May 22, 1980 was a remarkable day. This was when Pac-Man, the world’s first revolutionary video game, was released in America. No one would have ever expected this innocent game to lead to addictions which require detox.
Created in Japan and originally named Puck-Man, Pac-Man was an instant trend in the States. Over 100,000 units of the game sold within the first year. This game would be played for hours on end with determined players trying to beat their own high scores. But now, 30 years and thousands of games later, some people get so determined to beat a score that it takes over their lives.
Pac-Man introduced the United States to video games. Originally a bulky machine, people would travel to play the game. Then came consoles. The gaming consoles which brought gaming into family rooms became a worldwide industry. The consoles caused increased attention and participation. First there was Nintendo 64 and Game Boy. In more recent years, X-Box 360 and Wii have become the most popular gaming consoles of this generation. But today, games are no longer only played at home.
Today, cell phones and tablets have made access to games effortless, which means the number of addicts has erupted. Recent trendy games which are considered “addictive” are Angry Birds, Temple Run, Fruit Ninja, and even Farmville. Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, frequently abbreviated as MMORPG games, are considered the most addictive because they are real time games with other people who also live in the virtual dimension.
Addictive behaviors include isolating oneself just to play video games, lying to people about gaming behaviors, and knowingly missing meals or family time just to focus on a game. Virtual lives become more interesting than real life. Little attention is paid to addiction. These addictive behaviors are not seriously recognized because that would be a loss of income for the game companies.
According to Douglas Gentile, Ph. D, “Kids who were more impulsive were more likely to become addicted; they had a harder time managing their impulse control. If they were socially awkward then they were more likely to be addicted and if they spent a greater amount of time then the average kids playing games.” When a child becomes addicted, the video game becomes their main priority. Just like a drug, the game makes the addict feel better. It is a way to forget the world.
Despite common beliefs, detoxification, commonly shortened as detox, has been created for video game addiction. The patients of such detox are taught how to use a computer responsibly. There are two main MMORPG rehabilitation centers are reSTART, in America, and a treatment center in Amsterdam. Both centers state on their websites that the patients they see tend to resist treatment, because playing video games is not a crime. Drug use is a crime punishable by law, but no one has ever been given prison time for playing on a computer, tablet, phone, or any other type of console. The reSTART Center is an inpatient facility. Patients are able to “graduate” once they learn that the computer itself is their friend – not just the games they play on it.
Now, everyone plays a game once in a while. Some fill an hour or two with games. Does that make them an addict?
There are specifications which categorize an addict or an addict in the making. If a person plays for extended periods of time, ignores meals or school time just to play, lies to either create time to play or to hide his addiction, and thinks about gaming during other activities, he is considered addicted. Videogameaddiction.org stated there are 11 total symptoms, but someone must display at least 6 of the symptoms listed below to be considered actually addicted.
- · Preoccupation
- · Downplaying Computer Use
- · Lack of Control
- · Lack of Time
- · Negative Impact on Other Aspects of Life
- · Hiding from Negative or Awkward Situations and Returning to Gaming
- · Defensiveness towards playing.
- · Misuse of Money.
- · Mixed Feelings
In West Milford, several students have been asked if they even knew that video game addiction was real. Many people objected, stating that it was not a real illness. When told it is now a real physiological disorder, they still denied it. Some students were also asked if they think they are addicts. They denied it, and once told the criteria, they realized they show almost no serious sings of addiction.
Will a game of Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja kill someone? Of course not. Is it possible, however, to become seriously addicted? Yes. While teenagers are known to play many games, there are very few who are clinically addicted. While some people remain close minded about the serious illness, sophomore Graham Goldberg stated, “I guess I am a little addicted.” A little bit of Wii never hurt anyone, but research indicates it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
