Can gaming be an addiction?

[J T]

Well, I doubt there is anything quite like chemical dependency going on in videogames (though it might be possible to get used to a certain level of endogenous opioids that games elicit, or something like that), but make no mistake, you can get too heavy into games and have some of the same kind of problems in your life that a drug addict does (games interfering with relationships, finances, productivity towards goals, success at work, preoccupation with videogames. etc.). Everyone knows a WoW addict that would be better off if they never discovered the game.

What I find strange is that they intentionally make games addicting (as we've been discussing >here<) and that they even ADVERTISE that they are addicting and that makes people WANT them more! How many times have you heard that a game has "addictive gameplay" as a selling point? It's like we just want to crawl in that Skinner box and start pressing levers.

[xtronix620]

Games certainly can be addicting. An addiction is something you are abnormally psychologically and/or physically dependent to and is habit-forming. I personally was addicted to WoW for a long time. 16 hours a day or more sitting in front of the computer playing a game that never ends with rewards that are meaningless. When I wasn't playing, all my thoughts were on the game and how long until I could play again. I would avoid sleep, jobs, family members, and friends to keep playing, all the while convincing myself that I don't have a problem and everyone else just doesn't understand. Even getting kicked out of my house didn't stop my addiction.

I finally made the choice myself not too long ago to change my life because I realized how depressed I was and how much my life has changed to revolve around something that isn't even real. I've been free from that addiction for close to a year now and try to stay away from anyone that even talks about that game.

I personally have only found that MMO's are addicting to me because of the never-ending content and rewards. You can't beat the game, but you can always get better. It might be true with other genres to different personalities - I don't know. But I know for a fact that games, even if only one genre, can certainly be addictive. If all your thoughts and attention are tuned to playing a certain game or games in general, it's probably a good idea to set it all aside for a period of time until you can clear your head and think about the situation without the urge to play pushing your thoughts.

[Inazuma]

Yes, gaming can be an addiction. Thanks to being addicted to Phantasy Star Online, I dropped out of college. I also spent 400 hours over a 6 month period reloading the same room over and over, trying to find the strongest weapon in the game. It was mind blowingly tedious, holy shit.

Oh, and we can't forget about the sequel, Phantasy Star Universe. I played 8 thousand hours over a 3 year period. Basically when I wasn't working or sleeping, I was playing it. I even experimented with polyphasic sleep for 6 months, in order to have more playtime. I literally slept 4 hours a day for 6 months 0_0

[RCBH928]

ok you guys seem to have a lot worse problems than I have. I guess I am safe.

@Luke
I still find it hard to believe that you can go on food fasting for 10 days and function properly, even if you drink water

[jmanx81]

When PSO came out for Dreamcast, I played that day and night. It was bad, ALL my time went to that game. My week went as this:

Id wake up during the week at about 3 or 4am and play until 6 (Id wake up just to get a few hours in before work) Shower, get dressed for work and go to work. On my lunch break, Id go home play for about 30 min (since my lunch was an hour) and go back to work. When I got home at 5, Id eat dinner and go play until midnight or so. Sometimes I wouldnt even go to bed. I did that for about 8-12 months. Thankfully I have a girlfriend who tolerated that habit and didnt give me an ultimatum.

Since that time I realized how bad and addicting a game could be. I still play PSO but I dont think that is a healthy lifestyle. I needed to find rares and max out my characters levels. So yeah, Ive been addicted. Theres a few other games that have done that, but PSO was by far the worst for me.

[RCBH928]

speaking of PSO,
I played Dreamcast and hated it,
You work 3 hours to go through a level and htere is no save point, you have to complete the whole thing. and its damn difficult.

are the gamecube or 360 more lenient?

[Luke]

@Luke
I still find it hard to believe that you can go on food fasting for 10 days and function properly, even if you drink water

Next time I fast, I'll document it in the Whatever Topic Thread if the mods don't mind. I'll post daily updates, and you can judge for yourself if I'm functioning properly. I'll probably take pics too.

Funny thing about fasting, I only learned last year that I was drinking the wrong kind of water. Apparently tap or spring water aren't "pure enough" to drink while fasting. They contain to many minerals. You're supposed to drink distilled water only.

[Pulsar_t]

Yes, gaming can be an addiction. Thanks to being addicted to Phantasy Star Online, I dropped out of college. I also spent 400 hours over a 6 month period reloading the same room over and over, trying to find the strongest weapon in the game. It was mind blowingly tedious, holy shit.

Oh, and we can't forget about the sequel, Phantasy Star Universe. I played 8 thousand hours over a 3 year period. Basically when I wasn't working or sleeping, I was playing it. I even experimented with polyphasic sleep for 6 months, in order to have more playtime. I literally slept 4 hours a day for 6 months 0_0

Dear oh dear! Thank goodness for my bad DUN ping then

Well I did waste a semester playing games like Doom 3 and marathon-watching Rurouni Kenshin, but what was apparently addiction to gaming and anime was in fact a ruse to escape my real-life problems. Overt escapism can lead to addiction. I think it's rare that someone gets addicted to something for the heck of it, except perhaps narcotics. But even then, many drug addicts have serious problems to begin with.

[jfe2]

@Luke
I still find it hard to believe that you can go on food fasting for 10 days and function properly, even if you drink water

Next time I fast, I'll document it in the Whatever Topic Thread if the mods don't mind. I'll post daily updates, and you can judge for yourself if I'm functioning properly. I'll probably take pics too.

Funny thing about fasting, I only learned last year that I was drinking the wrong kind of water. Apparently tap or spring water aren't "pure enough" to drink while fasting. They contain to many minerals. You're supposed to drink distilled water only.

That's intense! I'm on the tail end of an absolutely horrible case of flu, and haven't eaten in three days. I feel absolutely horrible and weak, but that could also be due more to the dehydration, since my body doesn't seem to want to hold any water for more than about a half hour.

[Luke]

That's intense!

I'm on the tail end of an absolutely horrible case of flu, and haven't eaten in three days. I feel absolutely horrible and weak, but that could also be due more to the dehydration, since my body doesn't seem to want to hold any water for more than about a half hour.

I usually fast for 2 to 3 weeks at a time.

And you get better with that flu! I hate that feeling when you're so sick you can't even hold down water.