1 in 10 Young Video Game Users "Addicted"

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shade

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I saw this article in the news today and thought it was interesting
http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/2009042...ersaddicted;_ylt=AjchpH7Vy8iWdafZnnHTh7YDW7oF

A sizable number of young video game players -- fully 8.5 percent -- exhibit signs of addiction to gaming, a new study has found.

These kids aren't just playing a lot. Their gaming interferes with school performance, disrupts interaction with family and friends and poses health problems, the study reveals.

...

When Gentile began studying video game addiction in 1999, he, too, was a skeptic. "Addiction has to mean you're damaging your functioning and not just in one area of your life," he said. He was surprised to see that, in fact, the data showed that kids were exhibiting that level of damage

...

Children completed an online questionnaire using several scales to assess their video gaming habits. They were asked questions such as: "Have you every played [video games] as a way of escaping from problems or bad feelings?" "Have you ever lied to family and friends about how much you play [video games]?"
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What do people think of this?

I think that I've had different times in my life, especially when I was younger, that gaming definitely took on some of the aspects of an addiction (i.e. escapism, damaging grades, straining relationships etc.). I've also known a handful of people who have let their lives go down the gutter for games like Everquest and WoW.

It would be interesting if Video Game addiction made it into the MMPI. Maybe insurance would have to cover treatment, or an addict could get put on disability because of the addiction (probably not, but I'm sure some gamers have dreamed of this!).
 
Slightly misleading title man, the article even says:

"To put a label like 'video game addiction' is too superficial,"
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I dunno i just think it's like anything really. If i devoted my life to football and played it like I do computer games, and it took away from my studies and socail life people would consider it dedication to a hobby. The difference is at the moment that sort of "addiction" is socaily acceptable and hence carrers in sport have been created. Probelm is with games there are very few e-sports leauges so the time and dedication can often be a waste and many don't udnerstand it. What really needs to change in society is channeling young peoples passion for games into carrers in computing and possibly eports, like with sports.
 
hey were asked questions such as: "Have you every played [video games] as a way of escaping from problems or bad feelings?
Click to expand...


Is that not why some people play games? I always thought its better to kill someone virtually then literally...


Personally, I find tests like this bogus, what do you define addiction at? Its too open and broad a subject to apply a single rubber stamp to.
 
blackhawksniper said:
Is that not why some people play games? I always thought its better to kill someone virtually then literally...


Personally, I find tests like this bogus, what do you define addiction at? Its too open and broad a subject to apply a single rubber stamp to.
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Qft.

Exactly my thoughts.
 
Arguably anyone can be addicted to any activity that releases Dopamine in lager quantities in the brain in the same way that drugs block certain receptors in the brain and cause the dopamine to keep pumping out.

Food, sex, drugs, exercise, videogames, it doesn't matter. It's the "pleasure center" of the brain, and dopamine controls the feelings you get when you partake in "rewarding" activities.

Am I addicted to basketball because I play it every day? Maybe. I do get an urge to play and most likely end up playing longer than I should because I can't get enough of it. Gaming is the same way: I have an urge to get online and frag for an hour or two, but I also have something called self control. If I didn't, who knows where I'd be right now.
 
i completely agree. of course probably most of us are addicted. i know i am. i just try to make an effort to minimize the damage.
i know quite a bit about addictions and i can say hell yes.

now there are two ways to look at it though. i see in the article (skimmed over it) they mention about gamers most likely being in fights etc etc. So you could say that gaming makes you voilent....or you could say voilent ppl also game. theres always that twisty take you can put on everything.
this would also open up the many other debates that i will try to avoid, however i do think that lots of us are actually addicted to games/gaming.

as soon as something becomes your emotional outlet, (oh im depressed i need to eat/game/drink/smoke), you need to be careful.
 
I'm not addicted to games nor do I think its a disease and its not an addiction, People make a choice to play a game, their mind does not tell them "ZOMG I NEED TO PLAY CSS!!" The player makes the choice to play because he/she finds it fun or entertaining. People say its a waste of time to play games to people who's time on servers reads in days, I say its not a waste of time if you were having fun and entertained.Yes some people do not get enough excercise because they are "in" the game but that is their own decision. If they choose to play games for most of their time that's Ok with me, It is their life and lifestyle and they don't bother me or affect me in any way at all. Sure you could be doing other things that benefit your body but its your life, no one should have the right to tell you what you do is an utter waste of time and your not going to go anywhere in life. And the stuff about it damaging grades and disrupting interaction with friends and family is crap. Gaming does not damage grades, If you want to get good grades bad enough you'll get up and study. The stuff about disrupting interaction with friends is bogus because most of my friends at school play CSS and other FPS games, sometimes we'll get a group of six of us and go see the movies, we were also starters on the Football team. I play an average of 24-40 hours a week and I still make A's and B's but I also run, ride my bike, and swim on a regular basis.So its the player that makes the choice to play the games, It's not an addiction or a disease, its just a desire to be entertained.Ah my rant has ended.

The study is complete crap. Just a waste of time in my opinion to come up with and create a study like this.
 
blackhawksniper said:
Is that not why some people play games? I always thought its better to kill someone virtually then literally...


Personally, I find tests like this bogus, what do you define addiction at? Its too open and broad a subject to apply a single rubber stamp to.
Click to expand...

Well said. Same here.

It is a very loaded subject really.

Example,

I have a friend who plans his week/weekends around World of Warcraft. He did the same with EverQuest. I've played these games before, and I know how caught up you can get in them. I don't see one problem with someone doing what they are passionate about.

Where I do see the problem with it begins with the fact that he has a wife(ex now) and a child. He pretty much ignored both of them for these games. Even when his daughter went to the hospital one day with an iron deficiency. His reasoning "I was in the middle of a progression raid. I couldn't just leave in the middle of the fight!".

To me, thats messed up and I would never do that to my wife or child. But he made his choices. He can deal with the consequences of them.

So do I consider his issue an addiction? Yes. Hell yes. Do I consider every other kid who picks up a controller and plays for 5 hours or plays a game and forgets to do his homework addicted? No. You're a kid. Thats what you do(That also gets into parenting, etc. Whole other issue).
 
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Rob said:
Slightly misleading title man, the article even says:



I dunno i just think it's like anything really. If i devoted my life to football and played it like I do computer games, and it took away from my studies and socail life people would consider it dedication to a hobby. The difference is at the moment that sort of "addiction" is socaily acceptable and hence carrers in sport have been created. Probelm is with games there are very few e-sports leauges so the time and dedication can often be a waste and many don't udnerstand it. What really needs to change in society is channeling young peoples passion for games into carrers in computing and possibly eports, like with sports.
Click to expand...

my sentiments exaclty. this is the kindof thing i hope to somday soon see and expect to see.
 
DarkJello said:
Well said. Same here.

It is a very loaded subject really.

Example,

I have a friend who plans his week/weekends around World of Warcraft. He did the same with EverQuest. I've played these games before, and I know how caught up you can get in them. I don't see one problem with someone doing what they are passionate about.

Where I do see the problem with it begins with the fact that he has a wife(ex now) and a child. He pretty much ignored both of them for these games. Even when his daughter went to the hospital one day with an iron deficiency. His reasoning "I was in the middle of a progression raid. I couldn't just leave in the middle of the fight!".

To me, thats messed up and I would never do that to my wife or child. But he made his choices. He can deal with the consequences of them.

So do I consider his issue an addiction? Yes. Hell yes. Do I consider every other kid who picks up a controller and plays for 5 hours or plays a game and forgets to do his homework addicted? No. You're a kid. Thats what you do(That also gets into parenting, etc. Whole other issue).
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See to me thats the same as a football player for his local club getting a call at half time and being told that his daughter is ill with an iorn deficiency and him staying for the second half of the match not to let his team down, its the same principle. Sure you'd think the football player was a jerk but addicted? no just a jerk. Addiction is where you feel you have to play it and you can't stop playing it, it's not the same as over-commited. He is part of a team, the team depend on him and they need him to suceed, the other 20 people in the raid have set apart 3-5 hours for this raid out of thier time and you leave in the middle? like i said, to me raiding is the same as a sports match.
 
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im addicted to gaming :)

but...i think that games help you with history, upcoming events, and basic life challenges you face and also the hobbies you may want
 
i think noone is really addicted. i think a addiction as a CAN'T stop thing and don't u stop to sleep, eat, go to the BR???? if ur really addicted to something u wouldn' go to the BR or do anything. eventually everyone goes out to hang with friends or eat with their family. i remember i was really stuck onto cs during last week cuz it was my break time and i went to my friend's house on fri. would u call tat addicting. well some may but i don't. EVERYONE and i mean EVERYONE does take a break of virtual gaming once in a while. if u take a break u r NOT addicted to watever game u play. tats my opinion
 
I've lied about how many hours I spend playing games, but I don't think that makes me addicted. That was more when I was younger though, I don't play for extreme amounts anymore.
 
I like exploding stuff.

Games are just another form of entertainment. What's TV? If you enjoy killing in a game just because you can't kill someone in real life you have a problem.
 
well it depends on the kid though. if the kid doesnt really have a social life and he is neglecting school, then he can turn into games as a way to get away from reality and play with other ppl. maybe even get a friend or two ingame. so yeah i would say that it is addicting to some degree
 
I know most of us aren't like this, (At least I hope not)
But I actually know someone, who used to be my friend, who quit high school just to stay home and play WoW all day.
Its very sad to see people throw their life away for a silly game :thumbdown:
 
Allster said:
I know most of us aren't like this, (At least I hope not)
But I actually know someone, who used to be my friend, who quit high school just to stay home and play WoW all day.
Its very sad to see people throw their life away for a silly game :thumbdown:
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I have a friend exactly like that.

I think I shared this story before and a post a few months back but I'll share it again because it pertains to the topic:

World of Warcraft came out November of my freshman year in high school (a long LONG time ago obviously =P). I played it casually, whenever I got time. My friend Eric was addicted. In early February we had a week of just mid-terms in all of our classes. He missed the ENTIRE week to get to level 60. It was just sad. He of course played throughout High School and barely graduated. We graded May 2008, almost a year ago. He has yet to enroll in College or at least find a job. It's very sad and he needs help. He is addicted to WoW.


Here are some youtube videos of people who are extremely addicted. One if a segment of a guy who missed the birth of his child to play WoW, the other is a kid in England who has serious anger problems.


P.S. It's funny in the first video because Tyra gets him to break the WoW CD's in front of everyone, she thinks you need the CD's to play. lol.

EDIT: they took off the 2nd part of the Tyra one off youtube, but it was funny when he broke the CD's lol.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRh7qHU6LqM[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8hfK3RQs2g[/ame]
 
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Yeah and there was actually a guy on the show "Intervention" for gaming addiction LOL
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a79_-ZdKrow&feature=related[/ame]
 
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