GameBanshee Forums

Gaming addiction

I just read an intresting article about this on the BBC website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4265407.stm

So any thoughts or comments?

For myself I can say I recognize some things from the article, like not being able to talk to someone who is playing a game. When I'm playing Unreal Tournament and it's an important match I just can't listen to my mom if she asks something. But I don't think I'm addicted to UT, even though I play it every day. I play about 7 hours a week. But on the other hand the time I spend behind my computer is a lot more, maybe about 20 or 25 hours... Especially in weekend and during holidays I tend to spend a lot of time with my computer.

Gaming and internet addiction is actually a rapidly increasing health problem among both young kids and adults. I will certainly post more on this topic later (I'm at work now), but many interesting studies have been done lately. Gaming or internet addiction, like any addiction, has profound and destructive effects on people's lives.

World of Warcraft combines two high risk factors: it's a Blizzard game and Blizzard are extremly skilled at making addictive games with the right reinforcement mechanims and schedules, and it is an MMORPG, a type of game which many people get addicted to more easily.

I was addicted to gaming a couple of years back, when NwN was the hottest game in store. I played as much as 8 hours a day. But realised that it wasn't healthy to play that much. Now I only play a couple of hours, which still is much.

A friend of mine plays WoW so much, that he even skip school some times to play.

Hi my name is Yeltsu and I am addicted to WoW

No seriously, I don't see myself as an addict, sure I play alot, but if I have the oppurtunity to go outside with my friends, or something like that, then I always chose that. I don't skip school for playing games, (I might play a game when I am away from school, but I never skip because I want to play a game, that's is just sad in my opinion)

But I feel that being addicted to an internet game, is way better that just laying on the couch watching TV all day, at least MMOG's are a bit social.

But the guy who wrote that he lied to his wife about aving gotten a new job, just so he could play EQ all day, now that's just tragic. If someone does that, then they should seriously reconsider their priorities in life.

Well I use to play about 15-20 hours a week on Xbox Live, I've since cut down drastically on the amount of time I spend on either the computer or playing games. I now virtually only use Xbox Live or the computer to talk with good friends I made when I used to play, which I think is one of the significant draws to spend so much time on these games, because they offer readily available communication with people who you can become very good friends with. When I played I and about 10 other people developed a small community on Xbox Live, we didn't really play for the game, but rather because we all enjoyed each other's company and became quite good friends. I've since met most of these people in real-life and maintain steady communication with them to maintain the good friendships that we developed.

Hi. My name is Luis Antonio and I'm a compulsive gamer.

Well, I dont really spend much time playing multiplayer games - my conection speed is not good, my ping is way too high. And also, I'll avoid those communities for a while, or I'll spend more time a day playing.

I'm 23, I play at least 1 hour a day when I'm working(either in the farm or in some job. I get home and play, always, its sacred), and 3-7 hours when I'm with nothing to do. Baldur's gate helped a lot on that numbers, cause when I play a FPS, for example, I usually let the game on the shelves after finishing it. And when I buy a game I have an addiction rush, and try to play the game every time I can. But once finished, sometimes, I wont even touch the game anymore for months, sometimes for a year. Again I say BG has helped me to do the opposite - having a game to play every day, with different options and a very good atmosphere is a plus in addiction.

I dont see gaming as a personal problem, even though I know sometimes I avoid doing other things to keep gaming (Specially when my cash is low) and I have not got into trouble when working or studying because of gaming. My girlfriends never complained, and I gotta remember the fact that every time I have a GF I wont play on weekends or whenever I see my gf. (My record time without even turning the computer at home on was when I was with my ex fiancée).

But I'm sure that it replaces some activities and interactions that you'd have to do in every day life. Internet, for example, is a way of socialization for me, but I'm in the farm, far away from the city. I have neighbors close, but they arent at my age, and we dont have many things in common (except for pool and chess and farming) so I keep in touch with my friends via internet.

People must pay attention when this kind of thing replaces every and all social interaction. And stop gaming every now and then to check out the ladies, the birds and the sun.

I spend anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a week on the computer, but I wouldn't call that addiction or anything. I don't spend all of that time doing one particular thing. I mean, I'll get off if someone else needs the computer, or if I need to do my homework. I'll also go outside and play with my friends, if they want me to play with them. And I'll go to school and stuff. I haven't even begun to think about skipping school or anything.

I knew people who played MMORPGs back when they were text-based, on GEnie, and the cost was $10 *per hour.* They were known as "credit card hermits," because they'd play for a month, go offline to pay off the huge debt they'd racked up, and then return. Rinse, and recycle. That does have the hallmarks of a very bad habit, whether it's an addiction, or not.

On the other hand, there are some people who literally can't do without Web access. They see it as a connection to life, and hang on it for as many hours as possible, daily. As if that's not destructive enough, all other activities in their life deteriorate: work, family, friends, etc.

[QUOTE=fable]As if that's not destructive enough, all other activities in their life deteriorate: work, family, friends, etc.[/QUOTE]That's what happened to me, only it's because I'm a lazy bastard I used to be addicted to books and would read 1-2 every day, then I found Morrowind and I really like it so eventually I got it. I was hooked, once I got home I would play Morrowind until my dad got home. Although after a month I just occasionaly played, once every week or so.

I've never really been interested in games that much, I just give up too easily, so I hate it when I have to do those mindless tasks just to get levels up, which is why I stopped playing Runescape.

Morrowind was a big attraction to me because I could just escape from real life, which is what I want. I never do work or anything as I can't be bothered, so I get yelled at, I get detentions etc. Also, I hate it when I'm embarressed, (I'm most often embarressed when people think me supremely confident ) I will do anything not to get embarressed, even when my left rib got stuck and it hurt like hell, I didn't ask the teacher for help or anything, I just sat there not doing my work hoping no-one would notice me.

Sorry for getting off-track.

Buying the xbox is one of the best and worst things I ever did, although saying that the PC isn't much better, I can spend hours upon hours just playing, OFP was a bad culprit as was D2, any strategy or tactical game really......then came the xbox and Halo, kotor and.........sorry I must go play I'm getting the shakes

I think old school MUDs are one of the most addictive things out there. I have done drugs that are easier to kick. I haven't played WoW because I think the graphics stink, but I would be interested in knowing what it is Blizzard does to RJ Reynalds-up their games. I used to play the RTS titles for MANY hours.