Video Game Addiction Support Group

Hello Wounded.

No, gaming is not a controlled substance, but it doesen't have to be in order for it to become an addiction. People can become addicted to anything that they allow to take controll of their lives to the point where it is debilitating & hinders normal life functions, negatively impacting human relationships.

It is an outward symptom of an inner abnormal behavior, that manifests itself through the gaming & that's where it becomes a problem. Most people that have extreme & excessive abnormal behaviors are not aware that it's a problem, nor do they think it's a "big deal."

But when the people you love are affected by what you do and you neglect your loved ones, & put the game before things/people that should & would be a priority --the addictive behaviors are similar to those who are chronic alcholics, & drug addicts.
For your information, the brain releases some of the same chemicals that a person gets from being high or working out when achievements are made. Those "feelings" are reinforced by the gaming & the more reinforcing the stimulus, the more "addicting" the activity becomes. I'm a behavioral science/sociology major & we are studying this VERY subject w/respect to the link between abnormal behavior & drug use and the similarites are astounding!



There is nothing wrong with having a pastime or a hobby, but everything should be done with balance & moderation.

Wounded, I do think it is a rather insensative thing to say that people deserve what they get --like dying or loosing things/people in their life as a result of their gaming addiction. You may not realize it, but there are people in the world that are not as strong as some of us & need help. They are not beyond changing or doing better. There just may not be someone in their lives to love them enough to get help for them, you never know. My husband was neglected as a child, lost his biological father @ an early age and turned to gaming for "escape". However, I do understand that some people, no matter what you tell or try to do 4 them will do what they will...and there's nothing you can do about it.

How can you tell someone to "grow up" and you're 31 years old playing video games????!
If you think you're just fine, why does your wife argue with you about the games? She may see something wrong that you cannot see beyond your selfish gaming fullfilment.

I'm curious as to why you would come to a place where people are crying out for help, recoginzing a need for deliverance from their addiction & looking for answers for a way out? It may be ridiculous or absurd to you, but for the people who are struggling with this challange, it's very REAL to them.

Your opinion is indeed your own, but you do come off very mean & insensative. Your ignorant diagnosis of what you've seen here is about as unrealistic as the games you play.

Your perspective is very one sided & devoid of understanding. This isn't the army..it's a place for people to get help, so if you are not going to be here to help, I suggest you find some other forum to spew your mean & insensative remarks about people who are sincerely trying to get a handle on something that is causing chaos in their lives.

Agape

-------------------------------------

akhil

Drug Treatment Centers-Drug Treatment Centers

-------------------------------------

akhil

[url=http://www.drugstrategies.org]Drug Treatment Centers[/url]-Drug Treatment Centers

The keyword is discipline. Games are entertainment, nothing more. Family and work come first - chores second and then - and only then, if there is still time - you can think about entertainment.

I have hundreds of games and play daily. Its not about the game controlling you. Its you controlling yourself.

Blaming something else is easy. Accepting the fact that the fault is with your own mental state is the first step in realizing that you need to change your priority's.

I completely agree with you sir.

I really enjoy playing games a lot. I download games on the computer and play; I enjoy playing "Sims". I have collected all the games for sims 1 and I have most of the games for sims 2, and now I plan to buy the sims 3. I do not consider myself addicted to games because I would stop playing so I can eat, I love communicating with others but I usually play this game until in the morning. When I was a teenager I did not like playing games because I consider it to be boring. When I was in my thirties I got addicted to playing Ms. Pac Man on atari; then I graduated to playing games on nintendo (my brother had nintendo). Because of my brother I had got used to playing games during the 90s. Playing games is just a favorite hobby for me especially when I am stressed out.