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Video game addiction

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File:Evercrack.jpg
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. Sometimes the addiction will manifest itself as part of excessive Internet use.

Most notable are massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), such as World of Warcraft and RuneScape, 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]

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.[4] Like compulsive gambling, video game addiction is said to be an impulse control disorder.[5][6]

In 2007, the American Psychological Association reviewed video game addiction to be added in the new DSM to be released in 2012. The conclusion was that there was not enough research or evidence to conclude that video game addiction was a disorder. Since the decision in 2007, different studies have been conducted on video game addiction. Research has been done at Stanford University that shows that video games do have addictive characteristics.[7] [8]

Prevalence

No formal studies have been published addressing the prevalence of a possible video game addiction. A Harris Interactive poll released in April 2007 found that 8.5% of "youth gamers" in the United States could be "classified as pathologically or clinically 'addicted' to playing video games."[9] A British survey reported in November 2006 indicated 12% of polled gamers exhibit addictive behaviours.[10] Video game overuse is believed to be more of a problem in Asia.[11] 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."[12]

A 2005 survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that "video game overuse" was more common in players of MMORPGs.[13] In an interview in 2005, Dr. Maressa Orzack of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts estimated that 40% of the 10 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. [14] However, Nick Yee has pointed out that caution should be exercised when interpreting this survey data.[15]

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.[16]

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. [17] 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.

Possible causes

Theorists focus on the built-in reward systems of the games to explain their addictive nature.[18][19]

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 than 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.[20]

Dr. Brody, head of the media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry[21], puts forth that the addiction to computer games can be caused by psychological problems such as antisocial personality 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. However, there is much controversy over video game addiction being diagnosed as a "disease" since, in some cases, it is much easier to treat than 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." [22]

Treatment

Some countries, like South Korea, China, the Netherlands and the United States, have responded to the perceived threat of video game addiction by opening treatment centers.[12]

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, psychotherapy and twelve-step programs have also shown promise. [23]

China

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, from July 2007 Internet cafes in China 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 erased if players stay on more than five hours. [29]

The Netherlands

In June 2006, the Smith and Jones Clinic[30] in Amsterdam became the first treatment facility in Europe to offer a residential treatment program for compulsive gamers.[31] ...

United States and Canada

McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts has set up "Computer Addiction Services"[32]. Elsewhere, gamers may seek services at generalized addiction support centers. At one such center in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, excessive gaming accounts for 80% of one youth counselor's caseload.[33]

Online Gamers Anonymous, an American non-profit organization formed in 2002, is a twelve-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. The organization provides a variety of message boards, several on-line meetings and other tools for healing and support.

Deaths

There have been a variety of well-documented deaths around the world caused directly by exhaustion from playing games for excessive periods of time.

China

Particularly in Asia, addicted gamers were a problem in the early 21st century. They believed it was unhealthy to sit in front of their PC for long hours at a time. Even further, there were a number of deaths related to exhaustion from playing games for too long without food and rest. [34] [35] In Jinzhou, China, Xu Yan died after playing online games continuously for over 15 days during the Lunar New Year holiday.[36] Also, an unnamed 30 year-old male died in Guangzhou, China after playing continuously for 3 days.[37][38]

South Korea

Gamer Lee Seung Seop died after playing Starcraft in a non-stop, 50 hour gaming marathon. [39] [40]

  • South Park episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft" parodies many aspects of game addiction. The South Park episode "Guitar Queer-o features a made-up game called "Heroine Hero", to which people develop a drug-like addiction.
  • In The Simpsons episode "Marge Gamer", Marge is introduced to an MMORPG called Earthland Realms. Though she rejects Bart's addiction to the game, she herself becomes addicted, ultimately causing Bart to be killed by other users and become turned off towards the game.
  • 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.
  • The popular web-comic Ctrl-Alt-Del has a large story arc about Ethan's addiction to the EverQuest series.
  • The Japanese multimedia franchise .hack features a MMORPG called The World, where excesive playing leads to comas.
  • The King of the Hill episode "Grand Theft Arlen" features Hank addicted to a game.
  • In iCarly episode, iStage an Intervention, Spencer becomes with a game called Pak-Rat, forcing Carly to take extreme measures to get him to stop.
  • The Star Trek: The Next Generation fifth season episode "The Game" features William Riker bringing back a video game from his visit to Risa. He replicates and distributes the game until almost all of the Enterprise crew are addicted to it.[41]
  • In American Dad, Steve, his friends, and eventually Jeff and Hayley play an MMORPG called "Dragon Scuffle".
  • In The Big Bang Theory, Penny becomes addicted to a game based on the world of Conan The Barbarian in The Barbarian Sublimation.

See also

References

  1. ^ AMA may identify excessive video game play as addiction June 25,2007. Accessed June 25, 2007
  2. ^ Computer Game Addiction. Berkeley Parents Network. Accessed June 25,2007
  3. ^ Hauge, Marney R. and Douglas A. Gentile. Video game addiction among adolescents: Associations with academic performance and aggression. Paper presented at a Society for Research in Child Development Conference, Tampa Florida. April, 2003. Accessed June 25,2007
  4. ^ Khan, Mohamed K. Report of the council on science and public health. 2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  5. ^ Brown, Gerald L. Impulse control disorders: a clinical and psycho biological perspective March 15, 2004 Accessed June 25,2007
  6. ^ Study finds computer addiction is linked to impulse control disorder The Australian News October 24,2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  7. ^ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625133354.htm
  8. ^ http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/2138
  9. ^ Video game addiction: is it real? Harris Interactive April 2,2007. Accessed June 25,2007
  10. ^ Online gamers addicted says study. BBC News November 28,2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  11. ^ Noyes, Katherine. Docs Retreat From 'Video Game Addiction' Diagnosis Tech News World June 25,2007. Accessed June 27,2007.
  12. ^ a b Faiola, Anthony. When Escape Seems Just a Mouse-Click Away. Washington Post Foreign Service May 27, 2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  13. ^ Video Game Overuse May Be an Addiction: Experts. Forbes June 22,2007. Accessed June 25,2007
  14. ^ Ferguson, Dylan. World of Warcrack: the addictive power of role-playing games The Manitoban Online March 28,2007. Accessed June 25,2007
  15. ^ Yee, Nick. The Daedalus Project: Addiction The Daedalus Project July 9,2004
  16. ^ Brian Quartermaine, Stress over teen's 'addiction', The Sunday Times (Perth), News.com.au, July 14, 2007
  17. ^ MICHELLE L. BRANDT (2008). "Video games activate reward regions of brain in men more than women, Stanford study finds". Stanford University School of Medicine. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  18. ^ Haggard, Daniel. The computer game affliction: how they addict you. Accessed June 25,2007
  19. ^ LeClaire, Jennifer. Warning Signs Appear Along Road to Video Game Addiction TechNews World. September 13,2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  20. ^ Cause and Impact of Video Games Addiction. All about Health, News, Articles, Discussion. February 5,2007 Accessed May 8,2008.
  21. ^ Backer, Erin. Child and adolescent psychiatrists react to ama recommendation on video games. Accessed May 7, 2008
  22. ^ Tanner, Lindsey. Is video game addiction a mental disorder? Accessed May 7, 2008
  23. ^ Cindy Burkhardt Freeman (January 2008). "Internet Gaming Addiction Treatments". The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. pp. 42–47. Retrieved 2008-05-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  24. ^ Humphrey Cheung.China electrocutes the WoW out of Internet addicts February 23,2007. Accessed June 25,2007
  25. ^ Sebag-Montefiore, Poppy. China's young escape into the web Observer Guardian November 20,2005. Accessed June 25,2007
  26. ^ Dickie, Mure. China moves to zap online game addiction Financial Times August 23,2005. Accessed June 27,2007
  27. ^ Shang Koo. GAPP Exempts Adults From Fatigue System Pacific Epoch Jan 16,2006. Accessed June 27,2007
  28. ^ Zhengqian Zhou. Industry Unfazed, Gamers Unconvinced About Fatigue System Pacific Epoch April 10,2007. Accessed June 27,2007
  29. ^ "China Limits Teenage Internet Gaming". 3-RX Health Encyclopedia. 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  30. ^ Smith and Jones clinic
  31. ^ Li C. Kuo. Europe Opens Its First Game Addiction Clinic. Gamespy June 1, 2006. Accessed June 25, 2007
  32. ^ Computer Addiction Services
  33. ^ Bennett, Nelson. When the game gets serious. Richmond News December 8, 2006. Accessed June 25,2007
  34. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4137782.stm
  35. ^ http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2003/0501/vo2-4.html
  36. ^ "Chinese gamer dies after 15-day session". VNU.Net. 01 March 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ "Chinese gamer dies after three-day session". VNU.Net. 17 September 2007.
  38. ^ "Chinese Man Dies From 3-Day Gaming Binge". Associated Press. 2007-09-17.
  39. ^ korean drops dead after 50-hour gaming marathon (london times) august 10, 2005
  40. ^ S Korean dies after games session 10 August 2005
  41. ^ Erdmann, Terry J. and Block, Paula M. (2008). Star Trek 101: A Practical Guild to Who, What, Where, and Why, p.92. Pocket Books, New York. ISBN 978-0-7434-9723-7.
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