Are you addicted? Panorama

[Sackman]

Please don't just comment on the title.

Recently Panorama (UK television programme talking about current issues), did a documentary on video game addiction, and without a doubt WoW's name came up MANY times.
(One humourous trend I found was the colour of peoples hair). Anyway, I felt sorry for all those involved and I was wondering how many of you are in such a situation, how many of you will try and hide it and how many think "it's okay" to play a game like this because it's their free time and they will play it as they god damn will.

Me? I haven't played in 9 months and only on and off then.

Yes it is just as bad if you play it with friends or substitute it with watching TV or playing your console or another game, even if each of those includes doing it with someone else, including a girl. Studying cannot be frowned upon as much but should still be done in moderation. Book reading is also not a stubstitute. Spending 8 hours inside reading a fictional book (a story), is just as bad as not going out and getting involved with society or getting some healthy exercise.

[Silenkurri]

Hi, my name is Sile, and I'm a game-a-holic.

*thanks for sharing Sile*

Next around the circle is...

[saelthos]

I agree that there is definitely a problem of gaming addiction, but I have to say that you lost me when you wrote off book reading. A.) there is nothing inherently better or worse regarding fiction vs. non-fiction. It's entirely relative to the reason for reading. B.) I'm certainly not going to argue against getting exercise, but what I will say is that it can be just as much an insular activity as reading, studying or gaming. As far as "getting involved with society", I can only comment that I wish you had used a term far less broad. There are many ways to get involved with society, including LAN parties, study groups and book clubs.

I think the major problem with your argument is that you're equating "addiction" with anti-social behavior. The two are not mutually inclusive. By saying that replacing your gaming addiction with another outlet is "just as bad" and that "book reading is also not a substitute", you offer the implication that you're less concerned with the addiction, and more concerned with modifying general behavioral tendencies. That's fine if your argument is that anti-social behavior should be addressed, but if I read you correctly it seems to me that you're argument is that addiction is a problem that needs addressing. Again, both have valid arguments that I would readily agree with, but the way you've seemingly presented both here is neither logical in its train of thought, nor is it convincing under careful scrutiny.

[Xenomortis]

I agree that there is definitely a problem of gaming addiction, but I have to say that you lost me when you wrote off book reading. A.) there is nothing inherently better or worse regarding fiction vs. non-fiction. It's entirely relative to the reason for reading. B.) I'm certainly not going to argue against getting exercise, but what I will say is that it can be just as much an insular activity as reading, studying or gaming. As far as "getting involved with society", I can only comment that I wish you had used a term far less broad. There are many ways to get involved with society, including LAN parties, study groups and book clubs.

I think the major problem with your argument is that you're equating "addiction" with anti-social behavior. The two are not mutually inclusive. By saying that replacing your gaming addiction with another outlet is "just as bad" and that "book reading is also not a substitute", you offer the implication that you're less concerned with the addiction, and more concerned with modifying general behavioral tendencies. That's fine if your argument is that anti-social behavior should be addressed, but if I read you correctly it seems to me that you're argument is that addiction is a problem that needs addressing. Again, both have valid arguments that I would readily agree with, but the way you've seemingly presented both here is neither logical in its train of thought, nor is it convincing under careful scrutiny.

This pretty much. I also hear there are people who frequent online forums along with facebook and the like for many hours a day and those people seem to think they are not addicted. Take Facebook and MySpace off the web and you'll see where the true addictions lie.

Facebook user: I'm on facebook for 8 hours a day and my farm on farmville is over lvl 9000
WoW player: I don't have time for facebook Cata just came out and I have to get raid ready
Facebook user: HaHa you play wow, get a life.

[saelthos]

This pretty much. I also hear there are people who frequent online forums along with facebook and the like for many hours a day and those people seem to think they are not addicted. Take Facebook and MySpace off the web and you'll see where the true addictions lie.

Facebook user: I'm on facebook for 8 hours a day and my farm on farmville is over lvl 9000
WoW player: I don't have time for facebook Cata just came out and I have to get raid ready
Facebook user: HaHa you play wow, get a life.

You could really make that comparison with things beyond the net as well.

I present to you subject a.) A man who spends hours in the gym focusing on staying in shape. He doesn't interact with anyone at the gym, opting to work out on his own with the occasional trainer to spot him as his only socializing while there. He comes home and immediately hits the books, studying for several more hours for classes he spends hours in during the day. He doesn't speak in class and studies alone. I wouldn't say that guy has any more or less of "a life" than someone with a gaming addiction or addiction to Facebook.

If you can live with your choices, i.e. make it to work on time, get to your classes and feed yourself and you don't neglect those people who care about you, then I don't see anything morally wrong with you. If you're happy, you're happy. What does spending hours at the gym to say you're out doing something really say about you if you're miserable? Of course by that same token, if you're spending hours of your day on WoW and you're miserable then you should reevaluate that situation as well. Keep in mind that I'm not considering physical fitness as a goal to strive for in and of itself. If you want to get into shape? Good for you! If you don't and can live with the consequences? I don't see the problem there.

[HarryHitter]

I ain't addicted I just play a lot and have no life.

[nobu]

Yeah its pretty bad, everyday I'm shredding atleast WoW+ all the expansion cd's to dust and just sniffing it all up. It's pretty hectic on my wallet more so than my health. Thanks to blizzard the original WoW and past expansions are cheaper. When I get home I'm injecting the Cataclysm CD dust into my eye-balls to get that sudden Cataclysmic rush. Just yesterday I thought i was thrall standing on top of a cliff commanding the Maelstorm with my shamanism, i flipped back into my senses and realized I was peeing in the toilet. I carry the burning crusade expansion pack case just in case i get edgy at work. I usually go in an alleyway or the toilet and just burn the plastic case up and inhale the smoke, then i Illidan.

[saelthos]

I ain't addicted I just play a lot and have no life.

Ah, but HarryHitter! What does it mean for one to "have a life"? Do you not breathe? Do you not dream? Do you not enjoy the pleasures of the senses? Surely all these things qualify as facets to living!

[Seraphmortus]

saelthos, I think you are the most rational person I have ever seen on a gaming forum.

I don't really have anything to add OT other than to say that I don't think I'm addicted. I've canceled my subscription a few times because of boredom at the end of an expansion or needing to focus more on real life (Read the second half of most semesters at collage). In the end WoW is fairly cheap entertainment and a way to stay in touch with those of my friends who no longer live nearby.

[Xenomortis]

saelthos, I think you are the most rational person I have ever seen on a gaming forum.

I don't really have anything to add OT other than to say that I don't think I'm addicted. I've canceled my subscription a few times because of boredom at the end of an expansion or needing to focus more on real life (Read the second half of most semesters at collage). In the end WoW is fairly cheap entertainment and a way to stay in touch with those of my friends who no longer live nearby.

Not just entertainment but WoW could actually be considered a hobby and at $15 a month a very cheap hobby compared to stuff like collecting stamps.

[volescue]

Asking someone who is addicted to video games if they feel they are addicted or not is the same of asking an alcoholic the same question. The answer is no, they can quit whenever the feel like it and they just don't feel like it.

Anyone who says they are addicted and says that based on what they think of themselves, is indeed not addicted.

[saelthos]

saelthos, I think you are the most rational person I have ever seen on a gaming forum.

I don't really have anything to add OT other than to say that I don't think I'm addicted. I've canceled my subscription a few times because of boredom at the end of an expansion or needing to focus more on real life (Read the second half of most semesters at collage). In the end WoW is fairly cheap entertainment and a way to stay in touch with those of my friends who no longer live nearby.

I appreciate the sentiment, and I can definitely sympathize with the college situation. To be honest I'm putting off writing a few papers by distracting myself with forum discussions. Procrastination is the mother of addiction? Maybe!

[nobu]

These threads are really too frequent, addiction isn't simply "OMFG I PLAYED 100 HOURS THIS WEEK". There is factors in consideration, you can play 50 hours per week or more, if you as a person is in good health + good state of mind and also the people (Wife/Work etc) are not showing any sign of frustration over your game time (Wife leaving/Causing concern at work) . However if they react negatively - Then this leads to what you do next, If you carry on and ignore everything around you then to some extent it's called an addiction. BUT AND HERES THE BIG ASS BUT THAT MC HAMMER COULDN'T EVEN TOUCH - If you show PHYSICAL and PSYCHOLOGICAL breakdown once the game is taken away e.g. suicidal thoughts followed by weight loss or weight gain. Then it's addiction. Take cocaine away from an addict and he'll go through physical + psychological changes. Same goes to sex addicts, alcoholics.

[FailHulk]

Does this mean most of us that do play WoW are workaholics? Since we go to work everyday even though we may or may not enjoy it? Does this mean we're all addicted to food because we eat it whether or not we like it? WoW is something I and the rest of the 12 million players enjoy. So why should we call it an addiction?

[Illindel]

There are people who spend 50+ hours a week reading books in their spare time. There's a difference between doing something often and being addicted to it and people are far too ready to break down the barrier separating the two and whip out the brand.

The couple in Korea who left their toddler at home alone for a few hours where it subsequently died? Addicted. They made a stupid decision that affected the whole of their life to do something they felt they -needed- to do.

John Doe who has nothing better to do with his time? Probably not addicted.

[nobu]

Does this mean most of us that do play WoW are workaholics? Since we go to work everyday even though we may or may not enjoy it? Does this mean we're all addicted to food because we eat it whether or not we like it? WoW is something I and the rest of the 12 million players enjoy. So why should we call it an addiction?

They call it addiction because it lies outside the "Norm", If I went fishing for 100 hours a week - I'd be considered just someone who enjoys fishing. If I invest a lot of time in collecting classic car memorabilia i'll be just known as a car nut at worst. Tell someone you spend 20+ hours on playing video games "LOLZ LEIEK U SEE DAYLITES?". The amount of people who made fun of people who went for the "World first/ Server first" titles. It's a hobby, we play WoW because we enjoy video games. Like people invest time in bug hunting or fishing or watching television.

---------- Post added 2010-12-09 at 01:17 AM ----------

You see, the case of "Bad parenting". They were bad parents.. I mean the same situation could of occurred with a couple loving tennis.

[saelthos]

Does this mean most of us that do play WoW are workaholics? Since we go to work everyday even though we may or may not enjoy it? Does this mean we're all addicted to food because we eat it whether or not we like it? WoW is something I and the rest of the 12 million players enjoy. So why should we call it an addiction?

I see where you're coming from, but I think you're missing a key part of what constitutes addiction. Take work for example. Someone who works long hours because they need the overtime pay to support themselves/their family isn't a workaholic (a term I hate btw for semantic reasons). Someone who works long hours because they enjoy their job or just really want that extra bit of cash isn't a workaholic. However, someone who works long hours that really doesn't need or care about the money or even the job, but feels a compulsory need to be in a working situation with neglect to the needs of his/her family and friends would be.

So in the case of food? No, we're not addicted to food. We biologically cannot live without it. Extra hours of work, alcohol and other recreational drugs, gaming and other hobbies, however are not necessities of basic biological function. Therefore, if one finds themselves compelled to partake in such things beyond what is either necessary or in the case of drugs and hobbies, enjoyable, then you likely have an addiction. For instance, if you are using WoW as a way to not simply take a break from the real world, but rather as a way to ignore it entirely? You, my friend, are likely addicted.

[Khallynos]

It's as simple as this: You don't have a problem unless it's actually a problem in your life. I play a lot of WoW, but I get pretty good grades in my classes, I go out with my friends on the weekend, have a girlfriend, and play other video games too. This isn't science. People who go into withdrawals when lacking WoW (or other video games) have serious personality disorders. People who let WoW control their lives have much larger issues that can't be attributed to video games. People who enjoy WoW in their free time instead of doing other comparable activities only have one problem: society's view of them. It's a shame what some people consider healthy and normal.

[angael]

I could fall into the group of "minor addict". I play a good amount when I have nothing better to do, but I still maintain a b-average in my classes and do some things with friends (not a ton). It is true that if a didn't play wow I might have more. I read a number of good books also.

I guess I'm a minor addict because I can play 5-6hrs in one sitting or I just feel bored and do something else. I'vev taken a few 'breaks' from wow that have been 4-6 weeks. Some people may not consider this addicted though, but I feel it slight is. Pretty much what Khallynos said.

[Shyzhi]

The people on that TV show were really addicted, I use to be back in vanilla. Addicted to PvP, But as time has gone on and iv grown up i aint so addicted i probs am abit as i play pretty much allday but thats mostly as im bored, For the last 2days i aint logged in at all tho. Tho after seeing the show i think i will lower my gameplay alot :P Focus more on other things.