What
if someone close to you spent their whole lives
living vicariously through the characters that they worship in video
games? What if I told you that a recent survey of 7069 gamers, 11.9
percent of them showed at least three areas of addiction? Well, video
games have become a serious problem throughout the world (Grusser).
Video games are causing problems in multiple areas of life, social,
occupational, and school in both child and adults (Hart). I think that
video game addiction is as bad is not worse than other behavioral
addictions like, sex and gambling, but just like sex and gambling,
there are many ways to overcome the addiction.
What is addiction?
Some people might ask, "What exactly is an addiction?" Well "an
addiction is a complex disease. physiological, genetic, psychosocial,
nutritional and environmental factors are often thought to lead to the
development of this disorder, and need to be addressed in treatment. It
causes a person to act in a pattern of unhealthy, compulsive behavior
which they carry out uncontrollably around the chronic use of a certain
substance or stimulus such as alcohol, drugs sex, gambling or
cigarettes
" (What), but in this case it would be video game
addiction.
Addiction also features a level of psychological dependence, and often
physical dependence as well. In general, an addict has certain
qualities like:
- Suffers a persistent need to use
- Fails at every effort to cut down, or stop, using on his own
- Keeps using despite negative experiences and dangerous
situations
- Uses to cope with everyday life
- Needs to use to feel "normal"
- Is often preoccupied with obtaining and using the drug(s)
of choice
However, addiction is not:
- A moral issue
- A simple character defect, such as being weak, or selfish,
or irresponsible
- A lack of will power
Types of addiction
"Addiction reaches beyond alcohol and drugs. Many people suffer from
all sorts of different addictions. Gambling, eating, shopping, sex,
internet, work, video games, etc can all be just ass addictive in many
cases just as destructive to a person, Those behaviors may affect the
person differentyl, but they can be just as devastating as substance
dependance. The 12 step program, which was originally devised for
overcoming alcoholism, has now been transformed into well over 200
different addiction support groups. Always remember too much of a good
thing can hurt you" (Types).
Surveys and studies involving video game
addiction
"Since video games became a part of popular culture approximately 30
years ago, counselors, psychologists, teachers, and parents have been
concerned about the effects on those who play them. The first concern
to arise, mainly because of the amount of time that teenagers spend in
arcades in the late 1970's and early 1980's, was whether these games
were addictive" (Hart).
The Problem Video Game Playing, also called the (PVP) survey, compared
characteristics of other compulsive behaviors, such as gambling. The
survey was issued to Spanish adolescents, and it found that excessive
use of video games resembles a dependence syndrome. The survey used
specific criteria, and in order to be labeled as an addict the
participants had to meet four out of the eight specific criteria. After
this survey was issued, another study used the PVP survey and found
that 15% of young adolescent players could be labeled as addicted
(Hart).
Another study sampled 7069 gamers (94% male; mean age: 21.11 years) who
were recruited in cooperation with an online video game (Grusser). The
subjects had to answer two online-questionnaires concerning gaming
behavior and associated variables as well as aggressive behavior and
violent attitudes (Grusser).
The results should that 840 subjects (11.9%) of the total sample
fulfilled at least three criteria of addiction concerning their gaming
behavior (Grusser).
Testimonial
I personally can be used as an example. I have had an addictive
personality since I was a little child, and I latch on to certain
things that I enjoy to do. Going into my eighth grade summer, a handful
of my friends and I decided to join the "online sensation" game called
World of Warcraft. The next thing I
knew I was skipping meals,
canceling plans with friends, talking rudely to my parents and lashing
out at them for nothing, and staying up until obscure hours of the
night, and this was all so I could sit in my room on my computer and do
absolutely nothing except play that wretched video game.
The
thought that I was addicted or had a serious problem never occurred to
me. I had
tried to stop playing many times before in order to prove
to myself that I didn't have a problem, but I always seemed to get
sucked back in within a day or less. I didn't think I had a problem
until about three years later, yes three years of my life consumed bu
this video game, going into my junior year when I decided that I had to
try to get rid of the game for good.
In order for me to be able to get rid of the game for good I had to
bring my mother into the situation and let her know what was going on.
She agreed to help me out because she knew I had a problem and had
tried to tell me many times before but whatever she told me just seemed
to go in one ear and out the other. She took me to my room and told me
to gather up all of my CD's that had the video game on them and give
them to her. She than got on my computer and deleted all traces of
World of Warcraft from it, basically forcing me to quite "cold turkey".
It's about this point in time when i went completely ballistic because
the thought of what I had just done registered in my brain, needless to
say I didn't sleep much that night.
The next day it was like I was seeing the world for the first time in
ages. I was able to gain back the friends that I had lost. and even
managed to get this girl to go out on a date with me about a month
later.
Other real life examples of video game
addiction
There are hundred of examples out there, here are a few that have
occured here in the United States.
- In Tucson mental-health experts welcomed the study of video
game addiction (Villareal), saying that the problems are real and on
the rise. But
some devout gamers say the issue is over hypped. "It is a valid
addiction." says Paul Gallant, a clinical outreach coordinator for
Sierrra Tucson, a treatment center for addiction and mental disorders.
He said he's seen a 20 percent increase in called regarding compulsive
gamers in the past 18 months. one case involed a 22-year-old college
student who spent up to 20 hours on the computer every day, and failed
classes and lost his job (Villarreal).
- Another example can be found here in this Video
game
addiction article
- Another story involves a child (whos name was asked to be
withheld) whos love of video games started at the early age of three.
At the age of 14 his parents bought him a laptop computer, and his
addiction began to spiral downwards. Eventually landing him in theorapy
an rehab. Full
story
here
How to overcome the addiction
Video game addiction should not be taken lightly, if you or a loved one
suffers from this disease there is hope. "Video game addiction
treatment centers are popping up in countries like China, South Korea,
the Netherlands and the United States in an effort to provide help for
video game addiction. Detox for video game addiction is designed to
help video game addicts learn how to effectively eliminate their
compulsive, addictive behaviors much like those addicted to gambling
and/or alcohol abuse" (Video).
Here are some video game treatment center options
There are more options out there other than your traditional rehab
center. "Video game addiction books provide Helpful advice to video
game addicts on how to beat computer and video game addiction, as well
as important information for parents struggling with their children's
addiction to video games. The inofrmaiton in these books on video game
addiction also discusses the increasing number of violent video games
and the harmful effects these games may have on children and teens that
parents may or may not be aware of" (Video).
Here are some video game addiction books
Works Cited
Grusser, S.M. "Excessive Computer Game Playing: Evidence for Addiction and Agression?."
CyberPsychology & Behavior 10.2
(2007) : 290-291. Web. 9 Nov 2009.
Hart, Gordon. "Effects of Video Games on Adolescents and Adults."
CyberPsychology & Behvaior 12.1 (2009) : 63. Web. 1 Nov 2009
"Types of Addiction."
Thagard Student Health Center , Web. 9 Nov 2009.
<
http://www.tshc.fsu.edu/he/Alcohol_Drugs/types_addiction.htm>.
'Video Game Addiction-Symptoms and Treatment of Video Game Addiction."
Telling It Like It Is. Nov 2009. Web 8 Nov 2009.
<
http://Tellingitlikeitis.net/2008/11/video-game-addiction-symptoms-and-treatment-of-video-game-addiction.html>.
Villarreal, Phil. "Experts: Video game addiction is real; players scoff."
Arizona Daily Star. 28 June 2007.
Web. 6 Nov 2009. <
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/189473>.
"What is Addiction."
MyAddiction.com. Web. 6 Nov 2009.
<
http://www.myaddiction.com/eduction/articles/what_is_addiciton.html>.