Video games that are connected with the internet are growing at a rapid rate. They are becoming more complex and detailed, causing people to spend more time to "beat" the game. They are getting more realistic and having more strategic challenges which are drawing more people to play the games.
Not all gamers are addicts, many people have a good balance between school, work, family, and pleasure. Studies show that around 10-15% show signs of addiction. Many of these games allow you to make friends in the game and real life friends are getting replaced by these internet friends. They get so caught up in the game that they neglect the real world.
Though internet video game addiction is real, it is not recognized by the American Medical Association as a medical disorder. I believe that if video games go from entertainment to becoming your life, that there is a real issue. If you believe that you are someone you know has a video game addiction, there is help out there. please visit http://www.video-game-addiction.org/
Video gaming addiction is seen a lot in kids who start off at a early age. I know a guy who I consider a addict back in the day through his poor priorities between school, work, friends, and games. He played World of Warcraft(WOW) everyday for a least 7hours. If he cannot fit it into the day he substitutes it for sleep, School work, or hanging with friends. Even if his school work is building up or friends are moving on or even work asking him to stay late, he ignores them all and play with a group of friends he made playing the game.
ReplyDeleteThankfully it isn't a disorder or as it shouldn't be called a disorder because just talking to them and putting the game away and helping him through the first two weeks gave him our perspective as to what he was doing. He quickly got the hint and now only plays the game if he is bored and everything is completely done.
I think that gaming is the most relevant topic when we speak of internet addiction. Those who have never been addicted to an internet gaming experience may find it hard to see this but it is reality. I can speak only minimally of this experience, but I can completely understand hhow many people have their lives consumed by online alternate realities. I've experienced internet RPG games and their is an overwhelming variety of ways to keep your mind occupied while engaging in such games. Those who are not happy in real life my find themselves having a very hard time seperating the two experiences, real life and video games.
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