Egame Addiction

Electronic games and addiction

Introduction:

From the moment video games were introduced, thousands of theories have been made related to their effects. As technology evolved, video games shifted from being run in consoles and arcade machines onto personal computers. More so, games in which players interacted for the sake of entertainment have grown onto being a necessity for many. Internet has been the bridge that allowed players to cross from the point of enjoyment, to the point of becoming addicted. At this same moment in which you are reading this essay, millions of users are online, playing a video game -which is likely to be a massively multiplayer online role playing game, - chatting with their virtual friends and improving their gaming strategies -either solo or with their cyber-team- while enjoying an impressive amount of pleasure вЂ"which most people surrounding them do not understand- as a result of the adrenaline rush. Is that wrong? Not at all. However, the thought that some of these players have been вЂ?playing’ for more than 6 hours in a row by now, can escape our minds; it is possible that they haven’t bathed for some days already or that they have been ignoring their duties or even their own companions. These, are some of the many effects that video game addiction causes. Although it has been disputed if video games can lead to addiction, this paper will argue that the possibility does exist. It will explore the history of video game addiction; the different types; the main factors that contribute to becoming an addict along with the causes of doing so, and the warning signs. Furthermore, it will enhance the argument that addiction does exist with examples of consequences for the matter in question; and raise the issue if the battle against it can be conquered.

Literary Review:

Addiction is characterized by the “repeated use of substances or behaviors despite clear evidence of morbidity secondary to such use” (Wikipedia, 2007). When talking about addiction, our mind quickly focuses on the most familiar types: Alcohol and Drugs. However, computer gaming also meets these criteria. Electronic-game addiction has been part of that list ever since the computer was created. After that, the term for such an addiction is commonly called computer addiction or internet addiction. Though there is great debate as to whether one can become addicted to a video game or not, there are people who report that their friends and loved ones have been "sucked into" a game (Wikipedia, 2007). Many distinctions can be made among video games; however we are to focus in the one that influences most the addictive possibility of the game: whether the game is played online or offline. According to Janette Rizk (2006) “the Internet is a wonderful tool for communication. However, it can become an escape from reality that has the appearance of safety, intimacy and anonymity”. For her, “the use of the internet for games, gambling, messages, porn or cybersex can become as addictive as any other drug”. As a matter of fact, according to the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery Website, Internet Addiction is a type of impulsive-control problem and five general subtypes have been defined: Cybersexual Addiction, Cyber-relational Addiction, Net Compulsions, Information Overload and Electronic Game Addiction. This last type of addiction is the one that I am going to focus on from this point forward.

Online Gaming:

The division between online and offline games makes a great difference on the game’s addictive risk. Online games tend to attract more the attention of the addict. Nevertheless, offline games such as Solitaire, Minesweeper, Tetris, and original console games such as Mario Brother’s from Nintendo, were among the first to fall down into the list of addictive games. Nowadays, Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games are at the top of that list. While traditional video games end at some point or become repetitive, MMORPGs are endless. The average amount of time that people spend playing in a MMORPG world is usually about 20 to 30 hours a week, however, between 9% to 30% of the population are addicts; they admit to immersing themselves in the false world anywhere from 50 hours a week to вЂ?constantly’ (R.V. Kelly, 2004). In a comparison made by Brian D. and Peter W. for their essay Addiction to the Internet and Online Gaming (2005), MMORPG game users and non-MMORPG players were put side by side “to find the elements that differentiate the two types of users and factors that contribute to overuse”. The results showed that even though the demographics of both types of users were practically the same, the amount of hours spent playing the games varied drastically (Appendix B). MMORPG users took the lead on all the questions that regarded serious overuse. They were predisposed to play continuously for 8 hours, losing sleep for that reason, yet still preferred to spend time in the game with virtual friends rather than with friends in real life. As the essay said, “it is the social aspect inherent in MMORPGs that draws in the вЂ?hard core’ players who show patterns of addiction.” However, based on research, it is possible to say that along with MMORPG users are other possible victims of addiction. Throughout multiple analyses, it seems as if the vast majority of abusers are males under 30 years of age. Along with them are children with problems of poor self-esteem and social problems.

Main Factors:

There are three main factors that influence the abuse of video games: the social factor, the psychological factor, and the neurological factor. Concerning the social factor, according to Dr. Orzack -Director of Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital*-, social pressure or lack of social skills can lead to video game addiction. He suggests that “many video game addicts have struggled with finding their place in society and as a result play video games in order to become part of a crowd.” In addition, when discussing the reasons to continue the activity for an extended amount of time, he adds that “the players may feel compelled to reach the next level of achievement in the game in order to flaunt their abilities in front of their peer group”.

The psychological factor on the other hand, is especially pertinent with online RPG’s. In an online RPG a player assumes the role of a fictional character. As an example, an intelligent child who is unpopular at school can become dominant