Being addicted to computer games (therapies?)

I wanted to make a question here if anyone have any experience with how to deal with computergame addiction, or any thoughts about it.

Is it a problem? Is there a difference between having a computergame addiction and an online computergame addiction? How much is too much? Why do people become addicted to games? Do the game fulfill certain needs which might not be offered in "real life"? etc.

What can be done to help one who is "addicted"? Therapy?

I am asking because of a school subject.

I remember when I was stuck in SWG. For me the online world represented a replacement for my real life which was a pain. SWG offered what the world couldnt; a safe environment in which I had control over what I did. A place where I could get a job. A place that offered social relationships, people to talk to. The reward system made sure I kept on playing and punished me when I didn't. Eventually I ceased to call my friends, ceased to talk to my family and I tried to try to avoid everything that forced me to take a break from the game. I cut my ties to the "real world" and when I was forced to meet/talk with others, all I could speak about was the game.

But then finally I decided that I should grind my "real life" instead and so I did. First I felt completely hollow inside but eventually I started to fill my thoughts up with new stuff.

I think a lot of people become it because they have more fun in the online world and not enough energy for the real world. Finally they become afraid of people and scared of the sun and become very isolated! I have some sad stories of friends who are badly addicted.

The solution is to find other stuff to do instead, like find a sport you like, find a board game to play with other people, or start flying airplanes, just any hobby to make you get out and do other things.

GothicGothicness said:

The solution is to find other stuff to do instead, like find a sport you like, find a board game to play with other people, or start flying airplanes, just any hobby to make you get out and do other things.

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Can these people be convinced that the "other world" is attractive to them? What do they gain from that world that the game doesn't offer.

It is hard to get them out of it. But you have to make them realise that what they have in this world is not real, and it could be gone anyday for example like hellgate london closing down. Also they'll start to feel good if you can manage to make them move themselves the body needs the particles made while moving and it will make you happier. Most of these people I know are depressed, and feel horrible about their life, but they do not have the strength to get out of it.

I think they should not be supported financially but forced to work to be able to play. It is a way to get them out of the addiction, alternatively if they are too bad to work, there is a clinic for computer games addicts.

In my opinion, what these people really lack and therefore need, is a real life socialization. Eye to eye, face to face. With peo0ple they care about, like a personal meeting of an CS clan in real life, for example (never been in such a group, but you get the idea).

A monthly meeting with enthusiasts about the same hobby one shares is also a good idea. After my "depression period" in the 90s I began to self-socialize myself by going to a monthly meeting of star wars fans. I still go there, but nowadays because it's once in a month I can *really* spend my money for a gorgeous Pizza.

JemyM said:

I am asking because of a school subject.

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Here's some more material worth mentioning or at least checking:

http://civanon.com/

GothicGothicness said:

Also they'll start to feel good if you can manage to make them move themselves the body needs the particles made while moving and it will make you happier.

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Particles? Sixth-grade biology wants to have a word with you; it's called hormones. Also, it's not produced merely by moving--you need fairly demanding physical activities to get it. It'd be nice if glands churned out endorphin by the truckloads just by moving, but the sky's not yet rainbow-colored, you know?

Regarding this being a school project--what level of school are we talking about? Because if you're in post-secondary (university level), then citing online forums may not do much good and you'd be better off looking into real, credible academic material. In any case, you should probably look into the kind of psychology/mindset that'd make a person susceptible to addiction rather than looking into blaming computer games as intrinsically harmful. That is, if you want to write something intelligent, you'd need more than stereotypical stories about shut-ins who never do anything but stuff their faces with pizza while playing WoW in their parents' basements, because pretty much everything posted so far in this thread reeks of that type of generalization, down to "sacred of the sun."

It'd be nice if glands churned out endorphin by the truckloads just by moving, but the sky's not yet rainbow-colored, you know?

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HEhe, I forgot the english word, so I just used particles it is not wrong and there are some other small stuffs also just not very specific. I am not native english and I was too lazy to look it up. Thank you for telling me.

It can be enough to go for a quick walk, or a jog or whatever to feel happier.

I have a somewhat addictive personality and can definitely relate to some of the ways people become addicted to these games.

Computer games are awfully convenient. For starters, you're often alone with them. You play them at your leisure. They never hurt you. And you can make progress, sometimes a lot of progress, quickly. They're a good predictable source of satisfaction.

Online games offer some social interaction, some of which can be valuable and satisfying. I've made some good friends online. Those may be the exception, though. Relationships in competitive games can be frustrating. For some people, that can also be an addiction (but a different kind, I think).

This reminds me of a rare opinion which I've once read and which sounded in a way relatively logical to me :

Someone once wrote that there might arise a kind of addiction of Adrenaline (I think it was this), through doing things which result in an Adrenaline-rush which makes the person feel "high" and good.

This was rather referred to the aggressive behaviour of Hooligans, but I could imagine a similar thing for video games as well.

Plus, the feeling of having achieved something in an video game might be both result in a "good feeling" by Endorphines, and at the same time act as kind of a substitute for achieving things in "real life".

JemyM said:

What can be done to help one who is "addicted"? Therapy?

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Letting them play Dungeon Lords might help... it cured me... well... for a while.

I am writing at the level of High School (Gymnasium in Europe) so the depth of my research isn't as important as it would be in a university.

I am working from two different perspectives. The first is the addiction to hormones that is released in the body thanks to the game. The second is online-gaming as a replacement for real-life needs such as social relationships and an environment that a player feels they can have more control over in comparision to the chaotic world.

Just found something not uninteresting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)#Gaming

An addiction to the "flow" feeling ? Sounds interesting, imho.

Alrik Fassbauer said:

Just found something not uninteresting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)#Gaming
An addiction to the "flow" feeling ? Sounds interesting, imho.

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I wouldn't count that as uninteresting but actually a very important point that I should mention in my work. Thanks.

JemyM said:

I am working from two different perspectives. The first is the addiction to hormones that is released in the body thanks to the game. The second is online-gaming as a replacement for real-life needs such as social relationships and an environment that a player feels they can have more control over in comparision to the chaotic world.

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Funny you should say. Given all the drama over guild relationships, guild properties and loot wank, I'd say MMOs serve as a pretty good, macroscopic look at social relations, hierarchy and the like. You could look into the emotional investment some people put into virtual properties/achievements--gold, items, PvP score--to the point that people with more of them are generally afforded a measure of respect in the game community (see WoW guilds with world's first kills).

Essaliad said:

Funny you should say. Given all the drama over guild relationships, guild properties and loot wank, I'd say MMOs serve as a pretty good, macroscopic look at social relations, hierarchy and the like. You could look into the emotional investment some people put into virtual properties/achievements--gold, items, PvP score--to the point that people with more of them are generally afforded a measure of respect in the game community (see WoW guilds with world's first kills).

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Yes, but it's all virtual. Thing is, that all that buildup you do within WoW, you could do in the real world, with better long-time rewards.

I didn't disagree with you though, I am actually using what you said.

Oh, I'm not saying that it's not virtual or that it doesn't count for much in real life, but it does serve as a strikingly acute picture of wants, goals, the pursuit of gratification. You could compare epics to cars and brand-name handbags. People are willing to spend hours each night learning encounters, and weeks on hoping for the right piece of loot to drop. It improves your character and gives you a better edge when competing with other players either in doing more damage per second or winning more fights in arena, but it's also a status symbol. There's a reason that the high-level epics tend to be flashy, like the old Thunderfury or the Warglaives of Azzinoth.

But, here's the rub--status symbols IRL are just as pointless, possibly more (being a lot more expensive). Look at that woman with the Louis Vuitton purse plastered with the brand's logo. Would you call owning that bag meaningful? I wouldn't. All it says about her is that she's an idiot willing to blow money on brands rather than functionality.

Yes, you are very right.

During my research I have been increasingly irritated on how little this kind of "addiction" is discussed at all on the websites that offer help. With my personal experience I say it's the more important behavior to focus on. I personally built up a social network within the game while abandoning the friends I had in real life. Eventually I felt embarrassed to confess how much I played the game and how emotionally attached I was it which had an even stronger effect since I stopped to talk to people in real life simply because I didn't wanted to feel like a fool, which I know I was.

I have been thinking about therapies and I believe this is one place where the more modern forms of therapies falls flat and perspectives such as humanistic psychology or group therapy might be better ways to help a patient.

The ww2ol squad Ive been in since 2001 has constant IRLs and Ive been there once when it was organised in this town - it was fun to meet them. Also I have met few people from ultima online too (one v.good looking swedish woman even) - two even by total accident when they moved from England to the exact town where I live in Finland (Hows that for a chance - world is small eh?) .

Apart from that Im on the towns rpg mailing list that gets constant traffic so I can join and meet new people anytime I want. Also my work place has all kinds of hobbies I could join. Its always good to have som backup incase som extra free time becomes available in your calendar.