Todays society is full of many different addictive substances ranging from the scariest of addictive drugs, alcohol, smoking, tobacco, caffeinated beverages, gambling, pornography, and for some, even abusing their credit cards. When you hear the word addictive, it is quite common for your first thoughts to focus on one or two of these particular subject matters because many people today struggle with their addictive nature. However, how often do you associate addiction and its effects with the gaming industry?
Chances are most people do not classify the activity of gaming as one that is addictive, especially given that the American Medical Association recently determined that gaming was simply an hobby, not something you would compare to the addictive activity of gambling. The ironic thing about this is that although the American Medical Association may not be ready to make excessive gaming a sickness similar to that of alcohol abuse, there are places around the world today holding camps where people can go and get detox treatment for their gaming addiction. Yes, that is right ” these centers are treating the gaming addiction of everyday individuals just as they treat a drug or alcohol addiction in other facilities. A proper detox, like any drug program requires people to quit cold turkey, and most people experience withdrawals.
According to makers of popular addicting games like StarCraft, EverQuest, Call of Duty, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and World of Warcraft. the games are designed to be addictive in nature. Many people who play the games can at times literally turn into the zombies they are playing on the computer, causing them to forget to pay important items like their gas bill. There was even a couple in Reno that neglected the children choosing to instead play Dungeons & Dragons Online for countless hours. In fact, there are many more stories just like this one.
In fact, Jason Kapalka, one of the co-founders of the gaming company PopCap confirmed this theory and said that PopCaps main goal was to design games that were addictive to gamers. The team at PopCap came up with a business model called the quick hit where games did not requirement as much of an initial commitment ” basically the gamers could try it out before they bought it. However, once they tried these popular games like, Peggie and Bejeweled, they were instantly addicted and it motivated them to pay later.
Many people from the outside probably look at these gaming companies and think they are deceptive in nature because they are making products that are addictive. However, from the designers prospective, an addictive game is a very positive thing ” it means that gamers like it and want to keep playing it. Also, these companies are not sitting around the table like tobacco companies wondering how they can sell you something that is bad for your health. On the contrary, they want to make a game that is exciting to play and sometimes that means gray areas on the issue of addiction.
This gray area can cause people to question certain games, specifically those that are controversial. One in particular, World of Warcraft (you might hear it called World of WarCrack), has been questioned time and time again regarding their intentions with their game and additionally whether or not they have crossed the line when it comes to addiction. The producers of the game disagree with any claims of false intentions, saying that they do the exact same thing every other company out there does only better and they attribute their success to customer service. Despite what they say, many people today still think the game is a cause of addiction for many people.
The designers and producers of these games are an easy target for placing blame on the addictive nature of gaming ” after all, they do profit from it. However, when you dig deeper and look at the social networking aspects involved in gaming, there may be more than just the design that contributes to the gaming addiction. Before the Internet, people played games by themselves, however, now they can play with thousands of people across the world with which they share similar interests. It is definitely one more element contributing to their gaming addiction.
If you are unsure about this theory, just talk with any therapist, particularly one that specializes in working with those who suffer from Internet and computer addictions. According to research, most gamers happen to be teenagers or young men in there 20s with a lot of time on their hands, a lack of friends, no real companionship, or no love. Because of this they compensate using the Internet and gaming ” their comfort zones ” and it leads to serious addictions.
For those who do enjoy gaming, the challenge is to level with yourself and determine whether or not your time spent gaming is too much. If it is, you may need to take steps to find more balance in your life. In doing so, you will be healthier and free from controlling addictions that can only harm you.
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