Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

[Candyman5]

WTF.........This is a crazy article......somebody killed themselfs because of world of warcraft???

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19354827/

[cake612]

Re: Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

Not to belittle any other actual real physical addictions but this makes me think of that south park about alcoholism.
Stan: "Dad why don't you just not drink"
Stan's Dad:"Gahhh, you don't understand, I have a disease there is no cure, I'm an alcoholic, I can't stop"
Stan: "Umm no you just need to not drink anymore"
Stan's Dad: "You don't understand, the doctors say I have a disease, I need AA and the 12 steps, months of therapy and rehab"

I understand physical addictions like hard drugs and things of that nature, but all these mental health addictions "experts" talk about seem like a load of crap to me, no offense to anyone here but I mean, it seems to me if your a reasonably smart person you dont need hours in a doctors office to stop playing video games. If your a kid hopefully the parents realize their kid sits in the basement 12 hours a day playing games and they'll do something about it. And if your an adult, you just need to sit down and realize wow, instead of doing something productive like making money or meeting a wife, i'm sitting here like a loser playing warcraft for 15 hours a day. My feelings are your not addicted to something if you stop, and nothing happens. Drug users bodies basically shut down when you go into detox, they need help quitting. If your just playing games constantly and then you stop what will happen, nothing, maybe you think gee I want to play video games, but other than that your fine. Isn't America a great country, your not a loser with no friends who sits in a dark room playing RPGs every second your awake, you have serious mental health issues and should seek professional help and pay us lots of money to maybe get you to stop playing video games.

[madscientist]

Re: Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

When I saw this article earlier on MSNBC, I thoughy oh boy now my wife has proof that I am addicted. I could quit playing anytime I want to, and I know this because I went about five years without playing in the early-mid 90s. This is something I do to escape the everyday grind, and it helps me unwind. I have no other vices, as I do not drink, smoke, or use drugs. One of the main reasons I married my wife is that she was the first woman to "allow" me to play video games. Alot of girls are so insecure that if you don't pay them attention 24/7 they feel neglected.

[MassNole]

Re: Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

Well there is probably some merit to this, think about that Korean guy who died after playing a game for days on end with no breaks. Like anything that stimulates your brain and gives you pleasure video games could become addictive. I'd question the presence of some severe underlying issues or past trauma if you became addictive, but it certainly seems feasible.

I just hope this doesn't become like ADD and become the flavor of the week for so called experts.

[Behindshadows]

Re: Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

Well there is probably some merit to this, think about that Korean guy who died after playing a game for days on end with no breaks. Like anything that stimulates your brain and gives you pleasure video games could become addictive. I'd question the presence of some severe underlying issues or past trauma if you became addictive, but it certainly seems feasible.

I just hope this doesn't become like ADD and become the flavor of the week for so called experts.

Well experts need to learn whats a disorder and whats just plain stupid.

how can people be smart enough to beat a game, but no wise enough to take a break from them.

And people getting hurt or killed from playing games is not a disorder, its just dumb.

Unless they start. Labeling video games as drugs, and I guess the incidents could be labeled as overdoses.

Its a sad day, when peoples, video game addictions turned into fatalities...

[MassNole]

Re: Today Show-Video Game addiction mental disorder?

Well experts need to learn whats a disorder and whats just plain stupid.

how can people be smart enough to beat a game, but no wise enough to take a break from them.

And people getting hurt or killed from playing games is not a disorder, its just dumb.

Unless they start. Labeling video games as drugs, and I guess the incidents could be labeled as overdoses.

Its a sad day, when peoples, video game addictions turned into fatalities...

Because they become addicted .

Seriously, something causes an addiction to the game and they lose all sense of reality. Look at some of the nut jobs who play MMORPGs. Intelligence has little to do with it really, it is just seeking out something that is missing in their life. As I said before, there has got to be a strong correlation to this sort of addictions and traumatic events from childhood.