Would you consider someone like me, addicted?

[taybox]

No you are fine mate. I would suggest that if you ever say to one of your kids 'No Jimmy (or whatever) I can't play ball/go to the park/take you swimming as I am in the middle of raiding ICC!' that you would have to look on it as a problem but it seems to me you have a nice system worked out and have your priorities in order. People need to stop seeing a few hours of WoW as some kind of badge of social ineptitude and just enjoy the ride.

This right here, kinda confirms it for me. I honestly could never see me telling my kids that i cant go outside to play bc im sitting on the computer. it just sucks that so many people think that playing wow for fun is sooo dif than watching football, golf, tennis, poker, whatever

[Brasko]

People who think that obviously aren't gamers, so their input on your playing video games isn't very reasonable. It's just that there have actually been a decent number of, eh... "news stories" about people having an unhealthy addiction to Warcraft specifically that it almost can't be helped.

[Xuany]

seriously use that four hours to have sex. girls > wow

When he plays WoW his wife is doing school work on the computer, L2 read and stop posting stupid crap.

[taybox]

i think something that would help alot, is if i only played one toon. and not had 6 lvl 80s. because after u get locked out on one toon, i just hop on another lvl 80 and do it all over again. None of my toons have tons of achiev or anything... which i think would be fun

[placeholdername]

it just sucks that so many people think that playing wow for fun is sooo dif than watching football, golf, tennis, poker, whatever

I completely agree with this wise sentence.

Apparently sitting around on one's fat arse watching other people partake in physically active sporting whilst gorging on tostito chips, hamburgers, beer, etc. for hours on end is WORLDS more productive than engaging in an actual stimulating game, rather than watching other people have fun.

Sometimes I really just have to sigh at modern society's view of gaming, and how it's SO much worse than T.V.

At least we gamers are (usually) using our brains during our hobby.

[Execution]

Personally, I think thats not bad at all.
Considering you went from a hardcore vanilla raider.
Seems like more of a casual play, and like others have said some people go on for hours, even days on end. Stacks of energy drinks, and portable toilets >.>
So imo, no. Not addicted

Enjoy the game your way, wether It's casual. Or hardcore 15 an hour a day raider.
Personally, I probably need to start heading in your direction in terms of play time :P

[ibigfy]

You're married, have kids, and work, you have succeeded in building up your life, if you keep it that way and you're happy, who the fuck cares.

And imo...you don't get addicted to WoW. People who choose to dedicate every minute to wow know it and have made that choice, doesn't mean you're addicted, unlike cocaine where most druggies want to stop but can't because their bodies can go into shock because their body is so depended on it.

[Thermaplugg yer butt]

I think you are doing ok.

Me? Well, I am partially addicted. I play in cycles. For example, I quit playing WoW in june, so what, it's has been 3 months with no WoW? But I know for sure once Cataclysm is out ill buy it, play 10 hours a day for 1 month and then quit again...be back in 4-5 months, and repeat.

[placeholdername]

You're married, have kids, and work, you have succeeded in building up your life, if you keep it that way and you're happy, who the fuck cares.

And imo...you don't get addicted to WoW. People who choose to dedicate every minute to wow know it and have made that choice, doesn't mean you're addicted, unlike cocaine where most druggies want to stop but can't because their bodies can go into shock because their body is so depended on it.

This is another good point. The difference between gaming "addiction" (if you can even call it that) and drug addiction, is that people actual enjoy gaming, which is why they continue to do so.

Most addictive drugs, people only believe they enjoy because of the addictive factor. Games don't mess with your head the same way. You play for fun, and some people have less self-control and time-management skills than others. It's as simple as that.

[Baygon]

what would you call addiction? i Play A lot due to not having anything else to do, at what point would you call it bad?

[placeholdername]

what would you call addiction? i Play A lot due to not having anything else to do, at what point would you call it bad?

When you start losing out on important opportunities because of it, or it becomes detrimental to your health.

[Overmind the 3rd]

what would you call addiction? i Play A lot due to not having anything else to do, at what point would you call it bad?

That depends on the why issue. In this instance, why do you have nothing better to do?

[Stanton Biston]

Most clinical professionals rate the severity of addiction based on how much said activity interferes with their life; how many problems it causes for them and the things they aren't doing as a result.

I mean, there's other factors too. Mood and general behavior also come into play.

It's like, if I have sex/play wow/watch golf two hours a night, there's no problem.

If I do the above and it's the only time I have to do some crucial bit of work, then it's a problem.

[Baygon]

That depends on the why issue. In this instance, why do you have nothing better to do?

Becuase Most, if not all my friends live a few hours away and currently i am studying full time so i haven't been able to find work to fill in gaps

[taybox]

Most clinical professionals rate the severity of addiction based on how much said activity interferes with their life; how many problems it causes for them and the things they aren't doing as a result.

I mean, there's other factors too. Mood and general behavior also come into play.

It's like, if I have sex/play wow/watch golf two hours a night, there's no problem.

If I do the above and it's the only time I have to do some crucial bit of work, then it's a problem.

Im a little confused on the last part of this statement?

[Overmind the 3rd]

Im a little confused on the last part of this statement?

If you chose to game at a time when, say, you needed to finish your thesis work, it would be classified as a severe addiction.

[taybox]

If you chose to game at a time when, say, you needed to finish your thesis work, it would be classified as a severe addiction.

Understood.

For example the other day, when my wife went to town for something, I got into speed mode and cleaned the house in like 30 minutes, and cleaned the garage out while she was gone. I think I could have done anything i wanted that day and she would not have said a word. I think the key is, keep the wifey happy

[Notos]

Your situation sounds just fine to me. As long as WoW doesn't take precedence over anything else in your life, it's not harmful to you. Oh, and I think thinking about all the things you can do when you log on is a good thing. It means the game is doing its job and keeping you entertained.

[Wildberry]

So here is my deal. I been playing since 2004. I started raiding during Molten Core. I remember my first piece of tier 3 on my hunter. In 04', I was in college. College was easy, I went out and partied, and played tons of wow. I got married when I was 20 years old. My wife, who Ive known since I was in 5th grade, knew I had always been a gamer. I guess she never understood how gamers are though.

When we got married, we obcviously had no kids. My job is a little out of the ordinary. I work 14 days straight, with no wow, then i get to be home 14 days straight. So as you can imagine, during the day me and my wife could do whatever we wanted.

My wow habit got pretty bad for a while and I was forced to quit. It was much needed. It was all that I did during the day and night. I was always in a fowl mood. Anyway, that was a few years ago.

As of now, Weve been married 5 years, and have 2 kids. The kiddies go to sleep around 8:00pm every night, and she is busy with online schooling to become a teacher every night. I pretty much put them to bed and everythign and let her get a head strat on school. we finally made an agreement, that after I get the kids to bed, and she starts doing school, that i could play wow again.

My rules pretty much, like i said, I do not play AT ALL during the day. Unless the kids are napping and i catch like an hour break. other than that I only play after i get the kids to bed at night. Then I normally play from around 8pm-12am which is around 4 hours a day. I wonder if im playing too much? it kinda scares me. but I am with her and my kids from 7am-8pm when they wake up and go to sleep.

i do the yard, go to the grocery store with her, play with the kids, go to football games with them...

I just think that WoW can be a hobby, just like say golf is. I know guys who go out during the day and golf for 4-5 hours at a time. And i really cant see the difference in it. Sorry for the long post.

You're fine, I mean my entire summer break consisted of:

Waking up
WoW
Facebook
More Wow
Occasional text Conversation
WoW Again
Realizing that the sun is coming up and I haven't been to bed yet... >.>

yea you're nowhere near playing enough for wow to be considered 'A problem that has gotten out of hand'

although as advice make sure that WoW doesn't become your #1 priority

[Black Rider]

I wonder if im playing too much?

No.
IF it's not damaging, you can continue

---------- Post added 2010-09-04 at 10:33 AM ----------

I just think that WoW can be a hobby, just like say golf is.

Epic words!