Gaming Addiction


Gaming Addiction Defined




Addiction, again that word creeps its ugly head around the corner and continues to reveal itself in so many different ways. The dictionary defines addiction as the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. Yet however when we think about addiction in its true meaning, we usually don’t think far past alcohol or drug addiction. But when we reexamine the actual definition we can see where one could develop a gaming addiction. Now people might make light of that situation and consider it a lot better than other addictions but that is simply not the case. The implications of gaming addictions are prodigious as they can take on the shape and the form of any other addiction and tear apart the addict and the family and leave a path of destruction that is indomitable. The power of video gaming can capture some people and enslave them to the point where they can think of nothing else at all. The excitement that some of these games can create is what causes the rush for the addict and they can think of nothing else. As the excitement provides that rush and sense of euphoria, the brain releases a chemical that can cause an addiction. This is a problem that with other addictions is not partial to whom it ensnares. Addicts do not become addicted to a particular game itself but rather to the feeling of accomplishment that they achieve from the game. If ones life is negatively impacted by the behavior that surrounds the gaming then yes, there is a problem and nationally it is being labeled as an addiction. Chemical or non chemical addiction regardless, addiction is an obsession that becomes compulsory. Video gaming is an escape for some that takes them into a virtual world that is on existent to everyone else but very real to the addict. The user takes on a feeling of being invincible. Some people realize that they are becoming addicted but they just can not stop themselves. This is a growing problem much past that of just the United States, as it is growing overseas at alarming rates too. The government of some countries has recognized the extremity of the problem and has offered hotlines, clinics, and many other treatment facilities in an attempt to deal with this epidemic. There have even been deaths from gaming addiction and although many may ponder how one could die from playing too many video games, it is caused from sitting in a position for too long which disrupts the blood circulation because they were sitting in the typical video gamer crunched up position. Although gaming addiction has become one of the newest societal ills, it is very real. South Korea has the largest number of gaming addicts followed by the US and Japan. It is being contributed in part to the fact that these are the three main countries that host the most societal pressure to succeed. That causes a grave amount of stress for some people and they lose themselves in a world of what we may see as fantasy but they do not.