Computer Gaming Addiction
- Videojug
- Videojug
- 10:41
- Yes
- 360p
- 640x360
- Flash
- h.264
- 900kbps
Computer Gaming Addiction
Marc Kern (Addiction Expert, Director of Addiction Alternatives) gives expert video advice on: What is "computer game addiction"?; What causes "internet gaming addiction"?; Why are computer games so addictive? and more...
What is "computer game addiction"?
We have a new tool in our society that no other society has had and that is a way to change the way we feel via a computer or a game or something mechanical like that. It's never existed in history before and now we have it and these addictions that we're all very free about labelling everything addiction but it's just a new technology that has offered us a way of utilizing a machine to change the way we feel inside to a point where we self entrap ourselves.
What causes "internet gaming addiction"?
The causes are really not clear about internet or gaming addictions because, in part, it is a such a new technology. But I think that we're going to find that it essentially holds the same dynamics that cause many other addictions. The key issue is the social environment such as the availability of the monitor, the screen, the access to the internet, or the little handheld games that you can buy and win. You have conflicts and you feel good at the end of a particular evolution in the little game, and this is what causes gaming addiction. Again, the causes of the gaming addictions are that similar to alcohol they're immediate, and predictable. If I'm bored and I reach for a computer addiction or a little game I know I can change my feeling quickly, efficiently, effectively and predictably, right away. I don't have to wait to go and play basketball. I can change the way I feel and my mood state, immediately, through a machine.
Can an electronic game function like a drug?
Yes, I'm a big believer that a video game, a computer, can act identically as a drug. As our brain imagery technology improves we're going to be able to see that the exact same centers of the brain are lit up for a drug, as a video game, as a computer game. Exact same brain regions.
What type of person is at risk of becoming a gaming addict?
Generally speaking, like all addictions, a lot of the risk involved in becoming a gaming addict lies in the familiarity and the endorsement within the family, for example, if you live in a household where there's few things that make you feel good about yourself. It is very easy to envision yourself finding a toy or mechanical system to lean on, to comfort yourself when you are feeling bad about yourself, lonely or feel you don't have anyone to talk to. Young children particularly become bored easily and we can teach them to turn on the television and instantly alleviate their boredom. A big part of gaming addiction is related to the social climate more than anything else and again the availability of gaming activities. Honestly, if you're good at mechanical things and you have a fascination with mechanical things on the internet, a gaming addict may think why not lean into that, as opposed to leaning into some other sort of activity where you have to go outside to get involved in it when the internet is right inside your house.
When should gaming be considered a behavioral addiction?
From my reading I don't know of any specific criteria, where we as professional would say: this is a video addict today or a gaming addict. But, I do believe parents have an important role to play in supervising kids as well as adults in how much time they spend on video games and on the internet. What the child doesn't know or understand is that they're getting reinforced every minute they sit there with that video game, and if that becomes their only mechanism of feeling good, other adaptive ways of coping with life from having fun don't develop. They just go by the wayside, and in actuality, you could raise a child in a home with lots of video stuff, and never encourage them to go outside and on some level you'd be fostering an addict and fostering a reliance on mechanics rather than people to feel good about yourself.
Who is at risk for electronic game addiction?
It's very difficult to define, especially with the current knowledge available of what it really is. Let's conceptualize a gaming addiction or video addiction as being balanced on five fingers. One of these fingers stands for having friendships, one of these fingers stands for going to school, one of these fingers stands for video playing, one of these fingers stands for having other ways of making yourself feel good such as being on a ball team or something like that. During the course of an addiction you're going to see that when someone is addicted, they're standing on one finger, but that one finger doesn't happen suddenly. Addiction is the eating away or the unwinding of other support mechanisms to keep one healthy and functioning. An addict, generally, has only one finger to stand on to make themselves feel good. So what we're talking about with these kids is to keep an eye on their lifestyle balance, keep an eye on their ability to have a variety of different ways to make themselves feel good, a skill set for a variety of different domains, not a singular domain. It's all about balance and keeping that perspective. Nothing's wrong with videos, nothing's wrong with gaming, nothing's wrong with anything we've really talked about here, it's just the centrality of it, the exclusion of it to everything else, that i'm concerned with and everybody else should be concerned with.
What are the common effects of addictive gaming?
When you're preoccupied with a video game or something like that, well you don't have to go and negotiate with the local bully, or the girls, or whatever. You get all your needs met in this mechanical way, and in a way you're stunted in learning things you would normally learn just by being alive, and going to school, and by being out there. It stifles, because these mechanisms do seem to work efficiently, effectively and predictably and it's reinforcing, so you get an illusion that you have the skills to get out there and make it in the real world, when in actuality, you really have forgone them and you may be out of sync with your contemporaries and they have the skills, and you don't and then you're going to withdraw more into video machines, because you're further behind as the weeks and years go on.
Why are computer games so addictive?
The video games, video game producers and the game developers do a very good job setting the stage for the child, the adolescent or the adult to feel a sense of power, dominance or control you've seen in some of these violent games. You also see a lot of war games that create a fantasy world where they are in a position or an emotional position of power and control, and I'm on top of things and things like that and that's what does it. It's instantaneous, you press a button, there's immediate reinforcement to begin to sort of reseek it and reseek it. It's a very intentional process and its not necessarily evilly intended by these developers, but nonetheless it's partial of things of developing a game that will be popular and people would do over and over again.
Are all electronic gaming addicts male?
In terms of the statistics generally speaking males are more involved with these computer games. Impacts there are some companies that have complained that they are not reaching half the market. But the reality is that most compute addicts happened to be males but not of course every one.
Are all electronic games equally addictive?
Absolutely not. It's very much a science in their development, to bring about the addiction. To bring about the excitement and exhilaration, the sound effects, the movement and things like that. There are games that we could call non-addictive, but they aren't selling, so they're not being developed. It's a funny sort of phenomenon. To develop a very successful game, it's always got to be addictive.
What is the treatment for electronic game addiction?
In general the technology is new, therefore the treatment methodology, the treatment programs are very sparse. There is some internet-0based support, but rarely do you find a formal treatment center that specializes in this or a book that's, I mean while there are books, there's really very little written on it. The treatment, again, has not been all that formally constructed either. But I do believe it would be as much about time management and as much about identifying the beliefs and things like that and fostering the sort of adaption of the adolescent or the adult to develop a more balanced lifestyle rather than focusing all the attention on the gaming itself.
Tips & Comments
that is deep larrid, me also being a computer gamer for 4 years made me realize that I was only playing to fullfil a social quota demonstrated by peers around my block. I illegedly quit gaming and decided to ask people why they gamed and they replied, its just a casual thing, plus the fatc that there arent to many town events to distract and entertain us leads me to find some sense of amusement in the game and try to fullfil that feeling of accomplishment, that, I finally did it feeling. another fact is the* ive got to own that game * feeling, because the advertisement makes the game look like so much fun they go out and buy it for even more of a social status rising over the internet, and a larger feeling of accomplishment. but so many games that are so complicated and huge are coming out really fast, so before a person can complete and gain the feeling of accomplishment, a new game comes out for them to buy, even though they havent completed the first bought game. this cycle repeats until they are so sucked in, they cant get out by themselves.
an addiction is a constant want and feel of needing some sort of input towards the variable addicting substance or feeling. if you schedule play for the video game on a regular basis its no good because now the kids are expecting that pattern to repeat.
games are really fun and relaxing, unless you take ( ex-bowks teree sikstee ) because the games suck kids in with exciting plots and gameplay, I myself own one of this type of console and I have to say I became addicted my self until I came upon this site, it made me snap out of the trance game producers put people in when they game. I found when I asked my friends why they found it so fun is because they said it let them release streess upon the programmed characters and enemies of the game, or provided a mental exercise by forcing them to concentrate on the game, obviously sucking them in further. The fact that those violent games the teens of today are playing results in them focusing on almost nothing else but * must get back at that boss* or *got to look better on multiplayer* or just plain old * must beat that level *, not to mention the added, distracting secret bonuses placed in these games causing the mental pattern of * it would be so great to find that ( such and such item from such and such game ) to show of to peers and gety a social feeling. we can try as hard as we want, its just kids will ALWAYS have video games in some part of their lives.
i almost 5 years online gaming player and there are time work in different computer gaming company.. bases on my observation online game is not just a game. It reflects the gamer WHO REALLY THEY ARE,THEIR CHARACTERS ARE THE MIRRORS OF THERE SELF. the emotions they show in games are the thing they fill during the time they are playing and one reason why they get addicted to the games is because they find someone who can understand thier feelings in online game (specially in online gaming which is in real-time response) with the same interst with the. using the game they can produce friendship eith other players who accepted them who they are. other reason especially for those shy people who afraid to be neglected they can hide who really they are by trial and error of characters and attitude they show since they dont know how you really look like. i can create new character if they neglected. this are some reason why they are addictive but on the other hand there are many benificial in playing online games in balance time like eye and hand coordination, mental ability (especially in logical reasoning, like playing chess), team work (for those who have clan in the game), and most of all friendship and socialization. i believe there are more which i dont stated but you will find out by your own if you try... but dont forget balacing yout life style always remember. THESE GAMES ARE MADE FOR UNWINING AND RELAXATION NOT TO RUIN YOUR LIFE!!!!
Although I do believe that some people are actually addicted to video games, can you really call it an addiction if you only play 2 hours on weekends? Or if you have good grades? Or if you can stop for extended periods of time without irritaion or depression? I do not believe so. That is why I believe that some moms are mistaking what truly is and addiction in comparision to a reasonable want to be allowed to play more. If you do other things such as sports or after school activities, it does not fit the definition of a true addicition. So for all the people out there who believe someone is addictied, there is a huge differene between truly addicted and not addicted.
My husband has been playing games for about 10 years, before we were married, but it's getting really bad. He does not have any desire to do anything else really. He works nights and this only fuels his addiction when he's off because there's nothing better to do from 11pm to 7am. It's interfering with daily life and has for years and I've been trying to help him cut it down to only an hour or two a day and nothing I've tried works. He's socially awkward and it seems to be getting worse. He has no desire to make new friends or do anything social outside of our home. I'm considering professional help because no matter how much I support him to change, it has not happened and has now turned into smoking pot with gaming. My advice to anyone experiencing symptoms themselves, or is witness to a loved one with this addiction. . .do something now before it gets worse. I'm now left with seeking professional help and if that doesn't work, I will need to leave him. I cannot possibly be happy with someone that is so withdrawn from reality. It's scary and I appreciate these sort of resources to help those people who are in the early stages of addiction. Help yourself, help your loved one. Just stop the nonsense, there is a REAL life to live.
I really enjoyed this video. I myself am 23 (almost 24) and still play games. I have had a background of being addicted to computer games, but at times in the past managed to go completely cold turkey. In the last year and a half i have let games back into my life and am starting to realise that is has become a major problem again. I think a comment made in here by an 'anonymous' use like myself was apt; you devote your time during gaming addiction all to one thing, but when you do go cold turkey you often replace it (and maybe with a more ostensibly productive and valuable activity) with another activity, but let that new activity also dominate your life. For me it was actually reading would you believe! - i know that sounds stupid, but that other person mentioned gym.. It is hard to believe, but yes people can replace "wasteful" activities with valuable activities (as society considers reading and gym valuable generally), and that was certainly my intention (as i saw reading as valuable and wanted to do more meaningful things with my life). But in doing so, i ended up renewing my imbalance with another activity. The key to a happy life and good lifestyle is balance of everything - including, work, friends, relationships, exercise, etc. I would be wary of this people, that is, people who have just left or on recovery from their gaming addiction. (Note also, i used the word 'wasteful' above, that does not mean i think gaming is wasteful per se, but certainly when it becomes all encompassing it is, because it leaves you with nothing but a gaming skill at the end of the day). I also have one other point i want to agree with in here. There was some hint that vunerable or imbalanced people come to gaming, and then, at that point gaming can do the damage (i.e. people with balanced lives will game and maybe even a lot, but it will never be a problem for them often) - this is true about gaming addiction, there often first needs to be some failure and emotional crisis in life which precipitates the person becoming vunerable to an addiction of gaming. This may not be scientifically true and thus, you may know of cases where this was not the case, but it is what i experienced and believe would be found in many other cases. In regards to resolving a gaming addiction problem, i think there are a few things needed, but these are certainly not exhaustive. Firstly, the parents are often one's concerned here. I would say, it is unfortunately often the case that the individual has to take action. We have the story of the 24 yr old and parents worried in one above comment; unfortunately, you as a parent are up against a brick wall and cannot do much, and i don't think there is much you can do to change that.. the individual really has to internally realise that they have a problem, only then will they themselves start to possibly resolve the problem. If the son is in denial, or does not want to talk to parents about it - that has probably, id be assuming, been going on since he was a teenager, right? - and here lies the problem, that is not going to change now. Unfortunately, you need to be on the sideline, always ready for support when he does hopefully come out of it and begin to make recovery, other than that, you might simply suggest to him things, but always be understanding and loving. If a child at 24 is in poor circumstances in regards to jobs and social life, he is going to need all the support he can get when he begins a recovery process. .. On second thoughts, maybe if you took the hard line on him that would work, i.e. take away his computer and really be a hard liner.. i think in writing this i am starting to realise - you should consult a professional who knows about giving professional advice - if they [the parents] view this - my suggestion would be to go see a professional and really make an effort to find out from professionals about what you should do. For individuals who have the problems themselves, (a) write down a set of goals, where you would want to be and set down a reasonable and long-term timeline for achieving them, (b) see a professional psychologist if you have the money to afford that (and one who actually believes in problem gaming, because only half the establishment still does and the other half view it as a non-problem), (c) try to do the basics, get a job or get a better job and really start working on making that part of your life more solid, and (d) start developing friendships, renewing, and be open to relationships. (p.s. this advice has notably been written for ADULT gaming addicts)
i am so glad i found this site, i though there must be more mums worried or concerned about their sons playing on these games, because they are obviosuly playing agasinst other people in the same boat my son is 20 21 this week and not even bothered with his birthday has no interest in anything else except for his computer,, we all joke about saying wil he ever leave the house, or his chair, but if ever i mentionanything about going out or hoidays he just make excuses, its a real effort to get him to even get his hair cut, he was never like this when he left school
Well, I was an online gaming addict (StarCraft), I got rid of the addiction by simply breaking the CD (watching it break in the microwave hahah). My addiction was pretty deep, I didn't eat, I hardly went to the bathroom, never talked to any of my friends, my grades went down, and I had dreams about the game. I'm not so sure what started. If you want to stop, I suggest that breaking the game be your first step, second keep yourself away from game stores or from borrowing games, third find another activity during the time that you usually game, build up self-esteem, and fifth spend time with family and friends. I hope that this advice helps.
http://www.videojug.com/film/understanding-your-childs-gaming-habit I think this is a better video.