Video Games as addictive as heroin?

[Mhurron]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

It's nothing personal. I just love that particular smiley (or rather, frowny) face. I call him Mr. Grumpy.

No, this is Mr. Grumpy. That's just an impostor.

[Hantz]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

It's nothing personal. I just love that particular smiley (or rather, frowny) face. I call him Mr. Grumpy.

Well congrats; you ran off the Teen Wolf, Mr. Grumpy.

His make-up was starting to look like a pancaked turd anyway. So, Famfrit is here again. Take me back! Don't be like this, baby!

[Murphie]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

It's nothing personal. I just love that particular smiley (or rather, frowny) face. I call him Mr. Grumpy.

[Hantz]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

[Taskmage]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

This may have just been what Feba was referring to, but this article showed up on reuters yesterday: http://www.reuters.com/article/techn...4?pageNumber=1

The headline is "Addiction experts say video games not an addiction." Here's the top of the inverted pyramid:

Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.

Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting.

They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games -- a problem that affects about 10 percent of players -- could be considered a mental illness.

"There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn't get to have the word addiction attached to it," said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

There are people within the profession that reject the rejection, but for now the American Psychiatric Association says that video game "addiction" is not a real addiction until it sees more evidence.

[Murphie]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

[Hantz]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

I disapprove of your new avatar, Hantz! Teen Wolf ftl.

I want...a keg...of beer....


rrrrlluuulllluuulluuuuu

Edit: Damn it Murphie, you're right again. I attempted to use the tried and true "TeenWolf" brand of intimidation on you, and look how that turned out. Damn it all. Where'd I put that Famfrit pic?

[Murphie]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

I disapprove of your new avatar, Hantz! Teen Wolf ftl.

[Hantz]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

These people want to escape reality for whatever reason, and gaming is just one of many ways to do so. The problem is there long before the video game comes along.

I love showing up at just the right time, finding some heated debate, then realizing that there's nothing I need to add.

[Murphie]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

We've all heard the stories of parents ignoring their child for days to play online games, or kids stealing and selling anything they can to pay for their games, becoming violent when they're seperated from them for too long. These aren't just problems with 'will power', these are straight up mental issues. Now the games more then likely didn't *cause* these problems, but they are the *target* of their desire. And that's what should be focused on. These people want to escape reality for whatever reason, and gaming is just one of many ways to do so. The problem is there long before the video game comes along.

This is pretty much what I'm saying. The debate about the word itself is just confusing the issue, and I probably never should have gotten into it.

[Ziero]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

I think this concept has gotten a bit confused as the word itself has now come under debate.

First off:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Addiction&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Simple as that, the dictonary defines addiction as both physical and phsycological. Alcohol isn't a chemical dependency, it's a pshycological one, but it can still be an addiction. Much like video games, it doesn't directly *cause* the addiction, a prestanding pshycological problem does, but it *can* be the target of addiction. And that's the key, one can be addicted to something without it being chemically addiction. They're addicted to the chemical changes *in their own mind* that said action brings about. But the groundwork to become addicted to something lies within the person themselves more then the activity or object of their addictions. People can become addicted to *anything* but that does not make said thing addictive.

We've all heard the stories of parents ignoring their child for days to play online games, or kids stealing and selling anything they can to pay for their games, becoming violent when they're seperated from them for too long. These aren't just problems with 'will power', these are straight up mental issues. Now the games more then likely didn't *cause* these problems, but they are the *target* of their desire. And that's what should be focused on. These people want to escape reality for whatever reason, and gaming is just one of many ways to do so. The problem is there long before the video game comes along.

Edit: And no, video games are not as addicting as heroine

[Feba]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

in other news, this proposal (or one like it) was shot down.

[Murphie]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

Oh noes. Some random guy on the forums told me I'm a terrible person. He totally knows me, and really has my number. Even though he's the one who decided to be insulting, I'm the one who is doing the flaming!

Until I see some actual evidence (not just anecdotal) that you can be addicted (not just really enjoy) to something that isn't chemical, then I'm going to continue to feel the way I feel about this issue.

[Krysta]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

Lots of people have different definitions of an addiction but i wouldn't call being dependent on video games an addiction but an obsession.

[Feba]

Re: Video Games as addictive as heroin?

To label problems such as these as merely a 'lack of will-power' is a terrible belittling of a very desperate condition.

That's what they are. They won't give you shivers and make you shake all over if you don't have them. You might REALLY REALLY REALLY want to do them, to the point where you can't control your urges, but it doesn't mean it isn't a lack of willpower.

That said, I don't think people should be looked down on for it. I sure as hell don't have much willpower. But I'm not going to make excuses about my problems to put the blame on someone else.