Health Addiction to Video Games Is Just Like Drug Addiction: The same brain pathways

[TheDamien]

You truly can't compare video game addiction to a certain drug addiction until you get horribly addicted to both (one at a time) then recover from the addiction. Only then could you compare and contrast the two. To say anything else is making comparisons without experience.

That would be direct experience, and it is not necessary to have direct experience to draw conclusions or make comparisons. Science works on the basis of observation. No one had to turn into an electron to figure out how to build a battery.

 

[tom_mai78101]

Have you guys ever been to South Korea? If you were to pay a family visit who lives in South Korea with a sibling, chances are that you'll be seeing the sibling pay too much attention on computer games.

There's a documentary about this matter on NGC.

 

[ReVolver]

I got addicted to Morphine and had to go to rehab so I know from experience what and what is not an addiction. Doing something for a long time isn't an addiction, because your body doesn't demand you to keep playing, shutting off the console, lets see your body freak out and go into stressed seizure... doubt it

 

[Hatebreeder]

Addiction?

Hmmm... I don't see what addiction has to do with weather you feel like playing or not. I havn't been addicted to games... Since I can turn my console on and off whenever I feel it's enough ( or there are other things that should be done ).

But I can't disagree with rage's discribtion in some way.

 

[T.s.e]

I quote from the "Why do they h8 wow?" thread:

"The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction, video game addiction, crime, money, alcoholism, work addiction, compulsive overeating, problem gambling, computer addiction, pornography addiction, plastic surgery addiction, etc."

By the definition of "Addiction", WoW, and all video games, can indeed be "addictive".

Doing something for a long time isn't an addiction, because your body doesn't demand you to keep playing, shutting off the console, lets see your body freak out and go into stressed seizure... doubt it

Or, let's see a man comitt suicide after being addicted to Everquest, a boy kill and rob an eighty-one year old woman to get the money to continue playing, a twenty-seven year old kill his own daughter over a broken X-Box, a boy kill both his parents after taking away his Halo 3 CD, a thirteen year old boy jump from a twenty-four story building, while leaving a suicide note that spoke of his addiction and his hope to be re-united with his gaming friends in Heaven.

This list goes on and on. I really can't see how you can possibly say that games aren't addictive in the same way as drugs.

 

[Avaleirra]

I'm addicted to griefing...

This.

 

[tom_mai78101]

A famous quote:

Good Grief.

 

[SerraAvenger]

Well, as far as I know...
They are addicting. Games add endorphins to your blood, just like other drugs, love, sport...
Your body loves these, but your brain does love them even more. When they don't come, you'll be quite restless, relentlessly seeking the next shot of endorphins.
What drugs do is free these endorphins by the means of different substances. Your body loves these, but your brain doesn't care for them. Your brain does only care for the result - the happiness, perhaps the isolation from the rest of the world and its unworthy troubles.
Games are addicting, but not physically. They are a means to escape the sad and monotone world of today into a world of luck and happiness. A world of action. A world of life. A world of endorphins. They addict your brain. And once you have achieved a high level of happiness, this will be your standard level. If you have less, you'll be unhappy. If you have the same, it will feel ok, but you will be somewhat bored. If you have more, that will feel great for a short time, until your brain has adapted to the new levels.
I have been addicted to computer games a couple of times. I'm addicted to the internet in a way. But my self control grows stronger and stronger. During school time, I turn my computer off before 11 pm. When not, however, I sometimes loose control and stay online untill 5-7 am. Most often, I don't do anything actually. All I do is search for a shot of fun. I think the key point is having only few areas to look for, or centralising these areas at a single access-point. Otherwise it's like zapping TV-Channels.
I feel I shouldn't have written this post, but I couldn't withstand...
sleep tight...

 

[MasterOfABCs]

I suppose that the word addiction is some what heavy handed.

However, how a couple of you can so blatantly disregard the negative effects of constant gaming is amazing.

So, I'm gonna go about it this way:

ADDICTION: The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. (courtesy of dictionary.com)

Well, while the first half of the definition may or may not be true, the second half is most definitely not true. Never have I seen someone experience severe trauma after going days or weeks without WoW. So, I think it's fair to say that no one can form an addiction to gaming.

Habits, however, are another story.

 

[uberfoop]

Eh, addiction is not a heavy handed word. The issue is the discrepency in definition. Some definitions require a withdrawl based on cessation of taking a substance. Others recognize the idea of a psycological addiction. In any case, a word like 'addiction' idealy shouldn't even have a level of heavy-handedness attached to it; such connotations can get in the way of practicality.

Furthermore, even on the page you mentioned, there are other definitions, such as:
The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or or involved in something.

The only basis you have for declaring video game addiction to not exist in that post was an act of dictionary censorship.

Psycological addiction can spring up around just about any activity; denying that it can actually happen is a little ridiculous. While I believe that many people (extremely and horrifically) exaggerate the issue, psycological video game addiction exists and is a problem for some people.

 

[Ninja_sheep]

sigh, tired of this discussion

No surprise thought as it's hard to find activities that can't be addictive to a certain degree.

 

[DDRtists]

You can't be "physically addicted" to a game, you are addicted to the feelings and mindset you get from the game. Same with weed, it's not physically addictive, most people get "addicted" to the effects of the drug. Same goes for games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addiction

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), problem gambling, crime, money, work addiction, compulsive overeating, credit card addiction, compulsive debting, computer addiction, video game addiction, pornography addiction, television addiction, etc.

Just because videogames are not physically addictive, there is still the very true factor of psychological addiction. Psychological addiction is just as bad, if not worse, than physical addiction.

So before anyone tries to pull the "You can't be addicted to videogames" card, yes, you can.

 

[TheDamien]

The line between physical and psychological dependence is blurry. If habitual gaming causes excessive dopamine secretion in the brain, then tolerance and physical dependence are possible. This is probably why addicted gamers experience withdrawal.

 

[SerraAvenger]

http://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/definition-of-addiction.htm
After the common definitions of ICD-10 and DSM-IV

1. Tolerance. Has your use of GAMES increased over time?
2. Withdrawal. When you stop using, have you ever experienced physical or emotional withdrawal? Have you had any of the following symptoms: irritability, anxiety, shakes, sweats, nausea, or vomiting?
3. Difficulty controlling your use. Do you sometimes use more or for a longer time than you would like? Do you sometimes play just to play? Do you stop after a certain time usually, or does one hour lead to more hours?
4. Negative consequences. Have you continued to use even though there have been negative consequences to your mood, self-esteem, health, job, or family?
5. Neglecting or postponing activities. Have you ever put off or reduced social, recreational, work, or household activities because of your use?
6. Spending significant time or emotional energy. Have you spent a significant amount of time obtaining, using, concealing, planning, or recovering from your use? Have you spend a lot of time thinking about using? Have you ever concealed or minimized your use? Have you ever thought of schemes to avoid getting caught?
7. Desire to cut down. Have you sometimes thought about cutting down or controlling your use? Have you ever made unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control your use?

EDIT: Oh, and "If you answered yes to at least 3 of these questions, then you meet the medical definition of addiction. "

EDIT: I'm now officially addicted to this thread : D

 

[TriggerHappy]

Oh my god. Giant facepalm.

This thread really disappoints me.

 

[ElderKingpin]

im not sure how you manage to disregard every piece of evidence that supports that video games is an addiction, whether it be physical or mental. (i actually answered yes to all 7 T_T)

 

[Avaleirra]

I answered yes to all 7 . Proud of it.

 

[ReVolver]

Facepalm....

I'm going to break everyone's console just to proof a point that you don't need it...

"I answered yes to all 7 . Proud of it."

You make real addicted people sickening, why do you think addiction is something to be proud of?!

I'm seriously doubting the intelligence of people here in this forum...

 

[Avaleirra]

I'm not trying to mock your past experiances ReVolver. I agree that being addicted to games is nothing near what you experianced. I was just saying that I don't think there is anything wrong with playing games.

 

[ReVolver]

I'm not trying to mock your past experiances ReVolver. I agree that being addicted to games is nothing near what you experianced. I was just saying that I don't think there is anything wrong with playing games.

There's nothing wrong from playing games, but the moment you said I'm addicted and proud of it makes me spit in your ideology of your concept of "addiction"