Is it possible to be addicted to video games?

[Mary Anne]

I would be careful comparing video games to hard drugs.

You know what happens to people who are addicted to drugs? Trouble. You know what happens to people who are addicted to video games? Their asses stay inside and out of trouble. For someone at a high risk of trouble, or for someone recovering from trouble, video games can provide an alternative addiction that is far, far less bad for you in general than what it's replacing.

We were discussing true addiction....which can cause death, jail time, hospitalization, etc. yes, it can happen with TRUE video game addiction.

 

[pjcnet]

What do you think of video games showing that they physically and permantly change young children’s brains?

Anything a child does is going to permanently change their brain because it's being developed, it doesn't necessarily mean it's detrimental.

You talk like videos games are something that should be banned from existence because they're dangerous, this is NOT the case for the vast majority of people. Some people love role play in computer games so much that it allows them to escape from reality, this can give them a much needed break and it can help them cope with the stresses of real life while playing out what it's like to be someone with a totally different life. There's various custom multiplayer servers for Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA5) for instance where people take role play extremely seriously, they will play a character with a very detailed life history and everything is acted out just like it would be in real life, they have emergency services, marriages, funerals and much more, but a large number of these role players also have productive real lives.

Here's a clip of a funeral on a serious GTA5 role play server:

Role play is not usually detrimental and in some cases can be a positive thing and we role play to a certain extent in masses of computer games.

 

[Mary Anne]

Anything a child does is going to permanently change their brain because it's being developed, it doesn't necessarily mean it's detrimental.

You talk like videos games are something that should be banned from existence because they're dangerous, this is NOT the case for the vast majority of people. Some people love role play in computer games so much that it allows them to escape from reality, this can give them a much needed break and it can help them cope with the stresses of real life while playing out what it's like to be someone with a totally different life. There's various custom multiplayer servers for Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA5) for instance where people take role play extremely seriously, they will play a character with a very detailed life history and everything is acted out just like it would be in real life, they have emergency services, marriages, funerals and much more, but a large number of these role players also have productive real lives.

Here's a clip of a funeral on a serious GTA5 role play server:

Role play is not usually detrimental and in some cases can be a positive thing and we role play to a certain extent in masses of computer games.

Clearly, you have not read the entire thread, where we talked about some having addictions but not all. YOUR experiences are not what I was citing from scientific medical journals I studied during my addictions counselor trainings 2 years ago.

I am very familiar with Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, etc. I can agree with all you say above, but that is not verifiable video game addiction, but a passion, hobby, or pastime as you describe. There is specific criteria for addiction. Don’t Worry about it, cuz we will never agree.

There is something really sad with “virtual funerals.” Live in any high crime neighborhood, and shootings, robberies, stabbing, murders and funerals happen on a daily basis. They are not “relaxing” environments yet, people enjoy this same violence virtually. How can you “relax?”

 

[Mary Anne]

This morning the mother of one of my students phoned me and told me that she was angry and worried about her son, because he was spending all his free time playing video games, and staying up all night to play on school days, not studying for school and getting poor grades. I suggested that they should not allow him to use the computer until he finished his homework or studying, but his mum says that this doesn't work because he screams and shouts whenever she tries to restrict him, and that she thinks that he is addicted to video games.

She phoned me for advice, but I really don't know what to say. Is it even possible to be addicted to video games, or is it a matter of self-discipline and organisation?

What is clear to me, however, is that unless the student (14 years old) acknowledges that he needs to spend more time on his school work and restrict the number of hours he spends playing, then it's a really tough situation that isn't going to be solved soon. Has anyone any suggestions? Has anyone been either in the position of the student, and how did you deal with it? Has anyone been in the position of the parent, and how did you deal with it?

Hey, Progster, I think you should read this. I just found it and it is about a 14 year old boy with video game obssessions who would become violent when the games were taken away. What One Boy's Story Tells Us About Video Game Addiction | HuffPost

 

[Progster]

I had a lesson with the boy. I told him that if he wanted to keep his video games, he needed to make compromises and come to some sort of agreement with his parents, and start studying for school (I had rehearsed this before the lesson). He is 'gifted', and he currently thinks that he doesn't need to study for school because he will get good grades anyway. I told him that it doesn't always work that way. It was a very unpleasant experience. He was snarky and hostile towards me and it was an extremely pleasant experience. I am unable to process quickly and I'm not good at dealing with hostility and snarkiness. I don't react quickly and effectively enough.

 

[Iamnotarabot]

Well i didnt read everything about this topic but, why do you need to advise him about video games and homework?

I mean being focus only in video game is a bad idea in general, does he spend free time doing other stuff ?

I dont know what is the problem, but this has to be taken care off by her mother, i mean why would he listen to you, his mother doesnt want to have a bad role and cant handle her kid reaction to frustration.

In the current situation his mother has to learn how to reduce his gaming habits, the sooner the better.

 

[Progster]

Well i didnt read everything about this topic but, why do you need to advise him about video games and homework?

I mean being focus only in video game is a bad idea in general, does he spend free time doing other stuff ?

I dont know what is the problem, but this has to be taken care off by her mother, i mean why would he listen to you, his mother doesnt want to have a bad role and cant handle her kid reaction to frustration.

In the current situation his mother has to learn how to reduce his gaming habits, the sooner the better.

If you look at my original post, I wrote that his mother phoned me to ask me for advice. I made the thread to get some ideas about what advice to give. Also, she wanted to me to talk to the student. It concerns me directly, because he was secretly playing video games or watching YouTube videos in my lesson.

 

[Iamnotarabot]

Haaa I see.
Well, obviously doing it in class is forbidden.

But really , that's nice that she asked for ideas etc... communicating between parents and teachers is important but in this end the burden is on the parents' shoulders, they have to be harsh to some degree.

 

[Mary Anne]

I had a lesson with the boy. I told him that if he wanted to keep his video games, he needed to make compromises and come to some sort of agreement with his parents, and start studying for school (I had rehearsed this before the lesson). He is 'gifted', and he currently thinks that he doesn't need to study for school because he will get good grades anyway. I told him that it doesn't always work that way. It was a very unpleasant experience. He was snarky and hostile towards me and it was an extremely pleasant experience. I am unable to process quickly and I'm not good at dealing with hostility and snarkiness. I don't react quickly and effectively enough.

I am sorry you had a such a bad experience. This shows you how this student’s character is- and what his mother is going through. I hope some solution can be made. By spoiling kids when they are very young, we create some real monsters.

 

[Mr Allen]

Like I mentioned earlier in the topic, I've been a gamer since the early 80's when I had the old Spectrum, and then at school I played some decent games on the BBC Micro, stuff like Granny's Garden and that. Then I moved on to stuff a bit more high tech like the Super NES, and then the Nintendo 64 and the Wii, although I eventually gave up on the Wii, I couldn't do the Wii Fit game which was the main thing I bought it for.

 

[UberScout]

I don't think of myself as "addicted". I think of myself as "avidly appreciative".

Just imo.

 

[Mary Anne]

To all who dispute Internet gaming addiction, here are two links. There is much more should you want to read up on it.

South Korea Imposes Midnight Gaming Ban To Combat Addiction | HuffPost
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/12/south-korea-imposes-midni_n_534782.html

'Screen Addiction Is Taking a Toll on Children' | HuffPost
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich...n-is-taking-a-toll-on-children_b_7765790.html

 

[Sloth]

Is Videogame addiction possible?

I can say yes, from personal experience. For many years, I was addicted to the most competitive and biggest game in the world. I played it at the highest level, which meant I was in constant contact with other addicts (since you can't really stay competitive unless you put in 10+ hrs a day). Many of them were like me, suffering from ASD/ ADHD/ depression or other factors that made it no coincidence that we all found ourselves in such a situation, a lot of them were smart like the kid you mention.

I disagree that the notion of "true addiction" is if you do something violent or hurt other people, that is only a very small percentage of cases (and wasn't mine), those stories are just for sensationalism. I think, rahter, that it is addiction if your thoughts and emotions are completely dependent on your failure/success in the game and , of course, if it creates dysfunction in other parts of your life.

Gaming isn't like addictive drugs in that it doesn't have naturally addictive chemicals like nicotine involved, rather what you get addicted to is the experience. In fantasy games, it can be the escapism. In competitive games, it is the experience of having dopamine and adrenaline flood your brain constantly. For someone who has ADHD like me, for example, complex games can be the only thing that is capable of holding your attention, it is infinitely more intense than traditional sports (hardcore games can involve hundreds of calculations/decisions per second, if you saw footage you would probably have no clue what is going on). Example

It's perfectly possible to play videogames and not be addicted. When addiction occurs, I think it is primarily because there are other unresolved issues at work. In my experience, simply trying to "ban" or "put hard limits" on the amount of time played doesn't always work and can be counter-productive. It would be better to try to address what caused the person to turn to addiction in the first place, lack of emotional support? bad experiences at school? social anxiety? ADHD or ASD?

Simply dismissing it as "being lazy" is wrong, just like dismissing auties for being bad socially as "being lazy" is wrong. In fact, the things one does in gaming can often be way more difficult and challenging than what people do in real life.

It's definitely a very big and growing issue, but I think part of the reason why efforts to stop it have been unproductive is because, as usual, the people trying to make the changes don't actually have any idea about what gaming is, and make opinions without being able to understand or relate.

Super super sorry for the long post , don't want people to make same mistakes as I did! If anyone has further questions or wants to discuss, you can PM me.

Also As someone said, it will probably be added to the DSM:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...here/201407/internet-gaming-disorder-in-dsm-5

 

[Progster]

It's perfectly possible to play videogames and not be addicted. When addiction occurs, I think it is primarily because there are other unresolved issues at work. In my experience, simply trying to "ban" or "put hard limits" on the amount of time played doesn't always work and can be counter-productive. It would be better to try to address what caused the person to turn to addiction in the first place, lack of emotional support? bad experiences at school? social anxiety? ADHD or ASD?

In this child's case, he was tested for both ASD and ADHD at a young age, not found to have ASD, one or two ADHD traits but no diagnosis was given. On an IQ test, he was found to be 'gifted'. Both parents are high achievers, and because of this, and because of his giftedness, he is under a lot of pressure to achieve academically. He is also an only child. He might have turned to gaming and become addicted in reaction to this, or as an escape from this pressure.

 

[Sloth]

In this child's case, he was tested for both ASD and ADHD at a young age, not found to have ASD, one or two ADHD traits but no diagnosis was given. On an IQ test, he was found to be 'gifted'. Both parents are high achievers, and because of this, and because of his giftedness, he is under a lot of pressure to achieve academically. He is also an only child. He might have turned to gaming and become addicted in reaction to this, or as an escape from this pressure.

Absolutely right, similar to my case. There's a reason why the gaming addiction/social isolation problem is the most severe in South Korea and Japan, it is because those are the countries where those pressures are especially high. Personally, I think finding fulfillment and happiness should be prioritized more, but parents like that are unlikely to change their mind.

 

[Mary Anne]

Let’s not forget the genetic, and bio components that add to addictive behaviors. In addition, computers also are changing brains, and the research is in its infancy as far as how very young brains are molded and shaped by screen use. Toddlers using iPads and cell phones, parents using devices as baby calming rewards. Perhaps addiction starts early on. We have all seen the nearly instant “hypnosis” happen when a fussy crying baby in a public place is given a cell phone to “ play” with.

 

[Mary Anne]

Is Videogame addiction possible?

I can say yes, from personal experience. For many years, I was addicted to the most competitive and biggest game in the world. I played it at the highest level, which meant I was in constant contact with other addicts (since you can't really stay competitive unless you put in 10+ hrs a day). Many of them were like me, suffering from ASD/ ADHD/ depression or other factors that made it no coincidence that we all found ourselves in such a situation, a lot of them were smart like the kid you mention.

I disagree that the notion of "true addiction" is if you do something violent or hurt other people, that is only a very small percentage of cases (and wasn't mine), those stories are just for sensationalism. I think, rahter, that it is addiction if your thoughts and emotions are completely dependent on your failure/success in the game and , of course, if it creates dysfunction in other parts of your life.

Gaming isn't like addictive drugs in that it doesn't have naturally addictive chemicals like nicotine involved, rather what you get addicted to is the experience. In fantasy games, it can be the escapism. In competitive games, it is the experience of having dopamine and adrenaline flood your brain constantly. For someone who has ADHD like me, for example, complex games can be the only thing that is capable of holding your attention, it is infinitely more intense than traditional sports (hardcore games can involve hundreds of calculations/decisions per second, if you saw footage you would probably have no clue what is going on). Example

It's perfectly possible to play videogames and not be addicted. When addiction occurs, I think it is primarily because there are other unresolved issues at work. In my experience, simply trying to "ban" or "put hard limits" on the amount of time played doesn't always work and can be counter-productive. It would be better to try to address what caused the person to turn to addiction in the first place, lack of emotional support? bad experiences at school? social anxiety? ADHD or ASD?

Simply dismissing it as "being lazy" is wrong, just like dismissing auties for being bad socially as "being lazy" is wrong. In fact, the things one does in gaming can often be way more difficult and challenging than what people do in real life.

It's definitely a very big and growing issue, but I think part of the reason why efforts to stop it have been unproductive is because, as usual, the people trying to make the changes don't actually have any idea about what gaming is, and make opinions without being able to understand or relate.

Super super sorry for the long post , don't want people to make same mistakes as I did! If anyone has further questions or wants to discuss, you can PM me.

Also As someone said, it will probably be added to the DSM:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...here/201407/internet-gaming-disorder-in-dsm-5

Sloth, thank you for sharing your history. How did you break the cycle of gaming addiction?

 

[Omnik]

I love games, it's my hobbie. I agree with what Janos was saying, it comes down to this: "Does the activity or the substance use harm the person or does it disrupt his life, work and social relationships." And you can even simplify this down even more. Does the activity prevent or hinder you from loving other people? Always admired the game developers. Thanx God they have a rich imagination and a sense of humor Recently I got carried away by one game https://dmnd.games/games/brute-arena From a half-naked barbarian, you can create a real champion of the arena! Thousands of unique items that give a unique image, PvP battles, in which points are earned and with due persistence, you can become a Champion!

 

[Tom]

Does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?

 

[Mr Allen]

Is the Pope a Catholic?