Game Addiction - Your Thoughts

I was just reading a few websites about gaming and I came across an interesting topic to discuss.

I placed this on the "Serious Discussion" section because that's how I consider it but you're free to "Spam". Just don't over do it =)

Game Addiction
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Addiction to anything is bad. Even games.


It’s a disease. A lot of people think they’re not addicted until it’s too late. Then they have problems with family, work or school. I’ll be the first dude to say that even TOO MUCH playing is a bad thing. Yes, even if I work in the gaming industry. We all have to prioritize the important things too… work, school and family, among other things.

According to this study on netaddictions.com, here are the symptoms to know if you’re already addicted to MMORPGs.

How to Know if you’re Addicted to MMORPGs

• A preoccupation with gaming
• Lying or hiding gaming use
• Disobedience at time limits
• Loss of interest in other activities
• Social withdrawal from family and friends
• Psychological withdrawal from the game
• Using gaming as an escape
• Continuing to game despite its consequences

Why Do People Become Addicted?
Here are some reasons why…

• You can be a different ‘YOU’ - often people with low esteem, overweight, or those who think they’re ugly, can have a totally different avatar in online games. Hence, they think they have to be online most of time. Often, they tend to think that their online avatar is the “new reality” and hurt their real selves in the process.
• Social Need – Those that have few “real” friends tend to have more inside the game. Again, this blurs the reality between real and virtual for these types of players.
• The Need for Greed – People simply are NOT satisfied. There’s that “one more level” a better armor set or any other goals that are fueled by greed. This often results to cheating, stealing or even scamming other people just to fulfill these goals.
• I can’t lose – MMORPGs are often designed as “never-ending”. There are no win or lose definitions. And by the nature of this design, some people will have their own goals of “winning”. This will sometimes mean being-better-than-everyone else, either in the server or in the game. Most Pinoys will employ pilots so that they can be online 24/7

Treatments
The first step, like any addiction such as alcohol or tobacco, is to ADMIT that you are addicted. More often than not, you can’t do it alone. You need the help of either a professional or the support of family, friends or your partner.
There are also some resources online to help you. Online Gamers Anonymous has a 12-step way to cure the addiction. While other tips can be found at netaddictions.com

 

I feel stupid to admit that I am addicted to aion U.U
Working in my office with my laptop and playing while printing and giving reports is stressful yet I do it =S

 

All I can say is... Know when to stop before you start.

 

Eheh-heh.. uhm... *hides* describes me a little too well.. and at the same time no. While I do not have that many friends outside games, I'm ok with it. Better have few really good friends than have dozens of shallow ones.

And I am taking care of my work and will take care of my school (if/when I get to school in this fall).

Anything and everything can be addicting. Gaming, alcohol, cigarettes, McDonald's food, knitting...

 

I've been addicted to games before and it CAN be quite bad.

When Ragnarok Online first came out during Alpha Testing, I played it and I liked it, then beta testing came out and I couldn't stop playing, RO was Beta for so long that I forgot there was a retail version coming out and my gaming hours were just ridiculous.

When I played Retail, I spent 3 straight days with NO sleep (yes, none or whatsoever) and I didn't even play at my house, I played at a friend's house for 3 straight days. When I went back to my house I played for a few more hours and then the inevitable happened, I crashed and slept for 16 hours.

I lost sense of time, had continuous dreams about the game, the sword bashing noise was stuck so bad in my head that I would hear it even while I was awake and away from the game. I had little food and even water.

That was probably the worst phase I went thru as a teenager and well, guess what happened a few months later? My account got hacked after gravity's DB got hacked and the game accounts were released on napster/ares/morpheus.

I quit instantly and took my life back to normal.

Gaming addiction is BAD.

 

I wouldn't say I'm addicted to gaming, but definitely addicted to the interwebs o:

 

I was ages ago addicted to wow (When BC was just live) and I got 1 month of free play. That month was