Monday, June 25, 2007

Addicted to Games?

Addiction experts say video games not an addiction

From Yahoo News - experts are arguing over whether or not video game addiction should be considered an affliction on par with alcoholism or drug addiction. Video gaming produces very real physiological responses within players that could understandably become addictive much in the same way that a drug addict continues to seek highs from illegal substances...but does classifying game addiction open up a can of worms for classifying other media addictions as illnesses worthy of insurance support for treatment (e.g. television or internet addiction)? Are some people more wired to become addicted to games the same way there are people predisposed to become alcoholics or drug addicts? Is is the result of a generally addictive personality or are those who become addicted to games somehow different from those who become addicted to physical substances? Only time and research will tell.

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