The Negative Effects of Video Game Addiction

I think my cousin may be addicted to video games. He's on his third (or fourth?) Nintendo DS because he's worn out or broken so many. He's 12! His mom supposedly limits his playing time at home but everywhere else I see him he's always got it glued to his face. He definitely is restless or irritable when he can't play!

As entertaining as video games can be they can take away from so much more. I remember in college playing games until 4am because I had to "make it to the next level" of a game and after that - there was another "next level". It interfered with my sleep, my studies, etc, etc. The sad thing is that too many kids have become physically inactive because of video games. Combine this with poor eating habits and there is one big reason why obesity has become such a problem in children over the past 10+ years.

Granted there is nothing wrong with "occasionally" playing video games but it can be hard to not get caught up in front of one and waste away precious hours of your day or night.

They forgot GameCube in that image! ^_^

While I definitely believe there is video game addiction out there (and in my house *cough*), I'd like to make mention that video games can also be a great inexpensive social outlet. To this day my group of friends will hold "Mario Party Parties" and play guitar hero, etc.

I am definitely disappointed by the Nintendo-DS-as-a-pacifier parenting technique... I've seen families out to dinner, where the kids are attached to their games and not even looking at each other or their parents. Whatever happened to family discussions and forms of entertainment that involved the whole family?

You are right. Social events can be centered around a simple game like guitar hero or super mario smash bros. brawl. Games like these can be played and create better bonds between people. I think the concern lies with the kids who sit in their rooms all day and play these games and find themselves living in the virtual world more than real life.

I believe that there shouldn't be anything at the dinner table besides a hearty meal and good conversation (which is possible). Family discussions and games are put on the back burner unfortunately. Kids these days don't respect their parents. Maybe this is an indication of poor family values?

CR4 addiction apparently leads to cat fancy.

Del is taking over the world.

No really!

Just this very evening Bernard, the cat, I told Del wanted to be a human, jumped on the wife's plate, and ate.

She then told me it was all too much, and she was going to bed.

Del says no self respecting cat would deign to desire to be a human being.

Conversely what if I am properly motivated to learn to unrepentently sleep 18 hours a day?

What is the proper and dutiful amount of dreaming one should do?

How come I used to be a dog, and am now become a cat?

Do cats care about real life?

I swear, I think this is on topic. I can't tell you yet how it could be, but really I am certain that cats live in the virtual world. They will sleep when it is dark. They will sleep when it is bright as day.

Video games are like sleeping, and apparently it is all coming from Del and his mind controlling cats.

The Game-cube is a tamagochi (squaregochi?) not a game console

Maybe i have a problem too, i cannot wait to get back to my PS3 and kill other people playing online.

Although is still do my other hobbies so i guess it is ok. i remember going to a friends house and having bomber man parties those were fun

On the parenting thing i totally agree, and here in japan gaming is so much part of life that it is scary.

I'm not afraid to admit I have an addiction but I can usually control my urges.

I look forward to an hour or two of gaming every day when I get home from work to unwind. As for the weekends sometimes I let my chores slide but I definitely don't let video games get in the way of social events.

True, boys have always been more susceptible to game addiction but with newer systems like the Wii and DS, the gap is definitely narrowing.

As for the Gamecube not being on the chart, it sold under 22 million which makes it unchartworthy. Notice the original Xbox is absent as well which sold over 24 million.

I take it next week's blog is on the Positive Effects of Video Game Addiction?

As far as the gender gap, I tend to agree with you. The nintendo DS is recently launching commercials for (IMHO sissy) games for women featuring females like Beyonce and Liv Tyler. They know that women are a wide audience and they are trying to capture it, which is a smart marketing move. Although they have to stop advertising for seemingly retarded/kiddie games for me to even consider biting.

The fact that you can control your urges indicates it probably isn't an addiction (but I am not a doctor in that area, so that may be a load of hot air). Using games to unwind is a good stress reliever sometimes.

Haha. The positive effects of video game addiction. I feel as though everyone is aware of the positive effects of video game addiction. But nice try.

Good points. The only thing I have to add is that a big problem I see with an addiction to video games is that is may contribute to obesity as these kids are just sitting around. At least having a soccer addiction means you are moving around. I wonder about the numbers between these addictions. I know that while I was always passionate about the sports I played, I wouldn't say that I was addicted, I knew my priorities.

All the same, thanks for adding that little tidbit. Most addictions are similar in that they negatively effect life.

Because books are supposed to stimulate the brain and educate.

Except if you read books that have been outlawed by the government those are bad!

but as we were all once were kids (these legislator and organisation members apparently not) that all things deemed forbidden make it only more tempting.

hence every time that a game (bully, manhunter) or music (Eminem, Marilyn Manson)

, books (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banned_books) is in de news because of its "wickedness" it only increases the sales of those items

As far as educate, i agree. Theres no way a Video game can compete with the knowledge found in a textbook.

But I'm more talking about novels. Reading a Tom Clancy novel is supposed to stimulate the brain more than playing a Rainbow 6 game? I'd think they are about the same.

I'm not trying to argue that books are evil and video games are great, I'm just saying theres a strong common denominator between the two that people tend to overlook

I don't disagree with you but you asked why people do not complain when you read so much.

Books are put on a pedestal IMHO.

There are comics that are just as good written as some of the supposed "great" books

But there is this common stereo type that comics, animation and games are for kids.

And mature content is bad on the child (persons) mind.

It is the same as with any thing that gives enjoyment, do it in moderation, although i am now hooked on Killzone 2 (PSN name you guessed it Epke).

I very much agree with this because yes I used to read quite a bit, but not much sadly anymore. And I used to get to the point where I would stay up all night reading to get to the end of the chapter and be like, "crap, I must know what happens next."

But as for not being able to "multiplay" a book, well you can go to some meeting that I forget what they are called where a bunch of people get together and talk about a book they are reading or have already read. So in a way, you can "multiplay" books just as much if not more than video games or in even a better way.

Addiction is one of the most misused terms in any language. If one is not addicted to one thing then it surly must be another thing. It used to be television and since it has diversified to many areas including video games. But daily I observe addiction to yakking on a cell phone instead of paying attention to other activities like driving. Or connecting to computer based communication devices like instant message, texting, or twinkle (or what ever that crap is called). And let's not forget the ultimate addiction, drugs. It is all about avoiding boredom. (And I think their are too many people addicted to boredom, too!)

There have been articles written about how beneficial video games are for things like fine tuning small motor skills, concentration, and more. But most discussions like this topic, focuses on a single perspective for the sake of ranting and raving. And because of that, I usually avoid such one sided nonsense. But on occasion I just have to take issue with the approach and point out some of the facts that are being ignored.

At the same time, it makes me sad to think about individuals who confine themselves in a hole, basement, or wherever to play or communicate online and rarely ever come up for air. It makes me sad when people isolate themselves for the sake of reading books, or any other soloist activity that they seek by themselves because there is so much more entertainment value with sharing.

It seems to me that a lot of critics of video games have never participated in a multiplayer game. If they had, they would surely stop complaining. It is a bit like complaining that card games such as Bridge, or board games like Chess are addicting.

From my perspective, it seems that single sided complaints about pet peeves are in-fact an addiction to attention that a lot of people have. Other people find ways to satisfy their need for attention without ranting and raving. I really don't care how much one sided data or studies one can dig up to support their point. I think it usually becomes clear in most of these cases that there are other considerations but by that time the infection of one sided opinion has been spread like a nasty virus.

So, I'm grateful for the occasional opportunity to point out that video games are not the problem. There will always be a fraction of the people that become obsessed with something, whatever it happens to be. Most of the time they get over it. Some obviously suffer from a lack of better or more appealing distractions. We can't all be wealthy enough to choose from a large array of distraction. All I can say is get over it!