Video Game Addiction a real mental disease?

[SinisterPryde]

AMA voting on legitimacy of video game addiction

Posted Jun 14th 2007 12:55PM by Alexander Sliwinski
Filed under: Culture
The American Medical Association will decide later this month whether "Internet/video game addiction" will be added to the Bible of crazy: The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The proposal comes in a 10-page document prepared by the AMA's Council on Science suggesting that video game addiction is similar to the pattern of behavior observed in pathological gambling.

Now remember, they aren't saying that all video game players are addicts. They're merely saying that video game addiction, like gambling addiction, does affect some members of the gaming population and they need help. The armchair psychologist might say that if you know well enough to eat, sleep, go to work/school, kiss your significant other and/or children goodnight, chances are you aren't an addict. Then again, you could just be in denial. After the AMA votes on the matter, it'll still be up to the American Psychiatric Association to decide whether it goes in the DSM. So, for those who think people dying in front of their computers playing games are crazy, this decision by the AMA at the end of the month would put that on the record.

This would be redundant. I think anyone with an addictive personality can be addicted to anything. If this were actually given legitimacy, it would be separating it from other disorders that are really just the same thing, only with different outlets. Of course, I am not an expert.

[Space Tycoon]

Withdrawal's a bitch, ain't it? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8pR1rZZHEs)





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[Kaeos]

Aren't these same genious's that still classifying homosexuality as a mental disorder? Or is that just the military?

Either way it's bullshit. Video games are no more or less addictive (and for the same physiological reasons) as running, exercising, auto racing and skydiving. Just because a person's brain generates more endorphines during one particular activity instead of others does not make it a mental disorder.

I know I am generalizing, but I still think it's bullshit.:mad:

[spammityspam]

I don't think anyone still classifies homosexuality as a mental disorder. It was taken out of the DSM in 197....something.

Video gaming's been given such direct attention because of the unique state extended play creates in the brain. It's sort of like TV on steroids -- the patterns in a player's brain are pretty much identical within a few months the same as those achieved by ten years' meditation by some of the most venerated Buddhist monks OR a couple seconds on certain herbal remedies. The problem with this is that it's a repetitive behavior involving imaginary losses and gains (and therefore endorphins as well as the calming that just playing induces) that some -- not all or even most, but some -- find addictive: those with the aforementioned addictive personality.

Of course, these people would find knitting addictive, but the slew of recent studies on gaming has given it a little more weight as opposed to any other behavior. I have zero doubts that it will make it into the DSM, because, honestly, it is addictive... as addictive as anything else. And because 50 or 60 people will come forward to talk about how they stopped sleeping when they bought HALO 2, a center or two will be built and a lot of people will get the attention they so desperately crave, and possibly the under-18s will no longer have access to games (which would really be the only effect of calling it addictive that would make an impact on anyone or anything).

...okay, why can I remember all of AP Psychology except on the actual test.

[fastcar]

What's the treatment, sunlight and fresh air?

[SinisterPryde]

Two things:

#1. Everyone is responsible for their own behavior. I have been up late the last few nights (later than i should have been) wasting time on the internet, but I am responsible for that. Now if these people know they need help, perhaps the first step is getting rid of their gaming machines?
Of course, if they are an addictive personality, they will simply find another outlet. Or buy more gaming stuff. The point I am really trying to make here is that adults have to be responsible to and for themselves.

#2. A child should not ever be allowed to get the point that I hear some of these kids are. I've read of one family where the kid got angry and aggressive when the parents tried to take the computer away. They said he would spend hours playing WOW (World of Warcraft) and his grades slipped. Where was the parenting? It never should have gotten to that point. Again, if the kid has an addictive personality, then he would have found a different fixation. If he became addicted to video games, it didn't happen overnight.

[Gentlemen Death]

Two things:

#1. Everyone is responsible for their own behavior. I have been up late the last few nights (later than i should have been) wasting time on the internet, but I am responsible for that. Now if these people know they need help, perhaps the first step is getting rid of their gaming machines?
Of course, if they are an addictive personality, they will simply find another outlet. Or buy more gaming stuff. The point I am really trying to make here is that adults have to be responsible to and for themselves.

#2. A child should not ever be allowed to get the point that I hear some of these kids are. I've read of one family where the kid got angry and aggressive when the parents tried to take the computer away. They said he would spend hours playing WOW (World of Warcraft) and his grades slipped. Where was the parenting? It never should have gotten to that point. Again, if the kid has an addictive personality, then he would have found a different fixation. If he became addicted to video games, it didn't happen overnight.


Very well said...Where are the parents when these kids are 'addicted' to the games?? I know I would rather my kid play video games then smoke pot or bust a fat line of coke....

Then again, I am torn on this issue...I do feel that it is addictive, it has to be. WoW is a perfect example to use. I remember reading a article about how this girl stayed up for days playing this game, and evenctually died...Yes, died...Now, she could have stopped at any point, but like smoking cigerettes and other addictive things, it is hard...

As for this being a mental illness, that is complete bullshit! Is gaming addictive....It certainly can be....

[spammityspam]

I don't think they're saying that gaming is a mental illness. They're saying that addiction is, and it's possible to be addicted to gaming. Sort of like, maybe, the heroin isn't the mental illness, it's the addiction that gives you trouble.

And yes, parenting plays a huge factor, but we live in a permissive society, and not many people have very good ideas of how to be parents, mostly because their parents were equally awful, and now that they're all grown up and getting addicted to things we have to deal with them. It doesn't do much good to say "you there, with the addiction, you had some bloody awful parents!" and go on your way. I think the AMA is trying to get it added to the DSM as a facet of addiction because then they're allowed to do something about it.

[Al-Dog]

Withdrawal's a bitch, ain't it? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8pR1rZZHEs)





.And they say today’s kids don’t get any exercise. :lol: