Yet another Game Addiction Thread

So it looks like Harvard has come up with a Unified Theory for Addiction.

I've been thinking, obviously Pleasure is the main source of an addiction but it can't be that simple right ? Why do some pleasures cause addiction and others do not ? well it turns out the 2nd requirement for an Addiction is how easy it is to attain that pleasure.... Thats why drugs are so easily addictive, what could be easier than popping a pill and just sitting back and relaxing while they do their magic on your vulnerable little brain......

So lets move on to Addictive activities, Same principle applies, I won't say video games are the easiest of pleasures but I think it would make they Top 10 of pleasures that don't require that much effort....

So its pretty clear then, the probability of something being an addiction can easily be offset by the amount effort it takes to attain that pleasure..... in other words, Which video game genre encourages optimization, High Rewards for Grinding, doesn't have demanding gameplay, has a false and abstract sense of Progression......... RPGs !!!

Booyaaa !!! Bet y'all didn't see that one coming, did'ya... ;)

How many hours a day should one have to play RPG's in order to be considered (or become) addicted...? While certain videogames exploit psychological traits of human beings, they do not seem to have as much of a direct biological effect on the brain and body, like drugs do. I guess this can be compared to a discussion about depression. The factors causing the condition seem much more complex and harder to establish.

Addicted to Open world action.. Not much into Rpg...

Again there is no such thing as gaming addiction.

Most people who get to a point where "gaming" takes over their life, all have mental or physical issues that is the major cause.

Psychological exploits do not equal addictive since after time, your mind resets if away from the exploit long enough or if you adapt due to not being rewarded enough times. Addiction causes a physical dependence on the addictive substance in question which requires rehab to cure

@Jacanuk:

Oh yes there is..... like the study says, all addiction is tied to pleasure, ergo anything that gives you pleasure is not exempt from being called an addiction.

Besides, nobody is perfect, we all have our mental baggage, its not an all or nothing affliction, its got different levels of seriousness which determine the magnitude of addiction......

A brand new interesting game is more like a false learning experience than an addiction

@mastermetal777:

Well that depends on the Exploit..... it doesn't work with Negative reinforcement since there's no pleasure to be had there..... but with others it definitely qualifies as an addiction aswell.... they are not mutually exclusively.

FYI, doesn't matter if its physical or phycological dependency, spending enough time away from the addiction will have the same affect, and both those types of addiction are both capable of causing a relapse.... not on tge same level but it will happen eventually.

You are clearly biased, you don't even agree with the very same study that you sent me.

@Lulu_Lulu: I agree with the study I sent you. You just refused to read it the entire way through. You're the biased one here. You won't even research the opposite argument to counter it. There's little to no hard scientific evidence claiming video games are addictive. And studies that do claim this either misrepresent their data or are commissioned by people with agendas, something very common with those who demonize video games.

@mastermetal777:

I read the whole thing and you have no proof to suggest otherwise, what ridiculous thing yo accuse some one of.

Anyway thats true, there's little to no evidence that games are addictive, but theres also little to no evidence that they are not addictive either, which brings back to your precious study, which has made a compelling argument that anything can be addictive so long as it meets the criteria...... you have made zero points to show games don't fit this model, and fit very well......

Also listen to yourself, your claim that games are niy addictive hinges on thr fact that it must be a study on games specifically, you want to be spoon fed the evidence instead of using simple reasoning logic...... thats definitely bias.

Now that you mention it, I do recall reading an article years ago that there was these parents sold there children into labor for money so they can use it to buy games which was sick to my stomach and that right there was a video game addiction.

Here is the link for the full story and this is an old article but worth checking out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/26/chinese-parents-sell-children-gaming_n_910288.html

Agreed, because most normal functioning people with careers, goals, families and other activities, wouldn't fall in that category.

@MarcRecon:

They do.... you would be surprised how functional a disturbed human being can be...... schizophrenics can hold down job and take of a family.

Gambling addiction can strike anyone at all, if the stakes are high enough.

Being a fully functional family man is not proof of how well adjusted you are.

Almost anything can be addictive, like posting on video game boards all day, for instance.

@Lulu_Lulu: true addicts can't function at all though. You're missing that point altogether.

@mastermetal777:

True Addicts can't fubction forever but they can fake it for a pretty long time, and I'm talking addiction to chemicals not activities. ..... besides I'm not surprized we don't see eye to because you moving the goal posts to save your precious hobby thay you believe can do no wrong

@Lulu_Lulu: when did I say games can't do any wrong? Here you are speculating again, and trying to come up with reasons for your argument that have counters in scientific studies you refuse to look up. And what the hell is this about moving the goal post? I'm not moving anything. Compulsive gambling and other such issues do cause functional issues because they completely forget how to manage money and obligations. Video games aren't "addictive". They're compelling. And if someone is rushing to video games, it's usually because of underlying problems in their real life. And if you're gonna bring up cases where people are dying after playing a long gaming session, you're talking about a mere 0.5 percent of gamers. It's not an epidemic. And also, all the supposed "symptoms" of game addiction are a lie because numerous studies have discredited video games' ability to change brain structure or function. So before you go accusing me of making things up, why not research the opposite argument before you go defending your stance. That way, you'll sound less biased than you typically are.

Gaming's not an addiction in the sense of drugs and alcohol, but it is still addictive, and it's incredibly easy for even a normally functioning person to get carried away. I myself was doing perfectly fine until I started playing FFXI, and it got so bad to the point where my friends had to drop in on me unannounced to check on me.

Also, this isn't to say that anyone who games will become addicted to gaming, just as not everyone who smokes is a chain smoker, or not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. And usually, it's the alcoholics that have problems in their own lives that cause them to continue to drink more.

Depends on what kind of addiction but imo the typical are only a problem if they are negative such as anything that causes one to neglect other priorities, responsibilities or causes problems for others, yourself and your health. I consider cell phone addictions to be one of the most dangerous to others since such people are compelled to use them while driving.

"true" addicts as you say have a mental disorder developed over time. There are different kinds of addictions from compulsive/obsessive addictions to dependance. They do function..to serve their addiction but as any psychologist agrees that they still have the ability of willpower to quit if they choose and many certainly do everyday. It's not like their zombies, rather they are just mentally weak without any care to change cause they want their selfish desires which isn't actually that common among long term addicts. Most want to quit, they just lack the catalyst.

Risk factors are mood and anxiety disorders or even untreated ADHD which vastly increases the risk of some form of abusive addictions. Women suffering from such are actually more likely to abuse drugs according to studies.

@mastermetal777:

Your own stupid study agrees with me more than it does with you so yeah you leave me no choice but to think you could let games get away with Murder....

And being an addict doesnt completely errode your sense of logic rendering you non functional, compulsive gamblers may and rearrange their lives to accomodate their habbits for decades, an addict is capable of highly functional and intellectual behavior, they can realise that in order to support there addiction they might have to work even harder at their jobs so they can have even more money to spend on their habbit, if anything their addiction makes them more valuable at work.

Again this was also in your study, if an addicts solution to tolerance is to increase their dosage then they are definately capable of using this warped reasoning to further their habbit.....

Not all addicts are homeless bums who can't hold down a job or take their kids to school, for some people addictions help them alliviate the stress of having all these responsibilities in the 1st place.....

Lets call them Functional Addicts, yes, thats a thing now.....

@Lulu_Lulu: one study doesn't have my entire opinion on the subject. It was meant to be a jumping off point for you to do your own damn research, which you couldn't be bothered with like always. But either way, this is a topic better left to pros than forum posters like us. I'm no psychologist, though I do know enough about the subject, both from studying and from having family members suffer through addiction before. I'm dropping this thread because it's becoming increasingly obvious that you're pushing sone agenda, Lulu

@JustPlainLucas:

It takes massive Cojones to admit something personal like that.....

Im actually trying to quit RPGs (my weakness) cold turkey as my new years resolution.......I wouldn't call myself completely well adjusted but I'm definitely not the non functioning retard that those gentlemen up there claim that are game addicts.

@mastermetal777:

I did all my research already, extra credits and Gamesutra were my jumping off points.... so your study is kinda late to the party. And what agenda.... you meancthe RPG thing ? That was a joke...... some researcher you are..... running away everytime somebody points out the flaws in your logic which coincidentally some how never show the downsides of gaming

This is not to insult anyone but no normal functioning people can´t get drawn in by a game like they are met with an addiction or some uncontrollable force. People dont just suddenly sit down and decide to stop functioning because of a game. There is some underlying issue at work, be it GF problems, Terrible teachers, parents who suck, Mental issues etc..... and the game is a easy escape and in a sense just a bad excuse. Its the same thing with people who are fat and say they can't help it because they have a addiction to food, its just a bad excuse.

Talk with any professional and they will say the exact same thing

@Jacanuk:

So what you're saying is the gsme can't be held accountable even though they are specifically designed to manipulate your behavoir ? Especially in this day and age where pay to win tactics are turning up more and more ?

Thats just insensitive of you....... you're like one of those dudes who yell at fat people abd tell them its their fault they can't say no to sweet sugary foods and treats tag teaming with broad advertising.....

@Lulu_Lulu: every professional will say the same thing: the game is not the issue. Whatever causes someone to go to a game is the underlying issue. Psychological traps aren't the cause of addiction or anything of the sort. A person's personal issues, personality, habits, etc., are the more concerning issue, not the game itself. That's because the game functions within itself, and doesn't have a direct cause on the things that lead a person to seek that game to begin with.

It doesn't have to be 100% proof, but the stability is a sign that the person has a balanced perspective of what's going on around them. So the chances of them being adddicted to whatever is pretty slim....not impossible, but slim.

@mastermetal777:

Then neither are drugs, after all they are physical trap that take advantage of the universal underlying issue all people have.

@Lulu_Lulu: They don't take advantage maliciously, nor are they deliberately trying to get people addicted. They just want people to keep playing. But it's the person's responsibility when it comes to games to get any of their underlying issues taken care of. It's not the game's fault that a person wants to play. It's the person wanting to escape, and video games provide a form of escape.

I'm currently addicted to Destiny, that's the only game I have been playing as of late.

@mastermetal777:

Really, you don't think theres nothing malicious about a substance than force you to feel good whether you want to or not ?

Even if that wasn't the case the effect is still the same. You cant discredit one just because its synthetically malicious compared to one that is naturally malicious..... you're playing favourites.

Its not cocaines fault either that humans will power is weaker than their brain chemistry, it's the responsibility of the person to sort out whatever underlying issue they have to increase their will.

@Lulu_Lulu: The problem is that cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, and all other similar substances, are designed to change the chemistry of the brain. Video games are not, and neither are psychological tricks. They can influence behavior, sure, but behavior is constantly changing depending on the situation. The problem with addictive chemicals is that, no matter the situation, the brain has been changed to physically need that substance, something that games have never been shown to do...ever. So your theory is flawed simply due to these facts.

@mastermetal777:

As I said before when it comes to games, addiction will be determined on case by case basis, so no leverage to claim that all of gaming in its entirety is not addictive....

Anyway are saying addictive things are based on intent ?

Anyway have you asked yourself this..... why do they need that substance ?

Because it makes them feel good..... its not the substsnce they are addicted to its the effect of the substance..... ergo if a video game can achieve that same effect then you must treat it exactly like the substance....

All addictions are about the samething..... feeling good...... and video games, drugs, gambling, alcohol etc, are just means to that same end, ergo if games are not addictive then neither are drugs.... you wouldnt be addicted to them if they didn't meet the same end as a game does.

@Lulu_Lulu: addiction is more complex than just simply "feeling good". The most hardcore drugs, including cigarettes, become a physical need rather than a wanting to feel good, which is where the problems come in, and where you seem to be missing the whole point. They're not a means to the same end, because the end game of drugs is a road of death. Video games do not cause death, and any news story that says otherwise are just unfortunate cases of people who weren't mentally well or were that socially isolated that it became their only reality, which implies deeper psychological issues. With drugs, it changes your body chemistry so completely that, unless you go through some sort of recovery plan, quitting a drug can be just as deadly as using the drug. Ask any doctor about people who've suffered major complications in their health or even death because they just up and decided to quit cold turkey. Quitting video games doesn't have that same issue. You can't blame video games for people being addicted to them because video games don't fundamentally change a person so that they have to use it. Drugs have to share some blame because of their very nature as known substances that cause addiction.

@mastermetal777:

You own stupid study says its all about pleasure......

Regardless if what other elements are in play, an addiction simply cannot set in if there is no initial pleasure, thats the backbone of addiction.... so yeah, it is that simple.

@Lulu_Lulu: Yeah, but it isn't about pleasure after a while. It's more about needing it to not feel like crap, which isn't pleasure, it's medicine that you need to live, only that same medicine is killing you. That's the difference.

@mastermetal777:

Thats called relative pleasure.....

Water to a man dying of thirst is like Ice Cream To a Fat Kid.

Even though their predicaments are nothing alike, their perception of their resolution is relatively the same. If you feek like crap long enough then feeling crap becomes your new neutral state of mind, feeling like your old normal self after that equates to the feeling of pleasure had you felt normal and felt much better later on......

The perception of your circumstance plays an extremely large role in addiction.

@Lulu_Lulu: That's more related to compulsions though, not addiction, which both are similar, but have vastly different causes and effects on people.

@mastermetal777:

Its an addiction by definition of your study,

The difference between a complusion and an addiction is that a compulsion doesn't have pleasure as a prerequisite.....

A compulsion is a need to do something for unkown or irrational reasons, an addiction is a need that makes you feel good.....

Addictions do eventually lead to compulsions but video games are an activity of pleasure, the addiction stems from trying to attain this pleasure. Making it closer to addiction, not compulsion..... this is not like jiggling a door nob 4 times every time you close a door, which isnt pleasurable, games are actually fun and pleasurable......

What are you talking about? manipulate your behaviour? im not sure which games you have been playing but i have never played a game that altered my behaviour. And pay to win is becoming more and more because more and more people who exactly like i am saying is able to control their gametime, are gamers but they cant compete with people who spend every waking moment or most of their life in front of a screen.

And sorry if the truth is insensitive to you Lulu.

@Lulu_Lulu: That study is just one of many in a broad topic. Stop using it as my entire argument. It's clouding your argument. I don't see people actually making excuses to leave their life to play a video game. Annoyed that they'd rather be playing them instead of working, sure, but you could make the same excuse for watching a new TV show, web series, etc. Drug addicts actually take time away from their real life to seek out their drug. Unless you live in a world where there are some sort of video game "drug dens", then what you're saying doesn't apply at all.

And don't even begin to think you understand OCD because of people who turn knobs a certain amount of times. They have a need to turn that knob because it makes them feel better, so it is pleasant to them. You just contradicted yourself with that statement. A compulsion doesn't always have to make sense outside of the person's mind, it's just something they do to feel better. Addiction is something they can't help because the addictive substance in question has become a part of their physical and mental life. I feel like I've stated this before, but again you're so firm and so stuck in your arguments that you just refuse to accept anything other than your own viewpoint, just like the troll you truly are.

Are you Mr. Kellogg?

You're making an argument for circumcision

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