Game fanatics show hallmarks of drug addiction

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8327

Games are the new crack, but unlike crack the computer is part of everyone's everyday life.

Should something be done? Can something be done? Is gaming still healthy? Are there any game addicts amongst us who would like to share their feelings with us?

And last but not least: For the americans should the US government declare a war on games?

 

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Anything which forces the mind to be creative can be addictive; are not most of us here addicted to Sciforums, even to a mild degree?

Computers contain such a huge potential for forcing creativity that a myriad things you can do with them can become addictive. From music creation to computer graphics; from graphic design to word processing; from writing code to inventing software, it never ends, the potential is there, but what the fuck's wrong with addiction anyway?

People should be left alone to enjoy their addictions while they have them, most of them grow out of them eventually anyway and life's too short to fuck with people's pleasures.

 

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You could suggest that the human mind has the basis for Addiction because of it's Opiut receptors. The receptors exist, however of course we don't all smoke opium. The generates a kind of dilemma, since the human mind needs something to take its place and this usually comes in the form of some addiction caused by some a person takes or does that gives a positive affect.

To some it's drugs, others it's exercise, or eating, Playing games, sex the list can go on. The only way a person leads any form of balanced lifestyle is by offsetting their addiction with something else from time to time, So thats why there are so many ex-gamers going sex crazed (j/k)

 

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Oh, the agony of choosing between PC games and having loads of really hot sex.

 

Well, that reminds me of a women who recently died, the cause? As it seems, she died of a lack of food, drink and sleep, because she was playing World of Warcraft for several days withouth a pause. The body could not take the strain, so she dropped dead.

So, saying that computer games, or computers itself (there are plenty of people addicted to the internet, for example) can cause addiction, does not seem so false. But, I suppose, humans can be addicted to nearly anything found in this world.

Anyway, I would presume that therapies can be created to help against these various addictions, and those should be employed if the addiciton has become strong enough to harm the addict.

 

I would suggest that there's a major difference betweeen "addiction" and "habit". And I don't believe that video game-playing (or any other such activity) would be or could be classified as an "addiction".

Baron Max

 

Researchers differ from opinion with you on this conclusion after a careful study.

Do you have any experience or insight that nullifies any of their conclusions other then your opinion?

 

I one thing that isn't usually taken into a account is the fact that playing the same game over and over again can eventually become quite boring. Afterall what excites a gamer is the first look at a new world, overcoming the obstacles of the interface, keyboard shortcuts, gameplay and of course A.I. (And people when they are dealing with a multiplayer)

If that "awe" fades as it usually does, you either move on to another game or something else that sparks interest.

Most of these multiplayers online isn't so much about the addictiveness of the game being played but the interaction with other people. Socialising builds pseudo-dependancies where people feel they can't leave the game because they let other people down.

Due to this socialising nature and the "addiction" as it's stated, larger games companies are now looking more into the multiplayer genre, which previously was only filled by those Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasts and other companies that were breaking new ground. Since such addictions obviously mean monetary exchanges.

 

Game fanatics? It's not about game fanatics but "fanatics" period. If these "game fanatics" weren't addicted to video games, they'd be addicted to something else. Too many people these days place the blame on anything other than themselves.

A person with an addictive personality is a person with an addictive personality. Give em coke and they'll be addicted to it. Give em porn and they'll be addicted to it. Give em a rubix cube and they'll be addicted to it. Give em a basketball and they'll be addicted to it.

And even then, who's to say what's an addiction and what's a hobby? All because one decides to specialize in one area and not broaden their horizons trying to do more than one hobby? Are football players addicts all because most don't also play basketball or play a musical instrument? Eh, whatever, heh. People should be free to do whatever they want so long as it doesn't harm others. If someone has fun doing [insert activity], let em do it even if they want to do nothing but that.

- N

 

Absofuckinlutely!

 

I am a game addict! I tend to binge more than have just a quick fix. Might go for a week or two with nothing... then have a quick 10 hour stint on something hardcore like Morrowind (Class 'A' drug). It does my head in after a while but I just can't stop!

I thought about having a gamers anonomous - but it'd just end up as the LAN party from heaven with all-night Q3 / TA / BF2 / file swapping etc...

 

But you also said:

See? How can you say both of those statements without them being totally contradictory?

One, you say ye're addicted .....but then you go on to say that you can go a week or two with nothing(none of the games). See? You can obviously do without gaming ......so how can you call it an addiction?

Baron Max

 

How would you define addiction, Max? What time period without a fix qualifies?

 

And apparently there is also a causal correlation between violent games and violence in life:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8449

 

"A brain mechanism that may link violent computer games with aggression has been discovered by researchers in the US."

So blockbuster action packed "Adrenaline" movies that show violence and gun sales have nothing to do with it?

Not forgetting if you watch a news channel how many actual "Dead" bodies do you usually get to see when they get the news across?

 

Hmmm...you got me there (or them).

I also saw children's sneakers (for 3-4 year olds) with Darth Vader on it. The personified symbol of evil.

We can be so weird.

 

Check your brain for worms.

Two weeks is not a long time and when I play... I play hard!

 

If any of you are actually Jack Thompson, please choke to death on your own vomit.

 

I hope he spontaneously combusts while giving a speech.

 

I have always disliked games, sneared at them etc, until we bought World of Warcraft.
I am totally addicted. It's so beautiful...I get so sucked in. That woman can be a future me. My cats will start to feed on me before death occurs.