Is gaming addiction a real problem or not?
I don’t smoke, don’t take drugs, and only occasionally drink. This means I have room in my life for one addiction, and I chose gaming a long time ago. But it seems addiction is too strong a word for the condition I suffer from. In fact, I’m probably just being compulsive when I spend six hours playing on the PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii.
I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember, ever since my dad brought an Atari 800XL in to the house when I was just six years old. Since then, I have owned at least one console from each generation, and played games on them extensively.
I must admit to having tempered my gaming addiction somewhat in recent years. An increased workload, and turning 30 seemed to conspire to reduce my daily play time substantially. But I still find myself spending more time than is considered healthy on certain games from time to time. But can I be classed as an addict? Probably not.
BBC News recently carried a report which suggests that 90 percent of gamers who seek help for their addiction turn out not to actually be addicted. Furthermore, compulsive gaming is now thought to be borne from social rather than psychological problems.
Keith Bakker is the founder of The Smith & Jones Centre in Amsterdam, Europe’s only clinic treating gaming addiction. While 10 percent of the hundreds of gamers treated at the center do display traditional addiction symptoms, and therefore respond well to abstinence-based treatments, the majority need more social interaction to break their four hours or more gaming habit.
Mr Bakker said:
This gaming problem is a result of the society we live in today. Eighty per cent of the young people we see have been bullied at school and feel isolated. Many of the symptoms they have can be solved by going back to good old fashioned communication.
Bakker believes that the cause of most young gamers becoming addicted is a lack of good parenting or social interaction. But with the average age of gamers climbing as the industry matures, the problems come because when these kids turn into adults, they would still rather spend hours playing games than getting out and interacting with real people.
Everything is healthy in moderation but there is definitely a point at which gaming and certain games in particular, such as World of Warcraft or Halo 3, can become addictive. The online elements built in to most games these days mean people can build virtual lives in game by interacting with other gamers.
Would you class yourself as a gaming addict? How many hours a day do you play on average? Do you think this is a problem or just how you choose to spend your free time? Let us know in the comments section.
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15 Responses to “Is gaming addiction a real problem or not?”
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November 26th, 2008
Good discussion. I realize that gamming could become an addiction for some. If you let it consume your life and you are unable to stop or moderate yourself (much like drinking, drugs) – then you have a problem.
I have been a gamer since the NES. I have a pretty normal life. Instead of going home after work and watching TV like most people, I play games. I do also spend most of my free time on the weekends playing. I work, pay bills, exercise, have some what of a social life, etc, etc…
That said on average I would guess around… 40 hours a week.
November 26th, 2008
WAIT!! 40 is not right… I don’t know what I was thinking… 30 is actually closer to the average. Sometimes a little more… sometimes a little less…
November 26th, 2008
Maybe I have time for 2 hours a night. Depends. My roommate has school two days a weeks. I usually get some gaming in then. Sometimes I just rather veg and watch TV though. I also tend to have people over a lot which eliminates the weekends unless I get up early on a Sat or Sun.
November 26th, 2008
I definitely USED to be addicted, when I was a kid. Nowadays, I barely average out to about 2 hours or so a day. Some days I don’t play video games at all…
-Arvis
November 26th, 2008
I play PSP for about 8 hours online on SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo. And about 12 on Resistance: Fall of Man. Soon GTA: IV again next week on Xbox 360.
November 26th, 2008
@ Barnabee Jones……”Good discussion. I realize that gamming could become an addiction for some…”
….Erm I realize that you have the right to shut the FUCK up!
@ Ivan….Hello. shit. PS3 sucks my ding dong! It fucken SUCKS! It sucken FUCKS! And I don’t like it
THE MOST ADDICTING GAME EVER IS OBLIVION!!! THAT GAME TOTALLY ROCKS DUDE!!! I HAVE PLAYED THAT GAME FOR 30 HOURS NONSTOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS!!!
I HAVE MY OWN FUCKEE!!! hee hee hee PWNED
November 27th, 2008
With the delay of comments to post I PRESUME comments get looked over before posting? In which case, how on earth do Future of Sega’s comments get posted…
@ Arvis – So what you’re saying is that your days as a kid were your best ones! *sniffle* Guess we all gotta grow up
I still play multiple hours a night, and can easily blow most my weekend playing something… As long as its not destroying your life, then who cares.
‘Tehy arz addicted to teh gamzorzzz!’ Go bug the binge drinkers please
November 27th, 2008
Dave Parrack:
Please ban The Future of Sega. And everyone that buys game is because they are already addictive to their PlayStation.
November 27th, 2008
So Ivan,
You play 8 hours on your PSP, and 12 hours on your PS3…. deduct time to eat, poo and (hopefully) take a shower, does that mean you average 3 hours of sleep a day?
No wonder you look so tired in all of your pics.
November 27th, 2008
I used to play the living crap out of my old Megadrive (Genesis for the Americans). It would be great if Sega released a compilation of some of their best megadrive games. Have they done that yet?
November 28th, 2008
@harry.
yeah. they did that.
http://www.amazon.com/Sega-Genesis-Collection-Playstation-2/dp/B000HQBZOM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1227879499&sr=1-5
http://www.amazon.com/Sega-Classics-Collection-Playstation-2/dp/B0002VYPE4/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1227879565&sr=1-17
November 28th, 2008
@Harry
Thanks for the mental image of Ivan taking a dump…
December 1st, 2008
@Segakid – “I HAVE PLAYED THAT GAME FOR 30 HOURS NONSTOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS!!!†So do you just poop in your diapers or does you mom bring out a bowl for you to poop into?
December 1st, 2008
@Jones LOL
December 1st, 2008
SW…….Heeeey uuuuuh……I’m sorry you arrrre???? lol PWNED
Ahhh poor Ivan, whats wrong? Did you not have your daily dose of dingaling this morning? lmfao PWNED hee hee hee
@ Barnabee Bones…..my name is……..FUTURE OF SEGAAAAAAAAA YOU MORON!!!! dice!!!! And no, instead I smear my dung all over your PS3′s harddrive :p hee hee hee PWNED
@ Ncaissie……..Hee hee hee not funny. pwned