Video Game Addiction

I believe that anything can be addictive, if not used in moderation. Games are just one choice of many.

Does that mean that anybody can become an addict to anything?

I don't think so.

Cheers

Tim

Actually, I am doing a public speech on a very similar topic. I have found a multitude of sources that say that video games can be addictive. However, the sources that refute this idea are in and of themselves, unbiased and "complete" in their arguments. Those sources that claim that video games are themselves addictive lack a certain potency in their arguments. Namely that addiction is caused for all no matter what. If something is addictive, then all will become addicted. As this is not true for almost 73% of all people who have ever played a video game, I find it a flawed argument. There have been many people who argue that video games cause teens and such to become reclusive and addicted. However, I found that those who argue as advocates for friends or loved ones who are addicted to games are not in fact entirely aware of the person's mental condition before they were "addicted" versus now. Some people are more inclined to become wrapped up in the worlds that video games create. Some will resist this effect. So to say Video Game Addiction is real is not true to a degree. It may be more accurately portrayed as a sub-conscious drive to play. Almost comparable to the Freudian Theory of instant gratification. You want to play the video game, and a sub-conscious drive forces you to desire it and need to play it. As it is more of a psychological dilemma, I feel that Video Games can instead of being addicting, more be classified as a disorder in some cases. So I say Video Game Addiction should be changed to Video Game Syndrome. As this is just my opinion in the last few parts, please take no stock in it if you wish not to. And sorry for the wall of text. Hope this gets some of you thinking.

Can you respond (even by email to me tim@spong.com) with the list please? It would certainly be useful.



The 73% figure, where does that come from and has it been corroborated?


There is no Freudian theory (lower-cased 't') of 'instant gratification'. There's Freud's notion of the id. The id
seeks immediate gratification in order to fulfil the 'pleasure principle'.



Of course, there is also the assumption that you don't want to do other things such be subject to judgement or clumsy in your social interaction. The over-use of video gaming is therefore a response to this and acts as an escape. I find that more plausible than some subconscious drive to play a video game.



It's good to get some more input into the debate. That's for sure.

Cheers

Tim

I voted no. Video games, along with everything can become a hard to break habit. For me, to accept something as an addiction I would have to see a negative effect on the person and since video games are a form of enjoyment you should not be able to replace it with other activities. Whether or not video games has a harmful effect on a person is and always will be in dispute but in every example I have seen, which is a lot, people were able to stop playing video games to go explore woods, play a sport, or go on a trip with absolutely no withdrawal.

I do actually believe in video gaming addiction. Look at the people who are unable to stop playing games like World of Warcraft. To a similar extent, I sometimes have gaming problems as well. I will sometimes get so caught up in whatever console or handheld game I'm currently playing and start to ignore other responsibilities. It was definitely a problem during high school.

Greg said that it isn't an addiction but a "hard to break habit" but doesn't necessarilly have a "harmful effect on a person". An addiction doesn't ALWAYS have to be something that is harmful. I mean, there's people addicted to sex or certain foods and for the most part it doesn't really harm them until it starts making them sick or forcing them to put aside other things to satisfy that craving. There are a good number of gamers out there who do sometimes have that problem. It may not be a permanent addiction, but I would say that a lot of gamers may sometimes suffer from temporary addictions.

Also keep in mind that a "bad habit" can sometimes lead to an addiction if you ignore the fact that it is a bad habit. When I was younger, I often spent whatever money I had on games and more games, which I'm pretty sure a lot of other people do, as well. That's also evidence of an addiction of sorts.

There's a difference between "spending whatever money you have" and "robbing people because you have to get the next fix".

Theres definitly an addiction of sorts, id say its more to do with MMORPGs than console type games though. Thank god i dont play any of those, they suck the life out of you lol.

Just thought I'd share the wikipedia article on video game addiction with you all (below is an extract).

"Video game addiction, or more broadly video game overuse, is excessive or compulsive use of computer and video games that interferes with daily life. Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from, or from other forms of, social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than broader life events There is no official diagnosis for video game addiction."

Some people have obsessive personalities and I believe they could become addicted to video games (and many other things). I don't believe video games would cause your average person (if there is such as thing!) to become additiced.

video games are addictive but every thing is i you can see why games can be if you look at most things people get addicted to it is used as an escape and games let you do that in a big way hay i do not see any other thing were you can be a race driver one moment and then a soldier next or a Pacman eating Pac-dots and power pellets to a talian plumber who lives in the Mushroom Kingdom trying to save the prince if there not escapes from real life i do not no what is

Wow my dad was addicted to golf . He bought colored golf balls for golfing in the snow ! I've been addicted 2 most everything at 1 time or another . So ya I've been addicted 2 video games as-well ! When you taste the leader board all u want after that is 2 be #1 . I've had 5 #1 leader boards so I've be addicted for Years at a time . WOLFENSTEIN 2.5 yrs / Men of Valor 6 months / Battlefield II 2.5 yrs / Call of Duty 3 1.5 yrs / FFOW 6 months !!!! The cure to my addiction has come in the form of forced detoxing ! Cheating ! Pure Unadulterated cheating ! Cheating like it has become the norm , kind of cheating ! So as my Buddie's new motto for XBL is " LAST OF THE LEGIT'S " So true pal your 10 to 1 KD will be missed !