Game Addiction

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Game Addiction shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Game Addiction offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Game Addiction at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Game Addiction? Wrong! If the Game Addiction is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Game Addiction then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Game Addiction? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Game Addiction and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Game Addiction wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Game Addiction then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Game Addiction site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Game Addiction, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Game Addiction, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

EverCrack cocaine Trilogy box cover, an allusion to the notoriously addictive nature of EverQuest, has been widely circulated online.

Video game addiction, also called video game overuse, is a proposed form of psychological addiction AMA may identify excessive video game play as addiction June 25,2007. Accessed June 25, 2007 composed of a compulsive use of computer and video games, most notably Massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and related to the also-debated Internet addiction disorder, or even TV drama series addiction disorder.Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than life events. Computer Game Addiction. Berkeley Parents Network. Accessed June 25,2007Hauge, Marney R. and Douglas A. Gentile. Video game addiction among adolescents: Associations with academic performance and aggression. Paper presented at a Society for Research in Child Development Conference, Tampa Florida. April, 2003. Accessed June 25,2007

Debate In the United States, the question of video game addiction has occasioned much debate. The American Medical Association met in June of 2007 to discuss the topic, determining that further research was needed before video game addiction could be considered a formal diagnosis and urging the American Psychiatric Association to study whether the diagnosis would be appropriate for inclusion in the 2012 United States Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.Steenhuysen, Julie. Addiction experts say video games not an addiction The Star Accessed June 25,2007 Dr. Louis Kraus, a spokesman for the APA, told press in June of 2007 that behaviors mimicking addiction among game players may actually indicate other psychiatric problems, like social anxiety or depression. Video game 'addiction' isn't one, docs say. Star Tribune June 27,2007. Accessed June 27,2007. Michael Brody of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry indicated that though he did believe video games could be addicting, he did not necessarily believe the diagnosis warranted inclusion in the DSM.Noyes, Katherine. Docs Retreat From 'Video Game Addiction' Diagnosis Tech News World June 25,2007. Accessed June 27,2007. In its official statement on June 25,2007, the APA said it "does not consider 'video game addiction' to be a mental disorder at this time," but it did not rule out the possibility that such a diagnosis could be confirmed by 2012. American Psychiatric Association Considers 'Video Game Addiction' Science Daily June 26,2007. Accessed June 27,2007

Possible diagnosis Though video game addiction is not included as a diagnosis in either the DSM or the ICD, it is suggested that the symptoms of a video game addiction would be similar to that of other psychological addictions.Khan, Mohamed K. Report of the council on science and public health. 2006. Accessed June 25,2007 Like problem gambling, video game addiction is said to be an impulse control disorder.Brown, Gerald L. Impulse control disorders: a clinical and psychobiological perspective March 15, 2004 Accessed June 25,2007 Study finds computer addiction is linked to impulse control disorder The Australian News October 24,2006. Accessed June 25,2007 While no diagnostic criteria have yet been established for video game addiction, the symptoms of impulse control disorder include regular or repetitive displays of at least five of the following:Irons, Richard and Jennifer P. Schneider. Differential Diagnosis of Addictive Sexual Disorders Using the DSM-IV Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity 1996, Volume 3, pp 7-21, 1996. Accessed June 25,2007 Defining Internet Addiction 1996. Accessed June 25,2007

Persistent thoughts of the activity or performance of the activity. (Preoccupation)

Use of activity to escape problems or relieve bad mood. (Preoccupation)

Need for increased time spent on the activity to achieve satisfaction or diminished reward for the same amount of time spent on the activity. (Tolerance)

Inability to control, stop or diminish the behavior. (Loss of control)

Restlessness or irritability when prevented from partaking in the activity. (Withdrawal)

Lying to friends or family about extent of involvement with activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)

Committing illegal acts to sustain activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)

Relying on others to finance activity. (Continuance despite adverse consequences)

Prevalence No formal studies have been published addressing the prevalence of a possible video game addiction. A Harris Interactive poll released in April of 2007 found that 8.5% of "youth gamers" in the United States could be "classified as pathological or clinically 'addicted' to playing video games." Video game addiction: is it real? Harris Interactive April 2,2007. Accessed June 25,2007 A United Kingdom survey reported in November of 2006 indicated 12% of polled gamers exhibit addictive behaviors. Online gamers addicted says study. BBC News November 28,2006. Accessed June 25,2007 Video game overuse is believed to be more of a problem in Asia. A governmental survey in South Korea estimated that 2.4% of South Koreans aged 9 to 39 are addicts, with 10.2 percent more "borderline cases."Faiola, Anthony. When Escape Seems Just a Mouse-Click Away. Washington Post Foreign Service May 27, 2006. Accessed June 25,2007

A 2005 survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that "video game overuse" was more common in players of MMORPGs. Video Game Overuse May Be an Addiction: Experts. Forbes June 22,2007. Accessed June 25,2007 In an interview in 2005, Dr. Maressa Orzack of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, Massachusetts estimated that 40% of the 8.5 million players of MMORPG World of Warcraft are addicted, a figure she derived from the survey managed by Nick Yee at the The Daedalus Project.Ferguson, Dylan. World of Warcrack: the addictive power of role-playing games The Manitoban Online March 28,2007. Accessed June 25,2007. However, Nick Yee has pointed out that caution should be exercised when interpreting this survey dataYee, Nick. The Daedalus Project: Addiction The Daedalus Project July 9,2004.

Possible causes According to the synthesis of research presented to the American Medical Association in June of 2007, those who overuse video games often find themselves more successful in conducting virtual relationships than real world relationships. A 2004 study on internet addicts, which population includes online gamers, found four common indicators: (1) shyness, (2) lack of spiritual faith, (3) belief that others are controlling their lives, and (4) an elevated belief in chance as an influence on their lives.Chak, Katherine, M.Sc. and Louis Leung, PH.D. Abstract: Shyness and Locus of Control as Predictors of Internet Addiction and Internet Use. CyberPsychology & Behavior October, 2004. Accessed June 25,2007 Some theorists focus on the built-in reward systems of the games to explain their addictive nature.Haggard, Daniel. The computer game affliction: how they addict you. Accessed June 25,2007LeClaire, Jennifer. Warning Signs Appear Along Road to Video Game Addiction TechNews World. September 13,2006. Accessed June 25,2007

Treatment Some countries, like South Korea, have responded to the perceived threat of video game addiction by opening treatment centers. The China government operates several clinics to treat those addicted to online games, chatting and web surfing. Treatment for the patients, most of whom have been forced to attend by parents or government officials, may include yelling, psychiatric counseling, Shock therapy, and antidepressant drugs normally used in mental institutions.Humphrey Cheung. China electrocutes the WoW out of Internet addicts February 23,2007. Accessed June 25,2007Sebag-Montefiore, Poppy. China's young escape into the web Observer Guardian November 20,2005. Accessed June 25,2007

China also introduced an anti-online gaming addiction system in 2005 intended to reduce addiction by diminishing in-game rewards after three hours of play.Dickie, Mure. China moves to zap online game addiction Financial Times August 23,2005. Accessed June 27,2007 In 2006, the system was altered so that users over 18 did not face the limitations.Shang Koo. GAPP Exempts Adults From Fatigue System Pacific Epoch Jan 16,2006. Accessed June 27,2007 Reports indicate underage gamers are finding ways to circumvent the measure.Zhengqian Zhou. Industry Unfazed, Gamers Unconvinced About Fatigue System Pacific Epoch April 10,2007. Accessed June 27,2007

In June of 2006, the Smith and Jones clinic in Amsterdam became the first treatment facility in Europe to offer a residential treatment program for compulsive gamers.Li C. Kuo. Europe Opens Its First Game Addiction Clinic. Gamespy June 1, 2006. Accessed June 25, 2007 McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, Massachusetts has set up Computer Addiction Services. Elsewhere, gamers may seek services at generalized addiction support centers. At one such center in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, excessive gaming accounts for 80% of one youth counselor's caseload.Bennett, Nelson. When the game gets serious. Richmond News December 8, 2006. Accessed June 25,2007

On-Line Gamers Anonymous (a religious foundation) has been around for many years to provide support and help for gamers who want to quit, as well as for affected family members. The group uses a 12 step approach to facilitate healing.

Deaths There have been three well-documented deaths caused directly by exhaustion from playing games for long periods. In South Korea, Lee Seung Seop died after playing Starcraft for over 50 hours. Korean drops dead after 50-hour gaming marathon (London Times) August 10, 2005 S Korean dies after games session 10 August 2005In Jinzhou, China, Xu Yan died after playing online games for over 15 days during the Lunar New Year holiday {{cite web|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2184523/online-addict-games-himself |title=Chinese gamer dies after 15-day session |date=01 March 2007 |publisher=[VNU -->and an unnamed 30 year-old died in Guangzhou, China after playing for 3 days straight. {{cite web|url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2198850/chinese-man-dies-three-days |title=Chinese gamer dies after three-day session |date=17 September 2007 |publisher=[VNU -->{{cite web|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i08b5of64eH5r-S-p_rkveKn2KEA |title=Chinese Man Dies From 3-Day Gaming Binge |publisher=[Associated Press |date=2007-09-17 -->

In popular culture

South Park episode Make Love, Not Warcraft parodies many aspects of game addiction.