Video game addiction

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This Photoshopped EverCrack Trilogy box cover, an allusion to the excessive hours some players spent on the game EverQuest, has been widely circulated online.

Video game addiction, also called video game overuse, is a proposed form of psychological addiction^[1] composed of a compulsive use of computer and video games.

Most notable are massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and related to the also-debated Internet addiction disorder. Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than life events.^[2][3]

[edit] Debate

In the United States, the question of video game addiction has occasioned much debate. The American Medical Association met in June of 2007 to discuss the topic, determining that further research was needed before video game addiction could be considered a formal diagnosis and urging the American Psychiatric Association to study whether the diagnosis would be appropriate for inclusion in the 1998 American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Michael Brody of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry indicated that though he did believe video games could be addictive, he did not necessarily believe the diagnosis warranted inclusion in the DSM.^[4] In its official statement on June 25, 2007, the APA said it "does not consider 'video game addiction' to be a mental disorder at this time," but it did not rule out the possibility that such a diagnosis could be confirmed by 2012.^[5]

[edit] Possible diagnosis

Though video game addiction is not included as a diagnosis in either the DSM or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, it is suggested that the symptoms of a video game addiction would be similar to that of other psychological addictions.^[6] Like compulsive gambling, video game addiction is said to be an impulse control disorder.^[7][8] While no diagnostic criteria have yet been established for video game addiction, the symptoms of impulse control disorder include regular or repetitive displays of at least five of the following:^[9][10]

1. Persistent thoughts of the activity or performance of the activity. (Preoccupation)
2. Need for increased time spent on the activity to achieve satisfaction or diminished reward for the same amount of time spent on the activity. (Tolerance)
3. Inability to control, stop or diminish the behavior. (Loss of control)
4. Restlessness or irritability when prevented from partaking in the activity. (Withdrawal)
5. Lying to friends or family about extent of involvement with activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)
6. Committing illegal acts to sustain activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)
7. Relying on others to finance activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)

[edit] Prevalence

No formal studies have been published addressing the prevalence of a possible video game addiction. A Harris Interactive poll released in April of 2007 found that 8.5% of "youth gamers" in the United States could be "classified as pathological or clinically 'addicted' to playing video games."^[11] A British survey reported in November of 2006 indicated 12% of polled gamers exhibit addictive behaviours.^[12] Video game overuse is believed to be more of a problem in Asia.^[4] A governmental survey in South Korea estimated that 2.4% of South Koreans aged 9 to 39 are addicts, with 10.2 percent more "borderline cases."^[13]

A 2005 survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that "video game overuse" was more common in players of MMORPGs.^[14] In an interview in 2005, Dr. Maressa Orzack of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts estimated that 40% of the 11 million players of MMORPG World of Warcraft are addicted, a figure she derived from the survey managed by Nick Yee at the The Daedalus Project. ^[15]. However, Nick Yee has pointed out that caution should be exercised when interpreting this survey data^[16].

A July 2007 article indicates a 15-year-old boy from Perth, Western Australia abandoned all other activities to play Runescape, a popular MMORPG. The boy's father compared the condition to a heroin addiction.^[17]

A 2008 Study by Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that video game addiction in men may be more prevalent than women when the game concept revolves around territorial control. ^[18] In a first-of-its-kind imaging study, the Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play. "These gender differences may help explain why males are more attracted to, and more likely to become 'hooked' on video games than females," the researchers wrote in their paper, which was recently published online in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

[edit] Possible causes

Theorists focus on the built-in reward systems of the games to explain their addictive nature.^[19][20]

Researchers at the University of Rochester and Immersyve Inc. investigated what motivates gamers to continue playing video games. According to lead investigator Richard Ryan, they believe that players play for more reasons that just mere fun. Ryan, a motivational psychologist at Rochester, says that many video games can satisfy some basic psychological needs and often players continue to play because of rewards, freedom, and often a connection with other players.^[21]

Dr. Brody, head of the media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry^[22], puts forth that the addiction to computer games can be caused by psychological problems such as antisocial disorder, depression, and phobias such as social phobia. He believes that many addicts want a way to escape reality and then find that they can create a whole new persona on an online game and live their life through their new online personality. Through this they can start to like fantasy life more than reality due to newfound friends and power, and thus, refuse to be drawn away from it. Dr. Brody, like others, sees the problem in computer game addiction and believes it needs to be treated on the same level as a drug addiction. According to him, computer and video game addiction is a disease. Dr. Karen Pierce, a psychiatrist at a children's hospital in Seattle, treats at least two children a week who play computer and video games excessively, and "treats it like any addiction." ^[23]

[edit] Treatment

Some countries, like South Korea, have responded to the perceived threat of video game addiction by opening treatment centers.^[13] The Chinese government operates several clinics to treat those addicted to online games, chatting and web surfing. Treatment for the patients, most of whom have been forced to attend by parents or government officials, include various forms of pain, or uneasiness.^[24][25]

China also introduced an anti-online gaming addiction system in 2005 intended to reduce addiction by diminishing in-game rewards after three hours of play.^[26] In 2006, the system was altered so that users over 18 did not face the limitations.^[27] Reports indicate underage gamers are finding ways to circumvent the measure.^[28]

The Chinese government has launched a campaign to limit the number of hours teenagers spend online playing games. Under new rules (July 2007) Chinese Internet gaming companies must install a program that requires users to enter their ID card numbers. After three hours, players under 18 are prompted to stop and "do suitable physical exercise." If they continue, the software slashes by half any points earned in the game. All points are wiped out if players stay on more than five hours. ^[29]

In June of 2006, the Smith and Jones clinic in Amsterdam became the first treatment facility in Europe to offer a residential treatment program for compulsive gamers.^[30] McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts has set up Computer Addiction Services. Elsewhere, gamers may seek services at generalized addiction support centers. At one such center in Richmond, Canada, excessive gaming accounts for 80% of one youth counselor's caseload.^[31]

Research in treatment area is still in the preliminary stages because few clinical trials and no meta-analyses have been done to evaluate treatment for this type of addiction. As with other addictions or dependencies, the most effective treatments are a combination of psychopharmacology and psychotherapy - 12 step programs have also shown promise. ^[32]

On-Line Gamers Anonymous, a registered non-profit organization, formed in 2002, is a 12-step, self-help, support and recovery organization for gamers and their loved ones who are suffering from the adverse effects of excessive computer game playing. On-Line Gamers Anonymous also provides a variety of message boards, several on-line meetings and other tools for healing and support.

[edit] Deaths

There have been four well-documented deaths caused directly by exhaustion from playing games for long periods. In South Korea, Lee Seung Seop died after playing Starcraft for over 50 hours. ^{[33] [34]} In Jinzhou, China, Xu Yan died after playing online games for over 15 days during the Lunar New Year holiday ^[35] In India, New Delhi, a 21 year-old college student named Naminder Pal Singh Bagga suffered from extreme exhaustion and malnutrition, and ultimately starved to death while playing Fiesta Online daily for 3 months while he bunked his college. His roommates, Ramesh and Mandeep, tried to save him but were unable to stop his excessive playing. An unnamed 30 year-old died in Guangzhou, China after playing for 3 days straight. ^[36][37]

[edit] In popular culture

• South Park episode Make Love, Not Warcraft parodies many aspects of game addiction.
• In the Simpsons episode Marge Gamer, Marge is introduced to an MMORPG.
• In a CSI: Miami episode, Urban Hellraisers, a suspect is found dead after playing a game for seventy hours straight.
• A second season episode of Boston Legal, the lawyers deal with the death of a boy who died from overuse.
• David Barr Kirtley's fantasy story "Save Me Plz" is about a young woman's quest to locate her ex-boyfriend, who disappeared after becoming obsessed with an MMORPG.

[edit] See also

• Catassing
• Computer addiction
• Information addiction
• Internet addiction disorder
• Lee Seung Seop
• Shawn Woolley
• Television addiction
• Gamer widow

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Are Games Addictive? The State of the Science Game addiction article examining psychology, neuroscience, current research and problems with research.
• Daedalus Project Articles related to game addiction and gaming.
• On-Line Gamers Anonymous A support group for gamers and friends and family of gamers who are dealing with gaming addiction.
• Video Game Addiction Site looking at video game addiction.
• Tom Chatfield writes on video games culture and controversies for Prospect Magazine