Videogame Addiction

[crystalmethod]

I was recently reading in a magazine a letter that a wife wrote in about her husband. She was complaining he was playing too much videogames. The resident psychologist advised her that those who play too much videogames are often just trying to bury themselves in them to forget about things going intheir real lives.

Her advice was to send her husband to therapy to deal with the "root" problems that are causing him to play too many videogames. At first I thought it was a load of crap. But haven't any of you guys noticed you or your friends playing games to forget about htings? Just look at how many depressed board members we have here. And just looking at my friends I notice a correlation between drug use and videogame players.

Anyways guys, I just wanna see what all of you think......

 

[Gaz_2_k]

Originally posted by crystalmethod@Jul 14, 2003 @ 05:50 PM



And just looking at my friends I notice a correlation between drug use and videogame players.

Anyways guys, I just wanna see what all of you think......

so.....what is being suggested here???

 

[ExCyber]

It's difficult to characterize an addiction. If we're simply to say that a habit that is unappealing to others' sense of normality is an addiction, there are a vast number of superficial "addictions" that are part of the everyday lives of millions. On the other hand, if we restrict addiction to only mean those habits that involve physical or psychological compulsion, then we can't say with any certainty that something is really an addiction unless the victim puts forth an unsuccessful effort to stop doing it.

And just looking at my friends I notice a correlation between drug use and videogame players.

Neither casual drug use nor casual videogame playing is rare, so I'm not sure what the significance of this is.

 

[axelblazeadam]

:agree

Many things can be classed as an addicition, but some are more serious then others. An addiction to videogames would be much healther then an addiction to drugs (As long as you dont play 24 hours a day and die of sleep deprevation like some guy did in some internet cafe once).

Many people spend all day watching television surely thats much worse as videogames actually have some interaction.

Anyway doing anything to excess in will not be good for you, Did the wife of this man actually state how much he was playing videogames?

I play videogames because they are fun, not to forget my troubles. Maybe on occasions I do that that but most of the time I play them because I enjoy playing them.

 

[CrazyGoon]

One thing is for sure: Games that don't require much skill (ie, RPG's, Digital Comics) can be dangerous because they have a very high addiction factor! Though the most dangerous game possible I've found is an RPG which has no end. Such as MUDS. I can see some relation between MUD's and playing them excessively in order to forget about the real world. I tend to stray from playing RPG's (I absolutely never play MUDs anymore), since they interfear with my life outside the game

If I have a lot of freetime (enough to pass an RPG), I don't stray from RPG's, though. The letter may have been refering to online FPS (ie, counterstike), which have also proven addictive. Though at least with FPS your not falling into a black hole - like you are with MUDs. I'm sure there are lots of regulars to internet cafe's, and online chat rooms that hardly have a break from FPS. So, IMHO, the only dangerous games are games that don't require much skill/ RPG's that don't have an end/ or are very long, digital comics that are very long, and online FPS. Though of course, none of this is dangerous to someone who knows how to stop

Puzzle games all the way, man

As for the correlation between drug use and video games - If a person is badly addicted to a game (ie, spends 90% of his spare time playing a single game) then depression can be a result. Addicted videogame players can subdue playing, appear happy away from the game, though will be straight back to it when the opportunity arrises. Drug users, on the other hand, aren't happy unless they have their drugs. :flamethrower:

 

[Cloud121]

I am a full-blown video game addict. I mean, games are all I think about! If I'm sitting in class at school, chances are, I'm not paying AY attention wahtsoever! I got games on the brain! Ugh... I always say I really need to cut back, but I just go back to playing games 6 - 8 hours a day! Bah...

 

[tsumake]

I used to be a "closet gamer" for a while. I went to a 5 day boarding school in High school and since I wanted to do really well I forsake video games. For four long years I only glimpsed at games during the weekends and breaks. Believe me, that wasn't enough time to see anything. Hell, I even tried stopping cold turkey. But I couldn't. I love games too much. It's one of my few passions. So, in college I played computer games and last year I brought alone a psone and gamecube! I came this close to beating xenogears during fall semester....good times, great game. Anyway, as far as addictions are concerned, video games could be an addiction but it isn't a serious one imo. In terms or drugs or alchol, your body stops producing a specific chemical supplied by the drug. When you stop taking them, that's where the craving comes from. I don't think that's true with video games. Can't people also be addicted to reading as well, but you don't see them going through DTs during withdrawl? Everyone has a vice or a needed outlet. When I play games I feel relaxed and satisfied. I'm no longer uptight or socially inept. Games are good for the soul.

 

[crystalmethod]

Okay lemme clarify since I don't think I was taken the way I was intended...

The comment about drug use was about how many use drugs to escape their relality...just like many psychologists believe game playing can be used to submerse yourself in another world and forget about reality. Now if you look at home many game players do drugs...honestly look around you and see...you'll see that its entirely possible that these people have a problem with their everyday lives and are just trying to escape. Now to play devils advocate for a moment, videoganme addiction is not a pretty vice, better then any other one. Those who become seriously addicted can develop deep psychological issues. (Ironically, it is perhaps psychological issues which can drive the addiction in the first place.

Nevertheless, those of us that play too much games can have problems. In all honesty, look at your circle of friends....you don't have at least one disturned video game fanatic who just seems a little off? You don't have one person that is sad more often than not and spends their time playing videogames more often than not? I just meant the topic to be a sort of eyeopener to those who truly believe there is nothing wrong with videogames and that there is no correlation between excessive videogame playing and other trends.

Oh and ExCyber....I would say an addiction is classified as an addiction when it sarts to interefere with others and he way you would normally operate on a daily basis.

 

[axelblazeadam]

Originally posted by crystalmethod@Jul 14, 2003 @ 09:33 PM

You don't have one person that is sad more often than not and spends their time playing videogames more often than not?

But there are many people who play lots of videogames who perfectly fine and not depressed at at. Just because some people who play games are like that does not mean that it is because of the videogames.

If sad people use videogames to escape realtity in the way you say, how is that different to someone who gets drunk to forget their problems. People who do that arent necessarily alcoholics its just what they do when they are upset, rightly or wrongly.

 

[Myname]

I'd say most forms of entertainment could be classified as escapism to a certain degree. My take on it is that most people work bad hours at jobs they hate, so if they want to go home and save the universe from an oncoming alien horde or whatever.. It's understandable in a lot of ways.

A big percentage of young people play video games, and a big percentage are casual drug users. It's not surprising that they'd often cross over. And I can't imagine a drug fuelled gaming session would be a particularly successful gaming session

.

These kind of studies always overlook things like multiplayer games, which can be a pretty good social activity (not particularly online games though).

 

[Quadriflax]

Originally posted by Cloud121@Jul 14, 2003 @ 05:03 PM

I am a full-blown video game addict. I mean, games are all I think about! If I'm sitting in class at school, chances are, I'm not paying AY attention wahtsoever! I got games on the brain! Ugh... I always say I really need to cut back, but I just go back to playing games 6 - 8 hours a day! Bah...

ADD/ADHD?

 

[joe81]

i actually have done most of the above stated things.

I've used video games to escape my life when i was younger and i used alcohol when i was older to escape my life. neither worked only for a brief time.

From my previosly posted posts you all know how i am right now.

 

[Curtis]

I think it is possible for certain titles to have addictive qualities. You know, you reach a certain point where you dont want to stop regardless of what needs doing. I don't believe that video gaming in general can become truely addictive - there simply isn't enough stimulus. There is only so much pretty graphics and sound effects can do for you. Eventually you either reach the end of the game, or you just get bored with it.

I've never experienced an overwhelming need to pick up a game and just play it, so perhaps I'm missing something, but I can't see how any game or games could offer something so powerful you can't give it up.

 

[CrazyGoon]

Originally posted by Curtis@Jul 15, 2003 @ 06:32 AM

I think it is possible for certain titles to have addictive qualities. You know, you reach a certain point where you dont want to stop regardless of what needs doing. I don't believe that video gaming in general can become truely addictive - there simply isn't enough stimulus. There is only so much pretty graphics and sound effects can do for you. Eventually you either reach the end of the game, or you just get bored with it.

I've never experienced an overwhelming need to pick up a game and just play it, so perhaps I'm missing something, but I can't see how any game or games could offer something so powerful you can't give it up.

Here is the game I spent 3/4 of 2001 playing. Now that is a lot of days

Just picking up on what Curtis said about graphics/sound - This game has no graphics (only words) and no sound. Though I'm afraid it is not graphics nor sound that gets gamers addicted - It is the gamplay!

If you get hooked on this game then you might not be able to stop so beware. I recommend not even going to the link, though if you just want the jist of it then the game is based on Terry Pratchet's "Discworld" books. It is a very deep game, meaning there is a sh*tload of stuff you can do with your character.

 

[remysf3]

axelblazeadam

An addiction to videogames would be much healther then an addiction to drugs

I like that line btw.

Hi my name is RemySF3, and i'm an addict.

Yes an addition to video games is hard to get away from. Just that thought brings back memories of when I was paying lots of money to support my video game habit, $65 for snes games is a little too much. I can remember that a few years ago I traded in this college class for a brand new psx, $300, which at the time I thought it was worth it, young and stupid. I'd take my check and go directly to walmart or target, 60% of it went to video games. Then I found my other debts being avoided, that when i stopped, judgements can be bad. Yes it can be as bad as drugs, you spend most of the time sitting there buying off your miseries. Now I'm in the credit business, and yes I still do play games, but not as much. I do play them at work, so I have time to enjoy my life better.

 

[axelblazeadam]

Originally posted by remysf3@Jul 15, 2003 @ 02:39 PM

Yes it can be as bad as drugs, you spend most of the time sitting there buying off your miseries.

Well in the money aspect it is as bad as drugs, but a videogames addict will not have the other problem that can occer with drugs.

There no chemical dependance on videogames like there is with drugs so it should be easier to quit. And of course the there are no dangers of owing money to drug dealers who would quite readily kneecap you if you dont pay off your depts to them quickly.

 

[crystalmethod]

You know, its not so much addiction that I was talking about. Its excessively playing games to get away from the root problems in one's life. I think I see way to many people spening all their time playing video games so they can forget about life.

 

[lordofduct]

I would agree, when it comes to a teen. Me and allllllllll my friends were total videogame fanatics. We all had our own deep seeded reasons for playing them. My buddy Brian still today plays FPS online to get over the urge of just blowing every person he sees away(and im not kidding this fucker almost pulled a shot gun on our best friend for peggin his lawnmower with a paintball) Sammy the kid who had the gun pulled on him played excessive video games and still does when he doesn't have his adirol (or however thats spelled) because he cant bother to let his mind wonder and think about the pains in the world (im sorry for cheating with your g-friend dude!) Franky boy just smelled real bad so he stayed home all the time and what better to do unless theres a good game of spades to play at wongs. I could go on and on, we all used them and still do to get away from reality. And then theres me the most addicted of them all that i still today i was addicted and am not anymore. but im not, i got over getting home from school years ago and just sitting in front of the tv in my room switching between every system i owned playing one of the 800 games i had and still do (yes 800 across 12 consoles) i would stay up until 5 in the morning sleep 30 minutes and go to school and repeat. every time i got money i was at the store buying more videogames. sitting at home on the internet buying more videogames, i had to own them, the originals uhhhh. and any remake (lunar on sega cd, saturn, and ps) i got as bad as playing lunar 2 on sega cd for something like 20 hours strait. only took a break to pee or get something to drink (no food i would have to poop then) it was so bad my g-friend came over all horny and begged me for sex and i refused, she begged some more and i refused unless i could still play lunar while screwing. the horror, the madness, thank god i grew out of it, i hope my friends do to.

and for the drugs i see no direct correlation only similarities in the side effects of the addictions. When i started taking drugs i stopped playing videogames then when i stopped drugs i started playing video games again. but there emotional dependency i would agree on.

 

[Cloud121]

Whoa! That is bad! You would never see me saying, "I'll have sex with you, if I can play Virtua Fighter or Phantasy Star, while it's going on," Oh yeah, about the, whenever you got money you'd got to the store to buy more games. That's me as well all the way. The thing is, one reason why I play and own, SO MANY video games, is because I don't have many friends. Some might say "Well Dylan, that's because you're insdie playing video games all the timem" No that's not it. I'm slowly getting more accepted at school now, but even then, I still don't have a lot of friends. I made the stupidest mistakes of my life back in 8th grade, for for that, I'm known by everyone for that. I'll meet someone I don't know, and they'll be like "Hey, aren't you that kid and did "this and that" a few years ago?" It's bad. If I had more friends, and if I knew how to drive (I'm 16, and don't even have my permit, it's pathetic I know), I'd be going out and getting a job (actually.. I can do that without being able to drive

), hanging out with my friends, and not play games all that much... well... at least not as much as before.

 

[Quadriflax]

Originally posted by Cloud121@Jul 15, 2003 @ 06:00 PM

I made the stupidest mistakes of my life back in 8th grade, for for that, I'm known by everyone for that. I'll meet someone I don't know, and they'll be like "Hey, aren't you that kid and did "this and that" a few years ago?" It's bad.

I think you need to tell us what you did so we can properly assess your situation