Video Game Addiction Possibly a Mental Disorder

[Easy Rhino]

According to a 10 page report released by an American Medical Association committee, excessive video game playing leads to social dysfunction. As a result the committee is recommending it to become a formal disorder in the upcoming revision of the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV.' In the report a heavy video game user plays for more than two hours per day. This in turn leads to negative actions such as aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors. The report also compares video game addiction with that of pathological gambling.

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[Ripper3]

Everything, in large enough doses, can be addictive, and I'm glad someone's doing something about it.
They already have a "detox" clinic in Europe don't they? Read about it a while back, but I can't remember whether it had opened, or was about to open.

I do think I may possibly have the disorder though, my family and I have noticed I have become more aggresive, but I don't think playing more than two hours a day is enough to constitute much. Otherwise, we should say that anyone watching more than 2 hours of TV a day has a disorder.

 

[caveman_1990]

You are so right

 

[OnBoard]

Yeah and bodybuilding leads to more fights and sex for 2 hours a day leads to more rapes. These studies are so stupid.. I have never started a fight or hit someone first and played plenty, maybe I'm a anomaly and need to be studied

 

[Bret]

THIS IS BULLSHIT

If they are saying that everyone who plays more than 2 hours a day of *any* video game leads to aggressive thoughts, aggressive behaviors and social dysfunction, they obviously have never played a video game in their lives.
I play around 2 hours each day, and this is on an FX 5200 and the 4 games that it can actually run (although of course, not very well). When I get my 8800 GTX I will play at least 4 hours a day (mostly because it will be summer, but still).
And to say that I am somehow aggressive in any way, is childish - the people they probably base this report on.
And socially dysfunctional, well.. thats a whole new form of crazy. I mean, I'm socialy functioning right now! Do I have to actually speak to the person's face to be labeled as "socially functional"? Well, I do that too, but I do not prefer it and I'm sure many people feel the same way.
And personally, I'm sick and tired of people have do not play video games trying to regulate it. But maybe that what you get when you elect the Bush administration who put a guy in charge of regulating the internet, who does not even know what it is!

EDIT: And they are calling playing 2 hours a day an "Addiction"? Not only is that not true, as an addiction has to do with someone not being able to quit, and we all can.. and I dont think u can call 2 hours of anything addictive behavior, but even if I WAS addicted to playing video games, whats wrong with that? It's a way to pass the time and it's one of the greatest experiences ever, all due to the digital space which has revolutionized the world. Do people who go hang out with their friends most of the day get labeled as "addicts" even though that probably IS an addiction? No.

 

[demonbrawn]

Yeah, you know what's funny is that I'm the most laid back person I know. I pretty much easygoing and carefree, but when I'm playing my video games, I spurt some language and reveal anger that you would never see on Saturday morning cartoons, know what I mean? haha

 

[TheMailMan78]

Iv been playing video games for 26 years. If this study had any truth I would be a serial killer.

 

[Alcpone]

Im mental and im addicted to games lol

**woot woot ** alarms are ringing

 

[mdm-adph]

Wow -- I always thought that people who played Halo seemed retarded.

 

[L|NK|N]

Everything we do nowadays gets blamed on a disorder. :shadedshu We still have a free will. We still have a choice.

 

[DR.Death]

i play about 6or 7 hours of games a day and i can quit like wtf and i have an addictive personalty so i wish they would actually do research on this and see there THEORY is not right

 

[DBH]

Demonbrawn is right though, I am too calm and collective but after a round or two of 2142 I get proper pissed, but mind you I occasionally be a bit of a potty mouth...

 

[Ripper3]

I actually get more angry at the little things in life than at games (well, apart from the idjiots who start using rifles in a pistols and knives only match, and then complain when you nade them), like late deliveries, high prices, y'know, things that won't kill you, and aren't that important, all things considered.
Although like I've said, I've been getting more aggresive as of late, but I'm sure that constant backpains, an annoying parent that won't give me five minutes of freedom, and exams can all do that to a person.

 

[Demos_sav]

Iv been playing video games for 26 years. If this study had any truth I would be a serial killer.

Who sais you aren't??? Just kidding

If what the say is correct, then almost everyone has a mental problem

 

[Ripper3]

Who sais you aren't??? Just kidding

If what the say is correct, then almost everyone has a mental problem

Everybody's a little crazy, goes without saying.
Just like, if you were to do a full body scan, even the healthiest people would be found to have something wrong with them.

 

[WarEagleAU]

THIS IS BULLSHIT

If they are saying that everyone who plays more than 2 hours a day of *any* video game leads to aggressive thoughts, aggressive behaviors and social dysfunction, they obviously have never played a video game in their lives.
I play around 2 hours each day, and this is on an FX 5200 and the 4 games that it can actually run (although of course, not very well). When I get my 8800 GTX I will play at least 4 hours a day (mostly because it will be summer, but still).
And to say that I am somehow aggressive in any way, is childish - the people they probably base this report on.
And socially dysfunctional, well.. thats a whole new form of crazy. I mean, I'm socialy functioning right now! Do I have to actually speak to the person's face to be labeled as "socially functional"? Well, I do that too, but I do not prefer it and I'm sure many people feel the same way.
And personally, I'm sick and tired of people have do not play video games trying to regulate it. But maybe that what you get when you elect the Bush administration who put a guy in charge of regulating the internet, who does not even know what it is!

EDIT: And they are calling playing 2 hours a day an "Addiction"? Not only is that not true, as an addiction has to do with someone not being able to quit, and we all can.. and I dont think u can call 2 hours of anything addictive behavior, but even if I WAS addicted to playing video games, whats wrong with that? It's a way to pass the time and it's one of the greatest experiences ever, all due to the digital space which has revolutionized the world. Do people who go hang out with their friends most of the day get labeled as "addicts" even though that probably IS an addiction? No.

Well in a sense, this whole posts kind of supports that arguement ::

Anywho, I think those who play fighting games more tend to get mad at the games. Lord knows I did when playing SF2. I dont know how many times my TV was bitch slapped with my SNES controller. Would drive me crazy. However, Im mellow now and anger issues have to do with stupid people and those who cannot drive.

 

[Fleekar]

i play about 6or 7 hours of games a day and i can quit like wtf and i have an addictive personalty so i wish they would actually do research on this and see there THEORY is not right

Same here. I play 5 MINIMUM and have yet to see any seclusion from or aggression towards others.

 

[L|NK|N]

So what would they say about the rest of the industry? The developers, testers, etc. Ya know, the people who spend uber hours on creating games in the first place! (And for a living to boot!)

 

[Ripper3]

So what would they say about the rest of the industry? The developers, testers, etc. Ya know, the people who spend uber hours on creating games in the first place! (And for a living to boot!)

Declared clinically insane to be actually MAKING a game that will drive people to addiction, and locked up in a mental institution.

 

[L|NK|N]

And the actual statistics of deaths or other video game related injuries ARE FAR LESS than the incidents with smoking related cancers due to cigarettes, and achohol related deaths, accidents, and other incidents. (Which mind you are REAL addictions IMHO)

 

[Siluro]

And this comes from the same guys, who spent 107 000$ to examine the sexual habits of the japanese quail, in laboratory-based conditions. They should be worrying about their own mental health...

 

[WarEagleAU]

They just want to blame stuff on everything. Our government is radically different than it was 40, 30, 20 and hell even 10 years ago. Our civil liberties are under attack, the whole politcal system is a shaft and very few politicians want to help Americans. I could rant and rant incessantly on this, but it wont change anything or do any good.

 

[audiemurphee87]

Generally, i have been so desensitized by other things, such as movies, music, and graphic literature novels that I laugh at everything so video games are not the only problem desensitizing the world. It is a technological world and knowledge is more readily available.

Video games are not the problem; it is the sociological factors that determine the kind of human being you are; such as parents, religion, school, politics etc

 

[rampage]

i have always wonderd where the voices in my head come from.............

 

[InfDamarvel]

I do believe gaming can lead to a social disorder. I dont believe it causes people to go out and be angry and agressive. But it eventually causes people not to be able to communicate with people very well. I guess this would only effect kids who have been hardcore gaming since the age of 7.

Idk, I just know some people who I game with who are completely horrible when it comes to being sociable anymore.

At the same time this just happens when people spend their time by themselves period.