Video Game Addiction

Reaction score
332
The issue of video game addiction, especially to MMORPGs like WoW and EverQuest, has been given increasing attention by researchers as well as the media (see this recent thread). The opinion among gamers seems to be that it either doesn't exist or is much less prevalent than it is made out to be. What are your thoughts? Does video game addiction exist or not? How serious can video game addictions be? Have you ever been a video game addict or have you seen your friends or family succumb to video game addiction?

Personally I think that video game addictions exist and can include tolerance, dependence, withdrawal and cravings, and that this view is in line with the current research.
 

MasterOfABCs

Unacceptable!
Reaction score
56
First off, I am, to this day, an avid gamer.

I log about 8-12 hours a week and am update with the up and coming games.

I used to be, however, completely consumed by games.

I've logged probably upwards of 1,000 hours on Cod4.

I'd say that video game addictions are a reality.

I've seen many a good friend go from the bed to the computer for months and even a couple years.

If that's not an addiction, it sure is one hell of a habit.

But, I'm far more concerned with what an addiction entitles.

What defines which addictions are social stigmas and which are not?

How does smoking differ from gaming? Or potheads from partiers?

The idea of what is or isn't a negative addiction is far more complex than whether or not video games can be addicting.
 

ElderKingpin

Post in the anime section, or die.
Reaction score
134
a believe this idea that video game is an addiction (and a serious one). If a friend is getting too serious about games, stop them.
 

Samael88

Evil always finds a way
Reaction score
181
I don't think that a the "addiction" started until people started to call it as such.
I would say that there actually is none at all.
I think that the reason why wow for example is so "addicting" is actually not because of the game itself, it is the money that is involved.
If I where to put 500kr into a hobby it is not that bad, I could put it aside and forget about it and such.
But a hobby that I put +5000kr into, that is not something that I could just put away, there is time and money spent into it.

If it was free on the other hand more people would probably play it, but they would not feel so "forced" to come back.
The same goes about time actually, when I first joined TH for example I made some other account that I forgot until the next time I came here, but this one I have spent so much time and effort into getting all that rep so that I just can't throw it away like my old one.

My conclusion of all this rambling is this:
Some people just needs to grow up and face that their subconciousness puts to much care into money, let's just face it, the game itself is not addicting, the time and money spent on it just makes it feel that way.

Edit: Btw, I have heard some pretty sick stories about people who got caught up into games even before it was called an "addiction", they all ended up in mental institutions because it turned out most of them suffered from either psychosis or schizofrenia^^
 

MasterOfABCs

Unacceptable!
Reaction score
56
Whether or not I, or anyone else for that matter, spends money on a good or service has no bearing towards it possibilty of being addictive.

For example, I could pay street price for heroine. Or, I could accrue it for free.

Either way, heroine is still addicting.

Though that's a heavy handed example, the concept reamins the same.

Once again, I don't understand how you can continually refute excessive gaming as non-addictive.

The addictive facets of gaming are amazingly prevalent.

If a gamer spends as much time on a game as he or she does at work, the player has turned gaming into somthing far greater than a hobby.

At the rate of 40+ hours, or full time, other areas of your life begin to suffer.

For example, a deterimentally small amount of time left to take care of yourself.

In conclusion, if video games consumes a siginifanct portion of gamers time, are detrimental to gamers health, and gamers still refuse to decrease the time spent playing, video games are addicting.
 

Avaleirra

Is back. Probably.
Reaction score
128
In my opinion. Video game addiction does exist. I quit WoW about 8 months ago because I knew it was really killing me at school.


I would usually go home telling myself that I was going to do homework and then end up playing WoW. I had almost no willpower to stop myself.


Too much of everything is bad. Keep everything in moderation, even World of Warcraft.

Avaleirra
 

Vestras

Retired
Reaction score
248
Indeed addiction does exist. A lot of my friends are addicted to WoW, they even play in classes.
Funny though, I can't seem to get adddicted to games. Probably because I suck at them all ^___^
 

ReVolver

Mega Super Ultra Cool Member
Reaction score
608
Why don't you people understand the difference from "not being able to stop" and "playing too much" just because I play a game 8 hours a day doesn't mean I'm addicted to it, I just play too much.

Find me a person who stops playing a video game for a day and gets physical body reactions, in order to be addicted to something you need to have a physical or mental depended.

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.

I prefer to call it "overuse" rather than "addiction" because those words should not be in the same context of each other.

The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction (e.g. alcoholism, nicotine addiction)
 

Samael88

Evil always finds a way
Reaction score
181
I actually have changed my oppinion a bit while thinking about this.

Take me for example, I am a smoker and a caffeine junky, I got a physical addiction to cigaretts and caffeine, the psychological part on the other hand is just mental weakness and nothing more to me.
Anything that today is called "psychological addiction" is what I would like to call a "test of will".
There is just no physical addiction to games, and thus I would actually say that all those who says that they are "addicted" to a game are either mentally damaged in some way or they are just weakminded.

I can play a game for 10hours even 30hours straight(on LAN partys that is), I don't call myself an addict, I am just enjoying to do what I want to do and I can stop playing anytime I want, I just don't want to;)
 
Reaction score
332
Addictions are characterized by psychological phenomena like compulsion, cravings and obsession. Physical dependence can be a part of it, but it doesn't have to be. You might as well say that nicotine addiction doesn't exist because strong willed people will find it much easier to quit smoking than weak willed people.

The difference between psychological and physical dependence is not that clear, either. If a drug can cause physical dependence by stimulating excessive dopamine release to parts of the brain, then why not video games, sex, or food?
 

MasterOfABCs

Unacceptable!
Reaction score
56
I couldn't agree more.

Obviously, we'll never make a case for physical addiction.

But, I think a solid case can be made for video games being psycologically addicting.

However, first psycological addiction has to be defined.

And, I'm not a psycologist.
 

ElderKingpin

Post in the anime section, or die.
Reaction score
134
yep. addiction. its like the word sentient. what does it really mean..? -.-
If this forum does manage to establish that video gaming is any kind of addiction. what does that prove though? that its hard to quit games?
 

DM Cross

You want to see a magic trick?
Reaction score
566
I like video games. Therefore, I play them. I am interested in them more than going out, for the most part, for various reasons. Thus, I play them more than I go out in my free time. I've met friends and gotten to know cool people through video games.

When I don't want to play, I don't. When I do, I do.

I see little "addiction".
 

thewrongvine

The Evolved Panda Commandant
Reaction score
506
Well in real life, there's no point in being technical, so video game addiction does exist. But then if you want to get technical with words, then no it doesn't, lol.

I smell KFC...

~Hai-Bye-Vine~
 

ElderKingpin

Post in the anime section, or die.
Reaction score
134
I like video games. Therefore, I play them. I am interested in them more than going out, for the most part, for various reasons. Thus, I play them more than I go out in my free time. I've met friends and gotten to know cool people through video games.

When I don't want to play, I don't. When I do, I do.

I see little "addiction".

because you are not completely centered on video games. there are people who really. and i mean REALLY. want to play games.
 

DM Cross

You want to see a magic trick?
Reaction score
566
because you are not completely centered on video games. there are people who really. and i mean REALLY. want to play games.

And that's because they get more enjoyment out of it than I do. You basically just proved my point; They're doing it because they LIKE doing it and enjoy it. It's not like they have cravings or uncontrolable fits if they stop playing video games. The worse that would happen if they were forced to "quit" video games is they'd be bored until they found an alternative.
 

DM Cross

You want to see a magic trick?
Reaction score
566
I think the base of that event is rooted more in being unstable as a human being, whether it's emotionally or mentally. I don't think a healthy person willingly withers away to a video game.
 

ElderKingpin

Post in the anime section, or die.
Reaction score
134
if that is the case, video games isnt an addiction then, because the mental state of the person before the video games affects whether or not he goes overboard with video games. An addiction should be something that can take you over no matter who you are.
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.

      The Helper Discord

      Members online

      No members online now.

      Affiliates

      Hive Workshop NUON Dome World Editor Tutorials

      Network Sponsors

      Apex Steel Pipe - Buys and sells Steel Pipe.
      Top