The Addiction Help .com

I play a fair few video games but I know my limits so please don't accuse me of being a video game addict.

I'm currently a Psychology student and I'm interested in finding out the psychological explanation of video game addiction.

I'm sure there are multiple various explanations as to video game addiction, depending on the doctrine of psychology you adhere to. For instance, one psychologist might feel that addiction to video games is due to the primal instincts that are triggered by all the gore, blood, violence, and sex that modern-day video games instill in us. Others feel that older video games that people continue to play create a sense of nostalgia, causing a good feeling from a better, simpler time.

Physiologically, video games cause an influx of epinephrine to be released from the adrenal glands, which some people need to continue to play in order to experience the same fight or flight "high"

2008-06-08 12:34:46 by Leard

So we are doing a session on addiction to video games. Well how to you know you have a addiction. Well like all addictions the habit or substance ...

How can we help those who are enslaved to video games? Ideas people!! I have a friend who is neglecting his friends and family, and all because of video games. This addiction is causing him all kinds of problems. He knows he is addicted, but has no energy or willpower to break free. I have been praying for him hoping for a miracle. Aside from prayer are there any other ideas?
I have tried inviting him places, and it interferres with his "game time." I even had a ticket to a football game, and I was giving it to him for free. He had no interest. That ticket was like 40 some bucks. I wound up taking another friend. The only thing he talks about is online video games, and he spends at least half the work day reading chat boards on the online game. We went out to lunch once with a couple of other co-workers and all he talked about was the game. I asked about family, and he just said his wife nags about playing the game.

I myself have played video games off and on for 20 years, but never got like this. My wife asks me to help I drop what I am doing and help out. I got in gardening - just love eating what we grow. :) This friend admitted he wanted to try stuff like that, but hasn't. I offered to help dig up some his yard for a garden, but he was not interested. I feel bad for him.

My friends and I had an "intervention" with a guy who was addicted and quit his job and college to spend more time playing the game. He wasn't paying bills or doing anything except sitting in a captain's chair in front of his PC playing online. We cornered him and told him he couldn't continue living like he was.

He got extremely angry, but in the end it worked because he stopped spending so much time on games and now his life is back on track.

You have to straight talk to your friend, and be firm. Assemble as many of his friends and family around as you can. Good luck.

2007-06-03 16:19:09 by Paul

Price: $25.00

Hello,
:)
I know a few people with a very bad video game addiction. They play video games night day, from the moment they wake up to the moment the go to bed. Whether it's a console game, or a computer game, they're playing, and playing, and playing. This causes them a lot of stress, and I'm starting to worry it's unhealthy.

Is a video game addiction (especially one this strong) unhealthy?

P.S. I myself do not play video games.

Well, I have a bit of an addiction, but not that strong.

Yes, it is very unhealthy! A person gets so into a game that they think it's almost real. They mix reality with virtual reality. There have been cases of suicide from games....and murders...

It's bad for your health, it makes you less active. It's just bad altogether. People who are addicted often get in bad moods alot, and get frusturated all the time.

I used to be really addicted to World of Warcraft....it practically took over my life. I quit though, and am staying away from it!

2008-05-20 17:25:53 by anonymous

Price: $0.99

my boyfriend who is 17 plays video games for 15+ hours a day. I cannot stand it!!!!! he says its only because he just got a new game and everything but it really is concerning me. he never goes outside unless i pretty much force him. and all he talks about are his games!! Now, don't get me wrong, he can be a cool guy at times, that's why i've dated him for a year. But i just need to know if this is normal or not cause it sure as hell doesn't seem normal to me.
haha and yeah it is call of duty: world at war.
Also, yeah he does play all night until like 6am and then wakes up in the middle of the day and starts playing again until night and then the cyclen just starts over again.

haha, I used to be the exact same, with that exact same game, and call of duty 4 before that. Trust me that series is VERY addictive, and 15+ hours a day, yea, thats an addiction. Get him to take up an instrument, I took up guitar and drums and ended up selling all my games for drum equipment, you just need to divert his interest into something more productive. An instrument can be challenging and fun, and at the same time involve the people around, i'm sure you wouldn't mind sitting with him having him playing guitar and serenading you, whereas it's probably not so enjoyable to watch him play his video games.

2009-07-27 16:51:29 by greengirl

i am 14 years old in 9th grade and i watch 10 hours of tv and 8 hours of video games a day usually on the weekends..i would do that on school days but i got grounded i can only play on the weekends but i can watch tv on the school and weekends...is this bad for me to cause theres no way i can stop just wondering if its bad..and i dont hvae much of a social life but i do have friends..just dont go out places
i haven't had a girlfriend but i think im shy when i talk to girls
this isnt a fake i did the math wrong i get about 8 hours of sleep and i watch sports on saturdays ncaa football and mlb baseball and theres always shows for me too watch

You don't go places because you play video games and watch tv when your not at school. Having an online only social life won't make you happy. Video games are fun , they are meant to be games you play for fun, but when they are your whole life what do you do for fun? Get out with your friends, find something away form the vids for one full weekend day and one weeknight. Play a sport, find a girlfriend/boyfriend, go see an all ages show - lots of great bands all over the place. Remember that kid who lives in his parents basement, never had a kiss, has 3 warcraft accounts, and insults everyone over voice on halo? Do NOT become that kid. Keep video games a fun part of your life, but HAVE a life outside the video games. Hand the sword of 1000 truths to the noob and go chill with your friends and find someone to get on "base" with

2009-03-03 17:36:45 by christian