Gaming Addiction

Video Game Addiction is another (proposed) form of psychological addiction, and is usually part of Internet Addiction Disorder. Video Game Addiction constitutes of overwhelming and immoderate gaming, in particular MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game). With games such as World of Warcraft having 8.5 million players worldwide, it is not hard to imagine why these online gaming communities are so expansive and large. Those afflicted secludes themselves from the social world, often isolating themselves from their families and friends. They devote all their energies towards the game, instead of engaging in real life activities.

Given the interactivity in the various MMORPGs, it is not surprising that those addicted to the game will prefer to

to participate in the virtual world and would rather communicate with strangers online than to be involved in face-to-face personal interaction. Most notably, addicts spend their time when off the game thinking, imagining or fantasizing about the game. With the average MMORPG gamer spending 20 to 25 hours a week on the game (http://www.itfacts.biz/), it does not come as a surprise that these games had become the main part of a gamer’s life.

It is also characterized by a requirement for increasing amounts of time spent on the game in order to gain sufficient satisfaction. The game also becomes so integrated within the addict’s life that there may be frequent talks and mentioning of the game in daily life.

In addition to the playing of the game itself, a large proportion of the addict’s time is dedicated towards activities pertaining to the game, such as purchasing game guide books, participation of forums discussing the game, browsing of sites containing fan art and looking up on cheats or hints for the video game.

Such an addiction would become extremely detrimental to the addict’s life, especially if the addict’s time spent on gaming goes unregulated. Cases of extreme addicts collapsing and even dying has occurred (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4137782.stm). While there are several government attempts at curbing such an addiction, for example, the setting up of therapeutic centers, such an addiction is perhaps best cured by less neglect and more control over the behavior of the addicts by their parents, as majority of the addicts are teenagers who indulge excessively in gaming.