Online game Adiction

[SukiYomi]

Re: Online game Adiction

When I started having sexual relations with the games I knew I had a problem.

Oh snap.. YOU TOO? >.>

[Callisto]

Re: Online game Adiction

Let's have an intervention, I'll bring the whiskey and cheetos

[Durahansolo]

Re: Online game Adiction

I'll bring the whiskey and cheetos

Nuff Said! I'm in!

[Cotners]

Re: Online game Adiction

FFXI isn't addictive... *twitches*

[Ziero]

Re: Online game Adiction

I believe it can actually be a physical addiction. Sometimes I'll get actual withdrawals if I can't play it when I want to. I can be so angry or be full of anxiety from real life, and it all completely disappears as soon as I log on. There is a mental and physical stimulus from the game. If physical and mental stimulus aren't real enough for people, what more can people ask for?

Mental, yes. Your brain wants it and needs it. Phyiscal, no. It's not your body craving something, it's your mind. It's an entirely mental state created while playing the game as opposed to a chemical change caused by an outside substance.

Can people be addicted to water or happiness or life or love or fun? Giving gaming the term addiction means they are saying its a negative thing. I would say that gaming CAN be just as fullfilling as things in real life. Fullfilling in terms of acchievement, success, happiness, and engagment or friendship. If someone is able to experience psuedo life much more than they could real life, why is that so bad? In my opinion, its not. Therefore, its not an addiction IMHO, but a psuedo or secondary life.

Gaming, in and of itself is a hobby. It's just like any other hobby out there. Whether it be watching sports, collecting stuff, painting or drawing, singing or playing musical instruments, fixing cars or whatever else people do for fun. It's an enjoyable way to spend one's time and nothing more. As such, it can become an addiction to some, as any other hobby can, but that is something that will happen to a very small percentage of those involved in said activity. But to everyone outside of a specific hobby, those who are involved with it will always seem a little...off. It's just human nature to fear and hate things we don't understand, and with the media always pushing video games into the negative light, it just perpetuates that fear and hate amongst those who don't understand it.

Gaming *is* as fufilling as things in real life because it is real life. I am really playing this game and getting real enjoyment out of it. Just like the baseball fan really roots for their favorite team and gets enjoyment from when they do well, or the collector really finds that rare item they were searching for and gets enjoyment from owning it. Just because what we do affects a virtual world doesn't mean it doesn't have real effects on those involved. A good song can cheer me up, a sad movie can bring me down, and kicking ass in a video game is a helluva good time.

I will definitely say that the time I most seemed like an out-and-out addict was a non-online game, I take breaks in FFXI but I played MGS4 for 28 straight hours when I got it and beat it in a sitting. I would definitely say console games can be every bit if not more addictive, especially with the lack of people coming and going and saying 'good night', reminding you that it's late and you should sleep.

Ironic that you pick that of all games to use as an example because MSG4 does tell you how long you've been playing or what time it is and tells you to take a break. I did the same thing myself when I got it, as I would play for hours and not notice the time go by. Suddenly the chapter ends, the next chapter starts installing and Snake is sitting there smoking is cig while the game is saying "It's 3:30 AM, you've been playing for the past 6 hours, maybe you should go to bed!".

[Callisto]

Re: Online game Adiction

I just figured it was like the part in MGS2 where it tries to trick you into shutting the PS2 off.

[Mhurron]

Re: Online game Adiction

Sometimes I'll get actual withdrawals if I can't play it when I want to.

Thats not withdrawal, that's acting like a spoilt little brat.

I can be so angry or be full of anxiety from real life, and it all completely disappears as soon as I log on.

Yes, this is what the world calls entertainment. It is a way to occupy your thoughts by focusing on something else you enjoy. Your problems don't disappear, but your worrying does because you're focused on something you like to do. Gear heads get the same response when working on cars, they are not, however, addicted to working on their cars. Quite frankly, any busy work could have the same effect.

[Ameroth]

Re: Online game Adiction

Addiction to video games, just like any other avenue of addiction, can be a problem for some people. But stories, articles, anecdotes, whatever that don't focus on the actual problem, the person, are not presenting a non-biased opinion. In most cases, it is 100% a person's fault for addiction from the start start. Many, many things in this world are addictive, but when people forget moderation and just use, use, use, addiction sets in; and it's not the object's/vice's fault. WoW did not force you to play it at first; Cocaine did not jump up into your nostrils and/or coat your gums; that first cigarette did not light itself; and people need to take responsibility for their actions. Sure, you may now have a strong attachment to it (whether it is gaming, drugs, smokes, wrenching on your car, etc) but that object of addiction is not and cannot be blamed as the only excuse for your actions.

Can people be addicted to water or happiness or life or love or fun? Giving gaming the term addiction means they are saying its a negative thing. I would say that gaming CAN be just as fullfilling as things in real life. Fullfilling in terms of acchievement, success, happiness, and engagment or friendship. If someone is able to experience psuedo life much more than they could real life, why is that so bad? In my opinion, its not. Therefore, its not an addiction IMHO, but a psuedo or secondary life.

Yes, scientifically people can be addicted to all of those things you listed. That does not make any of them bad or negative at all. It's not bad to experience fun and joy and happiness from video games; it is bad when you'd rather spend more time in a fantasy world than living your real life with real people. Or start to confuse reality with VR. Or are willing to do harm to another person for reasons incited by gaming. That's bad.

Don't get me wrong, I think video games are a great avenue for escapism and entertainment: back in the day I was into FFXI pretty heavily, investing many hours a day. And I know it was a little excessive sometimes, but I never replaced my real friends with my online friends whom I'd never actually met.

Life sucks a lot, but I wouldn't trade the 1 life I have now for all of the infinite lives lived in any fantasy/game world.

[Susurrus]

Re: Online game Adiction

I was gonna put in some witty remark but couldn't think of anything.

[Clever Ninja]

Re: Online game Adiction

I can quit playing whenever I want. I just don't want to.