June 22, 200718 yr PFFFT, We/I have known this for years, there is help at the bottom of the story. Associated Press All Associated Press News http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/dn/ap4.gif Video game addiction: A new diagnosis? June 21, 2007 02:58:00 PM PST The telltale signs are ominous: teens holing up in their rooms, ignoring friends, family, even food and a shower, while grades plummet and belligerence soars. The culprit isn't alcohol or drugs. It's video games, which for certain kids can be as powerfully addictive as heroin, some doctors contend. A leading council of the nation's largest doctors' group wants to have this behavior officially classified as a psychiatric disorder, to raise awareness and enable sufferers to get insurance coverage for treatment. In a report prepared for the American Medical Association's annual policy meeting starting Saturday in Chicago, the council asks the group to lobby for the disorder to be included in a widely used mental illness manual created and published by the American Psychiatric Association. AMA delegates could vote on the proposal as early as Monday. It likely won't happen without heated debate. Video game makers scoff at the notion that their products can cause a psychiatric disorder. Even some mental health experts say labeling the habit a formal addiction is going too far. Dr. James Scully, the psychiatric association's medical director, said the group will seriously consider the AMA report in the long process of revising the diagnostic manual. The current manual was published in 1994; the next edition is to be completed in 2012. Up to 90 percent of American youngsters play video games and as many as 15 percent of them ? more than 5 million kids ? may be addicted, according to data cited in the AMA council's report. Joyce Protopapas of Frisco, Texas, said her 17-year-old son, Michael, was a video addict. Over nearly two years, video and Internet games transformed him from an outgoing, academically gifted teen into a reclusive manipulator who flunked two 10th grade classes and spent several hours day and night playing a popular online video game called World of Warcraft. "My father was an alcoholic ... and I saw exactly the same thing" in Michael, Protopapas said. "We battled him until October of last year," she said. "We went to therapists, we tried taking the game away. "He would threaten us physically. He would curse and call us every name imaginable," she said. "It was as if he was possessed." When she suggested to therapists that Michael had a video game addiction, "nobody was familiar with it," she said. "They all pooh-poohed it." Last fall, the family found a therapist who "told us he was addicted, period." They sent Michael to a therapeutic boarding school, where he has spent the past six months ? at a cost of $5,000 monthly that insurance won't cover, his mother said. A support group called On-Line Gamers Anonymous has numerous postings on its Web site from gamers seeking help. Liz Woolley, of Harrisburg, Pa., created the site after her 21-year-old son fatally shot himself in 2001 while playing an online game she says destroyed his life. In a February posting, a 13-year-old identified only as Ian told of playing video games for nearly 12 hours straight, said he felt suicidal and wondered if he was addicted. "I think i need help," the boy said. Postings also come from adults, mostly men, who say video game addiction cost them jobs, family lives and self-esteem. According to the report prepared by the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health, based on a review of scientific literature, "dependence-like behaviors are more likely in children who start playing video games at younger ages." Overuse most often occurs with online role-playing games involving multiple players, the report says. Blizzard Entertainment's teen-rated, monster-killing World of Warcraft is among the most popular. A company spokesman declined to comment on whether the games can cause addiction. A woman in the New Haven, Conn., area who bought the game for her 15-year-old son last year, says he got hooked on it. "Now that I look back on it, it's like I went out and bought him his first Jack Daniel's," said the 49-year-old woman who didn't want her name used to spare her son from ridicule. Dr. Martin Wasserman, a pediatrician who heads the Maryland State Medical Society, said the AMA proposal will help raise awareness and called it "the right thing to do." But Michael Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Association, said the trade group sides with psychiatrists "who agree that this so-called 'video-game addiction' is not a mental disorder." "The American Medical Association is making premature conclusions without the benefit of complete and thorough data," Gallagher said. Dr. Karen Pierce, a psychiatrist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said she sees at least two children a week who play video games excessively. "I saw somebody this week who hasn't been to bed, hasn't showered ... because of video games," she said. "He is really a mess." She said she treats it like any addiction and creating a separate diagnosis is unnecessary. Dr. Michael Brody, head of a TV and media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, agreed. He praised the AMA council for bringing attention to the problem, but said excessive video-game playing could be a symptom for other things, such as depression or social anxieties that already have their own diagnoses. "You could make lots of behavioral things into addictions. Why stop at video gaming?" Brody asked. Why not Blackberries, cell phones, or other irritating habits, he said. ___ On the Net: On-Line Gamers Anonymous: http://www.olganon.org
June 22, 200718 yr interesting article.... i was addicted i must admit, the first thing i tended to do, was come in, turn the PC on and play.. still do to an extent., however i get bored easily if i cant talk to people, or listen to music... and in saying that i also get bored with games themselves..
June 22, 200718 yr Dr. Michael Brody' date=' head of a TV and media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, agreed. He praised the AMA council for bringing attention to the problem, [b']but said excessive video-game playing could be a symptom for other things, such as depression or social anxieties that already have their own diagnoses[/b]. "You could make lots of behavioral things into addictions. Why stop at video gaming?" Brody asked. Why not Blackberries, cell phones, or other irritating habits, he said. I bolded the real culprit ...Excessive video game playing is more of "symptom" of other underlying issues the individual may be experiencing.
June 22, 200718 yr well its true too... people tend to "lose" themselves in game to avoid other ulderlying issues..
June 22, 200718 yr The problem with a "video game addiction" is the fact that video games and TV do almost the same things to a person. They may raise your heart rate during particularly intense areas or create an emotional reaction. The difference between the two is that you interact with a video game. But there is no "hook" to a video game. People can be addicted to nicotine or alcohol because the chemicals alter your body. They can even be addicted to the endorphins released by sex. I'm sure there are plenty of people ready to find a video game addiction, but the problem is already there and it was started by TV. What it really boils down to are undisciplined kids whose parents let them do whatever they want. If your kid is neglecting his grades for a video game, it used to mean HUGE trouble. Not anymore. Anymore, kids are running their parents. And like Gator pointed out, it's not video games so much creating this "addiction", but providing a release for these feelings.
June 22, 200718 yr It's video games, which for certain kids can be as powerfully addictive as heroin, Its true that it can be but liek Everthing else in life you have to take it in steps. To much water, to much alchol, to much food, to much running, to much of ANYTHING is bad. And yes kids who neglect other parts of life for games needs to slow down but their are lots of gamers who dont neglect life. I also find that "15% of youngserters" is a bit high I'd say more about 10% Poassibly and 3-7% for sure are.
June 22, 200718 yr Wow. That's actually a rather serious thing, when you look at the first example. Cursing his parents out and everything else. Oh dear! I think, though, it's not particularly that people are addicted to games themselves but rather the interaction they can get while in the game. That's pretty much the main reason I play[ed] World of Warcraft, because I can meet loads of really fun, intriguing people. It's like an immense, mobile and interactive chatroom, TBH. What I do think is that this is another way for society to label video games as a bad thing. I don't mean to hit a nerve here, and I particularly don't mean to be offensive, but where do people always go with teen crime? "Oh, he played Grand Theft Auto." They do it a lot with school shootings. This is just another way to shun video games and make them a bad guy, IMHO. Interestingly enough, though -- and, yes, I'm going to point a finger here -- with World of Warcraft, everyone who I know that has ever quit that game seems changed, down even to their personality. All my buddies recently have stopped playing and they all have said to me, in some way, that "Life is better." I wholly believe that if people are going to look at any game, World of Warcra[ck]ft should be the one to look at. (As a hypochondriac, though, I wonder if I may or may not be addicted. >.>; )
June 22, 200718 yr I bolded the real culprit ...Excessive video game playing is more of "symptom" of other underlying issues the individual may be experiencing. was about to quote that myself, till i noticed that you had already done it. i've seen HUNDREDS of people who play videogames online that are depressed, bipolar, mentally unstable, you name it. most tend to use videogames as an escape from their "pain". nothing wrong with that in most cases... but with their already unstable mind, if something were to happen in this "escape" then whats to hold them back from hurting themselves and what not. Over excessive playing is a SYMPTOM of other problems... or, perhaps... OH NO! I"M ADDICTED TO BREATHING! i do it every day, even when i sleep. i just.. i just cant stop... they said eveyone else was doing it. pffft seriously. people need to stop blaming everything else around them and focus on the real problem, THEMSELVES. if someone is willing to throw their life away because of something that happened with a video game, then it only goes to prove that there's something else wrong there, that needs to be adressed as soon as possible.
June 22, 200718 yr The problem with a "video game addiction" is the fact that video games and TV do almost the same things to a person. They may raise your heart rate during particularly intense areas or create an emotional reaction. The difference between the two is that you interact with a video game. But there is no "hook" to a video game. People can be addicted to nicotine or alcohol because the chemicals alter your body. They can even be addicted to the endorphins released by sex. I'm sure there are plenty of people ready to find a video game addiction, but the problem is already there and it was started by TV. What it really boils down to are undisciplined kids whose parents let them do whatever they want. If your kid is neglecting his grades for a video game, it used to mean HUGE trouble. Not anymore. Anymore, kids are running their parents. And like Gator pointed out, it's not video games so much creating this "addiction", but providing a release for these feelings. Yes, but kids doing what ever they want is always a bad thing. At the age of 13-14 my curfew went away. During High School I was gone for three days, mom didn't know where I was, and all she did when I got back home was say," Well just make sure you call next time and let me know so I don't have to worry" There was no lecture or arguement of any sort. I was shocked. In essence I was able to do anything I wanted. I told her that I was drinking every now and then when I was 17-18 yrs old. She said,"ok...just be carefull." I told her I didn't really know what to do with the bottle because I couldn't just take them to the recycling place, and once again she goes,"just put them in the garage and I will take care of them." right...... On the other side of things...Controling your kids to much can lead to the same of affect of letting kids go. That is where most kids go wrong in college. They haven't really had the chance to exprience "things" and when they do they get hooked on it. Then it sometimes destroys their life. Yea, they might have had a little bit of freedom during high school, but college can be a totally different exprience and if the kid isn't ready for it. Then things can go south. This has almost happened to a family member of mine, as well as old friends.
June 22, 200718 yr I had an addiction to 2142 when it first came out I think I did like 48hrs straight playing and then went to work, dont really remember much from that day at work. All I know is that I was falling asleep while walking, and almost fell of the helicopter my boss just told me to go back and get some sleep lol:D
June 22, 200718 yr Yes, but kids doing what ever they want is always a bad thing. At the age of 13-14 my curfew went away. During High School I was gone for three days, mom didn't know where I was, and all she did when I got back home was say," Well just make sure you call next time and let me know so I don't have to worry" There was no lecture or arguement of any sort. I was shocked. In essence I was able to do anything I wanted. I told her that I was drinking every now and then when I was 17-18 yrs old. She said,"ok...just be carefull." I told her I didn't really know what to do with the bottle because I couldn't just take them to the recycling place, and once again she goes,"just put them in the garage and I will take care of them." right...... On the other side of things...Controling your kids to much can lead to the same of affect of letting kids go. That is where most kids go wrong in college. They haven't really had the chance to exprience "things" and when they do they get hooked on it. Then it sometimes destroys their life. Yea, they might have had a little bit of freedom during high school, but college can be a totally different exprience and if the kid isn't ready for it. Then things can go south. This has almost happened to a family member of mine, as well as old friends. You've got a really, really good point there Phrogg. I kind of have the same thing with my parents right now like you did back then. My parents are very lenient when it comes to alot of things. If I want to go do something, as long as I'm done with chores or whatever I'm free to go. If I don't come in till 3 in the A.M. or untill the next day they're usually fine with that. They prefer if I call or let them know what I'm up to. Even with drinking they're very lenient. I personally choose not to drink at this stage in my life, but if I choose to do so one night or something, as long as I don't drive, don't get in a vehicle with someone that has been drinking, or just stay the night somewhere and stay out of trouble its all ok. Now...back on subject of the "video game addiction." Gator has a very good point. Sever addiction can be a result of other factors in the person's life rather than a straight forward videogame addiction. Now, I'm not gonna say that I'm addicted to videogames, but I do play them very frequently. On the average I'd say I play some sort of videogames roughly 3 or more hours a day. The main reason is that I live out on a farm. I have a vehicle to go to town and hang out with friends and what not, but some days I just feel like sitting around and not have to deal with the crap that sometimes goes along with being around other people. I have been a gamer since...heck, before I can even remember. I've heard stories of me as a little 2 year old sitting around watching my brothers play NES and SNES. I've probably gamed since I could understand the premises behind Super Mario Bros lol. Videogames have not ruined my life in the least bit. I have a very social life with a lot of friends from all over the state. I'm almost a straight A student (I had at least a 3.6 GPA all year this year). With all my pointless ramble being said, I believe that videogame addiction can exist, but not as one on the lines of a drug addiction. The addiction is up to the person to quit at anytime because there are no body altering chemicals. It's all in their head.
June 22, 200718 yr :warning: -I AM NOT ADDICTED!! I CAN QUIT ANY TIME....NO!! I DO NOT WANT TO RIGHT NOW!! WHAT!?? NO, I WANNA PLAY NOW, YOU WAIT...WHO ARE YOU?, GO AWAY! I NEED A RANK!! WHAT?, IT HAS ONLY BEEN EIGHT HOURS? I CAN GET THIS RANK BEFORE I HAVE TO EAT...I WILL GO TO BED IN AN HOUR...THREE HOURS OF SLEEP IS FINE FOR WORK TOMORROW!! my name is not actually freefall...and I am addicted to gaming... :DLOL :warning: -I am not a fan of these...statements. It is not an addiction, it is a desire to progress in a game. I admit, when i am not playing a game I am involved with, I tend to think about what is next in the campaign or how I can do something better. If I do not have access to it for a long time, I do not show signs of withdrawals. My POV might be slightly different than others, because I can play on the computer for twelve hours straight, play DnD with friends for...too long, AND go outside or socialize for days without electronics around. REAL LIFE RULEZ! BAM!!
June 22, 200718 yr lol I'd rather be addicted to 2142 than crack. If you want an escape you will find it in various forms. Adrenaline junkies will get their rush in various places as well. The Southpark World of Warcraft Episode pretty much says it all: South Park - World Of Warcraft - Video
June 22, 200718 yr oh ive seen that video, where they get all fat trying to beat that guy, that part where he craps on his mom is so funny. When i first started playing games online i was playing up to 5-7 hours a day, it was crazy. now i play about 1-1.5 hours a day.
June 22, 200718 yr Well my opinion is that videogame addiction is a bunch of bologna! I mean come on everyone wants an excuse. Some people just do things that are irresponsible and blame it on anyone they can. I know a guy who plays WOW so much he has logged over a year and a half of game time. OF GAME TIME! that is a year and a half of his life spent on the game! He drinks Mountain Dew sometimes a twelve pack or more in a day to stay awake and when he doesnt play he is miserable. His wife and him fight and he gets depressed and just about as pathetic as anyone who hasnt showered or shaven or eaten or slept because of a videogame. Is this guy an addict? NO he is an IDIOT! An idiot who is not responsible enough to know when enough is enough! People in todays society want to blame everything on everyone else and it just doesn't seem to be getting any better. Lawsuits are more plentiful now than ever before and why not I mean when you can get a million or so dollars for spilling coffee in your own freagin lap (anyone remember that story LOL) what is out of reach? Nothing!
June 22, 200718 yr My parents have tried all sorts of things to keep me from getting on the computer and electronics. My dad is a Game Warden, the VP Game Warden. So he is obsessed with the outdoors. First my parents made it so we can only play electronic games on the weekends. During the weekend we could only use the T.V, computer, or any other electronic for 3 hours a day. So if i wanted to watch a game on t.v it was pretty much my whole days worth of electronics. Then once they realized that way wasnt working well, they changed it. They got one of those punch-in things so it shows what time you get on the computer,t.v etc.. So they could efficentially keep track of how long we've been on. Then me and my brothers started workin out ways to sneak past that system by punchin times really close together and stuff so they couldnt possibly read it. So after a few months of that crap they got rid of that too. Now *sigh* they pretty much set up a library system. Now i have to sign in to a sign in sheet to get on the computer. I have to write down what time it is, and what game I'm playing. My dad keeps all of the games right next to this sign in sheet. So in-order to play a game you sorta have to check it out like a library book. Then you have to return it after 2 hours or else you get a fine (either 3 days no computer, or if you go over 2 hours you must subtract that form the next day). So now my parents are thinkin about getting rid of this one too, because its easy to make a 3 an 8 or a 11 a 10. or a 1 a 11-19. So we can cheat this system too. So now i wonder what they have in store next?
June 23, 200718 yr i hate when people automaticly assume most poeple are addicted when they dont eat or shower. maybe they are just passionite! there is a fine line between addicted and hooked -G
June 23, 200718 yr Phrogg that was sort of my point. And if I had ever sworn at my parents or told them to go away because I was playing games, I would have got my @** beat. Discipline your kids so you're not the parent on Jerry Springer trying to hold back the tears as you cry, "I'm so scared of my daughter! She beats me!" I mean honestly, video games aren't going to create that. Bad parenting is. But back to addiction. This excerpt was taken from the ESA website: Gamers devote more than triple the amount of time spent playing games each week to exercising or playing sports, volunteering in the community, religious activities, creative endeavors, cultural activities, and reading. In total, gamers spend 23.4 hours per week on these activities, compared to 6.8 hours per week playing games. Seventy-nine percent of game players of all ages report exercising or playing sports an average of 20 hours a month. Forty-five percent of gamers volunteer an average 5.4 hours per month. Ninety-three percent of game players also report reading books or daily newspapers on a regular basis, while sixty-two percent consistently attend cultural events, such as concerts, museums, or the theater. Fifty percent of gamers are regularly involved in creative activities, such as painting, writing, or playing an instrument. In addition, adult gamers exhibit a high level of interest in current events, with 94 percent following news and current events, and 78 percent reporting that they vote in most of the elections for which they are eligible. http://www.theesa.com/facts/gamer_data.php These are averages, but as far as an epidemic of teens addicted to video games is concerned, I'm pretty sure we're safe.
June 24, 200718 yr My parents have tried all sorts of things to keep me from getting on the computer and electronics. My dad is a Game Warden, the VP Game Warden. So he is obsessed with the outdoors. First my parents made it so we can only play electronic games on the weekends. During the weekend we could only use the T.V, computer, or any other electronic for 3 hours a day. So if i wanted to watch a game on t.v it was pretty much my whole days worth of electronics. Then once they realized that way wasnt working well, they changed it. They got one of those punch-in things so it shows what time you get on the computer,t.v etc.. So they could efficentially keep track of how long we've been on. Then me and my brothers started workin out ways to sneak past that system by punchin times really close together and stuff so they couldnt possibly read it. So after a few months of that crap they got rid of that too. Now *sigh* they pretty much set up a library system. Now i have to sign in to a sign in sheet to get on the computer. I have to write down what time it is, and what game I'm playing. My dad keeps all of the games right next to this sign in sheet. So in-order to play a game you sorta have to check it out like a library book. Then you have to return it after 2 hours or else you get a fine (either 3 days no computer, or if you go over 2 hours you must subtract that form the next day). So now my parents are thinkin about getting rid of this one too, because its easy to make a 3 an 8 or a 11 a 10. or a 1 a 11-19. So we can cheat this system too. So now i wonder what they have in store next? Use EA downloader so there is no disc to be released from the parents library lol. That sucks in your situation. I can see them wanting you to do other things than PC or T.V. but the force method rarely works and only causes resentment.
June 24, 200718 yr ...the force method rarely works and only causes resentment. -For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction LOL :thumbsup: -For the record, I am all for the "beat the hell out of your kid" approach. My parents did that, the punishment = the crime...but the also used liberal applications of understanding, trust, and love.
June 24, 200718 yr On the other side of things...Controling your kids to much can lead to the same of affect of letting kids go. That is where most kids go wrong in college. They haven't really had the chance to exprience "things" and when they do they get hooked on it. Then it sometimes destroys their life. Yea, they might have had a little bit of freedom during high school, but college can be a totally different exprience and if the kid isn't ready for it. Then things can go south. This has almost happened to a family member of mine, as well as old friends. The following is a quote from CiberConnect2. "In regular society, adults will usally acept and forgive most of a kids mistakes. But that is not the case online. It makes no difference if the player is an adult or child; the same level of courtesy and reasponsibilitly is expected from everone." (end Quote) This tends to let teens get a bit more of experiance for the Real world by leting them practise things like listening to others, showing respect, helping those in need, and self-control without the pitfalls of adult life. Note: Most of what I say aplies to MMO's
June 24, 200718 yr OMG flop sweating ichy skin,head aches the shakes,i need some video gameing ,you got any to sell?
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.