The Shrine

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_ ... re;6">Long URL that caused the page to scroll and bothered Kupek</a>

GOVMENT CAME AND TUK MA BABY!

As Eric so eloquently put it-- gaming addictions are just symptoms of bigger problems... in other words there's no such thing as being addicted to the internet-- you've got something else wrong, like you just have an addiction problem in general that would just as easily happen with gambling, alcohol, etc...

Tessian wrote:As Eric so eloquently put it-- gaming addictions are just symptoms of bigger problems... in other words there's no such thing as being addicted to the internet-- you've got something else wrong, like you just have an addiction problem in general that would just as easily happen with gambling, alcohol, etc...

Oh yeah, but I love how the APA's gonna actually put it into the DSM-IV. I read through some of that during my uni studies, so much of the crap is very similar and actually feels like a symptom more than the disease it's labelled as.

But since when do psychologists actually want to fix problems? Like all other doctors, their job is to nurture and control the problem, not fix it. That's how you become dependant on them and how they make their money. If they fixed problems they'd be out of work.

I never realized how paranoid you are.

Kupek wrote:I never realized how paranoid you are.

Look where I come from :-)

Seriously, though, it's not paranoia or pessimism on my part, it's just the way it is. Human nature leads to things like the medical system and pyschologists not actually curing anything.

I'd try to prove the point, but what's the sense?

Zeus wrote:I'd try to prove the point, but what's the sense?

Hmmm...what's the point of presenting evidence on your side? Gee, I dunno. Maybe it would lend credibility to your claims?

I think I'll use that as a sig, or at least a disclaimer for all of my posts. "I'd like to prove that the moon is made of cheese, but what's the sense?"

Zeus wrote:Seriously, though, it's not paranoia or pessimism on my part, it's just the way it is.

You're a little too close to the subject to say how it is, sorry dude .

SineSwiper wrote:

Zeus wrote:I'd try to prove the point, but what's the sense?

Hmmm...what's the point of presenting evidence on your side? Gee, I dunno. Maybe it would lend credibility to your claims?

No, it would just be labelled as "Zeus, you're paranoid" or "Zeus, stop being so pessimistic". I've tried arguing stuff like this many times before. There really is no point when I know what the response is going to be (I've actually argued this exact point here before). It ends up in the same place, either I change the way I think simply because a lot of others think differently, without actually providing any strong evidence to back their claims, or I shut up 'cause no one is listening anyways and I'll just be labelled as a complainer. I choose the latter.

Andrew, I'm an old man going senile, I have no idea what you were getting at :-)

I don't think the report would be referring to us. There are some scary MMO players out there, but I doubt we're it.

I play games maybe 10 hours a week or so, maybe a bit less or more on occasion depending on the week. That would seem like a lot until you realize that I watch *no* regular television, and the rest of the time I'm either working, working out, out with friends on a weekend night, or recreating at the park or the beach or whatnot. Everyone here holds down a job, has interests, most of us have pursued higher education...if this diagnosis has any sanity to it, shrinks can weed out "I play some games to recreate" from "I was supposed to feed my baby but then my guild did an Onyxia run". Or those guys in Korea who MMO themselves up to the big MMO in the sky. It seems like most of us have a bit more balance to our habits.

It's been shelved for consideration 'til 2012 so they can study it more

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173073.ht ... op;more;10

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/ ... index.html

Probably the same story.

Honestly, I don't think you can place game "addictions" in the same class as substance disorders. And if you do declare it an addiction, it's hard to know where the line is - do you declare TV-holics mentally ill too? What about reclusive, obsessive romance-novel readers? Otakus? Obsessed comic book fans?

Good to see sanity actually won out in this case.

Nev wrote: Good to see sanity actually won out in this case.

These are scientists and doctors making ths decision, not politicians :-)

I think it's clearly different than physical addictions, but I see no reason why it can't be an addiction like food, porn or gambling. As long as an activity triggers the right type of reward response in the brain, it can be an addiction.

Kupek wrote:I think it's clearly different than physical addictions, but I see no reason why it can't be an addiction like food, porn or gambling. As long as an activity triggers the right type of reward response in the brain, it can be an addiction.

And they haven't really come out and said "it ain't no addiction". They're doing it the right way, they're sayin' "we're not sure yet, let's study it and revisit it in 2012".

I give them kudos for this one. It would have been easy and quite popular with a good chunk of the population to toss it in there, but they want to make sure it fits first. Good on them.