. He flunked out of college, lost all his friends and put on a lot of weight. He denied he had a problem, just like an alcoholic.
My wife and I have played Final Fantasy 10 about 3000 hours over the last 5 or so years. We don't consider ourselves addicted; just "happy drunks".
I think this question is not even a question. Of course it can manifest itself as an addiction. Some things are more addictive than others for their ability to trigger a hormonal response in the brain of the user, but almost anything can be addictive. It is based upon the neural pathways created that are associated with the emotional response to the addictive stimulus. Pretty much anything that brings about a response of pleasure can cause addiction, if the pleasure is high enough or the desire or projected need for that associated pleasure is high enough to develop an attachment to that stimulus. If you find yourself numbly satiated while watching t.v., and do it for such a long time that you end up neglecting other more important things in your life, and when you turn it off experience a slight sense of loss and emptiness, that is an addiction, and if you can be addicted to T.V., then why not video games? If someone plays video games for 8-16 hours per day, and there are many who do that, including the guy who called up, then who could debate that it can be an addiction?
Also, it is different than other substances, like cocaine becuase cocaine is amazingly direct, and almost an instantaneous response, which makes it more addictive because of that ease of transmittance. There are many other more complex reasons for its extreme addictive qualities.
Calling it an addiction adds more negativity to people's lives. This disempowers people and makes them feel worse about themselves. This increases the resistance to people feeling good. Feeling good enables energy to flow through the brain. This heightens people's awareness of the many things that enable their lives to be good. This broader perspective keeps people from over-indulging in things. Broadening people's perspectives with information about what is positive naturally reduces what is negative. If insurance companies let people be treated because they wanted help, without having to label their state as terrible, this would enable people to stay on a positive path of progress. Our system currently hurts people by undervaluing their own ways of maintaining a perspective on themselves that is positive enough to handle being aware of the consequences of negative things, so to avoid them. The paradox is that people can't take being aware of what's bad unless we let them feel really good.
World of Warcraft consumed much of my life for three years. I didn't sleep well, I called in sick to work so that I could play. I stopped hanging out "irl" (in real life) because I felt my friends in game were just as satisfying. My libido suffered and my boyfriend was angry at my devotion to the game. When I stopped playing a while for him, I was bitter because I was not playing. It may not be addictive for everyone, but I think it is valid to say it can be addicting. Just look at "I Quit" videos on youtube--quitting Warcraft is as liberating and celebrated as quitting alcoholism.
I believe that my teenage son (17 1/2) is addicted to World of Warcraft (WOW) in what is a clinically very significant way. He has always had very difficult sleep issues, and WOW only makes that worse, with 24 hour availability. He has at times played almost around the clock, and has been extremely oppositional. He has done only minimal attempts at his other responsibilities. I had heard from one expert that in many cases only a radical intervention can interrupt this pattern, and I wondered if other parents are struggling. I also wanted to know if there's been any pattern observed of transferring this addiction to chemical abuses.
In today's society, video game "addiction" or problems is treated much more lightly than other forms of addiction. For example, an alcoholic might be ostracized and alienated from their family, but a child that spends a large amount of time on video games is "staying out of trouble", or someone that is overweight from enjoying food is simply "obese". As a teenager I see pressures to drink while still underage, experiment with illegal drugs, and generally participate in addicting activities. However, while I do play a massive multi-player game, Runescape, I have no desire to play a larger game, such as World of Warcraft, or even to drink, do drugs, or experiment with any other addicting substance or situation. For the most part, video games do keep some people out of trouble. Personally, I think video game playing could be considered an addiction, if not one that puts other, more dangerous or harmful addictions in perspective. I have quit a few times, but still find myself coming back, despite the fact that I know better, partly because I feel that playing video games cannot harm me physically, and also because I know that there are more important things in life. Addiction lies with each individual person's desire for a high, which can be achieved from any number of sources, both good and bad. My high comes more from success in life, not video games. When the only high left for a person is from a video game, there are larger problems present than simply a case of an addiction.
I believe that my teenage son (17 1/2) is addicted to World of Warcraft (WOW) in what is a clinically very significant way. He has always had very difficult sleep issues, and WOW only makes that worse, with 24 hour availability. He has at times played almost around the clock, and has been extremely oppositional. He has done only minimal attempts at his other responsibilities. I had heard from one expert that in many cases only a radical intervention can interrupt this pattern, and I wondered if other parents are struggling. I also wanted to know if there's been any pattern observed of transferring this addiction to chemical abuses.
Habits and addiction may be different in that a habit is something that doesn't necessarily involve pleasure, but it can, and when it does, I think it crosses over to the realm of addiction. I do things habitually, like always forgetting things. This doesn't bring about pleasure for me, just the opposite, but It's hard for me to change that behavior because it is more natural for me to be distracted and forget things. So I habitually forget things. Now it can be argued that I am addicted to being forgetful or distractable because there is a certain amount of pleasure that I get from being lost in thought or not mindful. That being said, it may be possible that there is no difference between habit and addiction because even the most trivial seeming habits may be linked to some sort of pleasure, a sense of freedom, or an escape mechanism.
The video game itself isn't an addiction. The game is used to hide or ignore (very effectively) the real issues in people's lives. If the real issues were addressed, then excessive gaming behavior wouldn't be a problem. For a long time, I used it to suppress my creativity by playing World of Warcraft (a.k.a. WoW), but once I realized what I was doing and faced my issues, it was no longer a problem. I understand that some people may need help or intervention because of this behavior, but if we are only treating the gaming addiction, it will be replaced by something else. That's why we should focus on the cause for the gaming addiction and treat that instead.
By observing my teenage son's behavior I would agree that video games can become addictive. However, by the definition given for addictions, so can viewing pornography. A male friend of mind had an alcoholic father so he avoided large consumption of alcohol. Out of curiosity, he began viewing porn on line, and before he knew it, he became addicted. Every night he struggled, not wanting to view it, yet felt an overwhelming urge to. How about addressing this problem. After all, the majority of internet traffic is from people viewing porographic content. I think this is a very wide addiction that no one is talking about.
I have Asperger's Syndrome, and video games are my primary Aspie focus(before that it was Dinosaurs). I have to struggle to keep my playing of videos games in moderation, but I've been able to do so. I balance work, my education, and living with my fiance with my game time. But an obsession with video games is the least of the problems that my disorder brings me. I am of the opinion that those who have an addiction to video games are either experiencing symptoms of a larger problem, or are lacking the proper self-control. Calling it a psychological disorder is kind've silly to those of us with actual psychological problems.
Intersections between science, culture, etc. are fascinating. As one of your guests mentioned, cigarettes combine natural substances with manufacturing .. and do these distinctions matter?
Seems that many other factors come into play like case other factors such as a player's mental health, education, and family upbringing. It is like saying that watching the film Natural Born Killers over and over causes murder. Although I wouldn't recommend someone waste a day watching a violent film over and over, I don't think a correlation can be made. Nor do I believe one can be made with addiction and video games. Some games capitalize creating a addictive environment in the name of $$, but again other factors come into play. A wholistic approach in research is required, not just scientific and not just cultural.
Look at "Everything that's Bad is Good for You"
MIT - Henry Jenks
jan jagodzinski - "Youth Fantasies"
J. Gee
N.P.
I was recently in a bad car accident and as a result, spent 6 months off of work, in a wheelchair, with nothing to do. I think I may have become a little addicted to them, but no harm came to my life as a result, unless you consider slacking on the dishes harm. The people I played with, some of them really did seem to have a problem though. Many were unable to keep a relationship going, keep a job, or even move out of mom's house. I think the real question is, does online gaming simply attract those who are unable to be social otherwise, or does it convert otherwise normal people into compulsive players?
I recently took a summer job and have nothing to do in the evenings or weekends until my family returns from a 6 week vacation. I decided to play WOW because I expected it to occupy my time. Now all I want to do is come home to play - it is actually entertaining. I remember how much nonsense I gave my friends about the amount of time they spend playing, but now I am the one playing.
People should understand too that the intrinsic nature of the game propels addiction: it is almost a never ending saga. Once you DO reach 'the end' you can play as another character, accept new quests, meet new friends, etc. The nature of the addiction is rooted in the style of the game.
I was only able to listen to about 20 minutes of the first half-hour. As an addict, I was shocked to see it take everyone on the program the first half of the show to come out and say that there are varying "degrees" of responses that have addictive qualities. Like always, our legal CYOA attitudes attempt to simply "define" a term cut-and-dry with supporting evidence rather than stepping back to say, "It's different for different people." Obviously, a standard must be defined and accepted. To me, the difficulty society is having defining something like addiction is rooted in our inability to legally accept a "sliding rule", particularly because of the insurance industry. Sliding rules = rule breakers or loopholes. That usually ends up in a law suit. In my opinion, the most important element of defining addiction is that it be flexible enough to evolve and that it account for individual differences. For those out there struggling with addiction, insurance coverage shouldn't be our scapegoat for helping people. There should be a level of responsibility we place on industry... regulation. Video games only recently adopted ratings and these are woefully ignored by parents. I would suggest an "addictive index" on products or services if I didn't think that high indexes wouldn't be marketed and purchased for that high rating alone. Great topic!
I'm 27 and been playing video games ever since Nintendo came out. When I got older I bought a computer and started playing video games on the Internet. Whats better than playing a video game by yourself is playing with your friends on line. IT'S FUN!! But guess what, games end and new ones come out.
Right now world of warcarft is the game to play and I've been playing it since the day of release. Some good days I've played more than 12 hours without logging out. So I'm a lazy couch potato. A person with an addictive personality, could have many bad and good habits all depends on someone else's perspective. Once snow boarding season hits, I'll be addicted again, I'll ditch work and school just to go and yes you can die from snowboarding too. When the new video games turn virtual reality you'll call us athletes.
Who is to judge something you enjoy doing as a problem? I do admit it's disgusting to see my parents veg and watch the evening news night after night but when we didn't have tv they read books, which still was a problem because I wanted attention. If you'd rather play games than talk to your wife, the problem isn't the video game its your wife. Addiction is a harsh word and should only be used amongst your family. And for those concern: still to this day I don't get the shakes or vomit when I put the controller down.
I go to a Technical College in Alaska, and I was absolutely floored to find how many people play these multi player interactive games. Most of these folk are overweight if not morbidly obese. I am so distraught by this. We are worried about Video gaming being recognized by the AMA, but the Healthcare cost are rising also because of these peoples inability to get off the game and get out.
I played a beta version of the computer game doom back in 1995. At first I would play for 30min but after a couple of weeks I was up to 2 or 3 hours a night. I finished the beta version and I decieded not to buy the full version because it was too addictive. I was staying up to 3-4 in the morning and then going to class at 8-9am so I said no way this has got to stop before I start failing.
My relationship just ended due to my boyfriend playing video games. He started with WOW, moved through others and found LOTRO. He played from 6:30am till 2:45am the next morning, stopping to eat sometimes with me in the evening. I would try to talk to him and he would snap at me if I interupted him while playing, even if I just asked if he was hungry...then he'd come out and asked if I said something to him. He would say he didn't have an addictive personality, but I beg to differ...he finally chose the game over me...on his way out he said all he wanted to do was to play his games and the only reason he wanted to leave the house was to eat or work (which he hadn't in 7 months). I could go on...if the AMA needs a subject to study, I'm certain I could provide his address.
Video games could be a superficial symptom to something that could be another issue at hand. I think we might need to look at sociological and even genetic factors into this. Are some subpopulations more likely to get dependent on these video games? I understand that some people use video games as an escape to our society that is unforgiving. Video games offer an alternate reality that can be more enticing and more involving than the lives of some people.
I found it laughable that the guest talked about the 'addictive' properties of marijuana and claiming to have been 'addicted' to marijuana, but then later adding he was also 'addicted' to alcohol and cocaine at the same time. Perhaps if he just smoked pot he wouldn't have had a problem with addiction.
Weak-minded people will always find something to become addicted to, he probably has a sugar addiction right now.
Anyone who claims to be 'addicted' to marijuana has been misled; is too young to know better and therefore too young to smoke, is an alcoholic, is already addicted to other drugs, is on psycho-active medications yet still smokes pot, is lying, is in a court-ordered drug rehab (giving anti-marijuana forces false statistics/propaganda to use concerning the increase of 'treatment'), has never heard the words "grass fast".
Any perceived 'abuse' of marijuana comes from lack of education about marijuana 'use'.
I played World of Warcraft for over a year and a half. Although at the time I did not feel as though I were addicted, when I look back I am astonished at the amount of time I spent in the virtual world. I was involved in numerous other activities such as sports and academics, but World of Warcraft consumed most of my time. I had withdrawal from the game while I sat in class, and played into the late hours of the night to get a fix. Thankfully, I broke the addiction after several weeks of what seemed to me like extraordinary boredom. I consider myself to have relatively strong willpower, so I can only imagine the hold that the game has on thousands of others. Video gaming can definitely lead to an addiction as powerful as gambling or drugs.
I play WoW and I also have a good job, great friends and so on. Sometimes I feel I spend too much time playing the game, but in that case I moderate. When I was unemployed and depressed I was playing more, but not at the expense of my job hunt. I have always had a hermit like personality.
Every 3 or 4 months I do a reboot where I cancel my account and take time off to detox, or I severely limit my gametime. It keeps me in check. I play out of boredom and for the social aspect. Will I stop playing? Oh yes, eventually, but until then, real life is greater than a video game. But the video game is allowed to be a part of my life so long as it doesn't consume it.
The people 'addicted' to the games probably have some kind of compulsive personality.
There is no such thing as video game addiction. I play video games and so does everybody I know and their mothers, and the simple explanation is laziness. People that are ???addicted??? are fully aware that they are playing too much, and they don???t do anything about it. People don???t have physical effects from video game withdrawal; your body doesn???t become completely dependent on a video game in order for it to function properly. Video game ???addicts??? still function without video games, it is just lack of willpower. Don???t get me wrong, it is still a problem, but it isn???t a problem of addiction, it is a problem of apathy and lack of responsibility.
I've been a consistant player of WoW nearly since it's release date. Played a whole lot more early on. Have learned to better moderate it these days. That comment alone, "learned to better moderate it", speaks of the addictive quality of MMOs. Like going to the bar for drinks after work, it is a socially accepted thing to do, playing these games. Many people can do it and never have a problem. Others, they just get more drawn to the happy feeling and escapism to the point where getting involved in the game becomes something they can no longer control. I have seen so many people in the 2+ years I have played find their life put on pause, found their lives ruined, because they spent too much time playing the game and not attending to RL ("real life"). Failing school, losing jobs and loved ones. Getting kicked out of their homes and just finding a place to crash that has computer access so they can play again. Playing every moment they aren't sleeping or working, ignoring sleep and food. I can't tell you how many times I've 'yelled' at in-game friends to stop complaining about hunger, or sleep, or lack of money, get off the game and take care of RL. I've known people who are tired of playing the game, bored with it, get angry at the game, but instead of just leaving and because they can make a multitude of different characters, just keep trying to play it with dozens of alternate characters. I've seen people leave and then come back because they miss it so much. I've seen depression set in because some see their lives falling apart but don't stop playing to take care of it because being in game is a happier place. The social aspect, playing with other people is a dangerous draw, which makes it easier for people to stay or come back. And it isn't just in the game itself. It can extend beyond that into online forums, chatrooms, podcasts, fan-based websites. You can be connected to the game and get your 'fix' without actually being in the game. There are times when I feel guilty, feeling like an enabler to some of these folks by participating with them in the game which is ruining their lives. Wondering, upon finding out that their in trouble RL, if there was something more I could have done to get them to stop playing even though I myself still play the game.
Anything can become addictive when abused. Blaming a Video game or anything else for being innatly addictive is not taking responsbility, especially if the addict in question is a child. Games, computers, the internet, all of it is not meant to be a babysitter, which many parents use it for. If anything the question shouldn't be why is this addictive for children, but where are the parents and why aren't they parenting?
Gaming addiction is something people like Jack Thompson use in their crusade against video games. People who have lost jobs, here's a suggestion: work at a game store or get a job with a company that writes stratagey guides. Or go into game design.
I feel that those in the psychological health field have a somewhat vested interest in getting "excessive gaming" classified as a true addiction......billing insurance companies for reimbursment $$$$$$$$$!!!!
Wayne
I believe that gaming can be an addiction because I know that anime can be an addiction.
I work with this girl that watches anime and you can see very real changes when she watches anime. When she watches more she acts less mature and the quality of her work and intelligence level of her questions takes a serious dip. When she backs off slowly all those thing reverse on their own and she is more social and fine, however I have seen her attempt to quit for a week and it appeared she was going through literal withdrawal, like someone going cold turkey on cigarettes.
I am 13 and do not play any video games whatsoever. I detest violence, especially in video games. {Halo (one of the worst, or so I gather) has some cool music, especially when performed with a huge cello section.}
I think the problem with video games in general is that for some people it turns into an escape from the harsh realities of life. For example, it's much easier to make virtual gold in WOW than it is to do so in real life. When a person gets addicted to that "high" of accomplishing something, it's very hard for them to stop.
My son is utterly addicted to Final Fantasy online to the point of thinking he's really engaged to be married in real life to the character of another player. He is 30, can't keep a job, plays day and night, doesnt' take care of normal hygeine, and treats real people as if they're a bother in his "realm." He is god in his world and the real world has little meaning to him anymore. He's used and lost all of his real friends he ever had and when the online girlfriend finds out what a freak he is and breaks up with him, he feels like he's gone through a real break up - with a woman he's never seen or touched who could be a 12 year old for all he knows. He gets severly depressed when away from the game for more than an hour, turns it on first thing when he wakes up and falls asleep with the game on, controller in hand. It is truly sick. IT IS AN ADDICTION - psychiatrists and psychologists need to wake up to reality - this is the brave (?) new world. I'm an utterly broken mom without a clue how to get my son back to planet earth. He has a loving family who wants to see him have a real future with a real lady in his life, marriage, kids, a job, hope, a car, a home - he has nothing but a game and his cigarettes. He says he doesn't need anything else. This is not addiction? I realize this post started a year ago and the last post was in March but if anyone can offer any help for me about this, please write to me.
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