The Lure of Heroinware 388
blankmange writes "news.com reports: When games stop being fun; where the line between reality and fantasy blurs. Another story about games and the adults who can't stop playing them. It seems that we can't be held responsible for our actions -- it must be the 'heroinware' that game companies are producing...." Mmmm, Evercrack. T. pops in: Don't worry, games aren't addictive, but here's the announcement of a 24-hour gaming TV network for those unexplained late-night cravings. (Thanks to joestump98.)
My favorite heroinware... (Score:4, Funny)
Heroineware? (Score:4, Funny)
:)
this is because... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:this is because... (Score:3, Funny)
I have to shoot up [slashdot.org] every ninety minutes.
Truth Ads? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Truth Ads? (Score:4, Informative)
Betcha didn't know that the American Legacy Foundation, who produces these ads, is funded by the tobacco companies as part of the national tobacco lawsuit settlement. So while some people (the CDC, etc.) think they're the greatest thing ever, the conspiracy theorists say that the over-the-top style is part of a tobacco industry plot to make everybody smoke more. Apparently the conspiracy theorists are at least partially right on this one...
Planetside (Score:5, Informative)
What is the goal of the game?
To be more addictive than any substance known to man.
Probably said with tongue in cheek, but still, they recognize what their cames can become to some people.
Re:Planetside (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Planetside (Score:5, Interesting)
That's not to say that it's inherently dangerous or addictive--most people can drink or smoke pot or watch pr0n or play Everquest or D&D without becoming addicted. It's a very small percentage with personalities susceptible to addictions who develop real problems, while almost everyone else can successfully have a few drinks or play a few games without it interfering with the rest of their lives.
So, it's the addictive personalities which are the real problem, not alcohol or games or pr0n or drugs or cable news or whatever one's addiction is. When I read the following paragraph, I had an intersting thought:
> While such cases are rare, mental-health professionals say the fantasy worlds
> offered by computer and video games can become the stuff of very real addictions that
> destroy marriages and careers.
The thought was--what is it about these people's real lives that's so boring or bad that they want to escape into the make-believe world of power or pleasure offered by a computer game or a syringe of heroin? That's what we need to blame and address, not the games or the pr0n or the alcohol or drugs. All of those things can and are used in moderation by most people, to bring them additional pleasure; some people have no or insufficient real-life joys, and rtreat into their favorite "opiate." These deficiencie in their lives, which enhance susceptibility to escapism, are what need to be addressed and improved.
Think of the teenage Everquest addict's likely profile--a smart geek with a lot of ability but no respect in real life. Our society--particularly our highschool society--accords brainless people with athleticism limitless respect, and people with tremendous minds but not so impressive bodies almost none. It's therefore understandable if one falls into the lure of finding that respect in a make-believe world, since the real one refuses to provide it.
It's like with Columbine, how not a single step was made to teach kids to be more egalitarian and accepting, and instead the pressure was turned up and people who didn't fit in perfectly into the social machine were shunned and harassed even more. No one wants to see underlying problems--they want to blame the game or the substance instead of the deficiencies in our society. It's sad and alarming, and is getting us nowhere. We need to see the problems in our society and work our best to fix them--not blame that which brings the problems to light.
Re:Planetside (Score:4, Funny)
and then there's ppl like me, drug addict, pr0n addict, EQ addict, etc..
Re:Planetside (Score:5, Insightful)
That's a nice way to get modded up, but probably not so accurate. Try: Our society--particularly our highschool society--accords outgoing and friendly people (who tend to move toward social activities like sports and dating) limitless respect, and people with tremendous egos because they unlocked the secrets of programming instead of flirting almost none.
As for Columbine- the world does not exist to be fair and to cater to unbalanced individuals. Fairness is nice, and something we should probably strive for, but being unfair never ever ever justifies that kind response. It is sad and alarming that people could read anything into the Columbine incident but the tragedy that two very sick youths took out their rage on their classmates and peers.
(Mod etc blah blah blah)
Re:Planetside (Score:2)
While I appreciate your try to distribute the blame for Columbine, this is by far not enough.
No matter whether being picked on justifies the killings or not (I'm just plain not interested in this question) it's still a matter of fact that the classmates had to die because of it.
If the school system had cared more about them, it could have saved the lives of 15 teenagers. Period.
Re:Planetside (Score:2)
World Future Society and
at salon [salon.com]
The question I pose is how cute (attractive) does the behavior make one? And to who? Friendly, outgoing, ugly fat people aren't likely to be appreciated whereas shy beautiful people are...see
- The Truth About Cats and Dogs
.Re:You are WRONG about AMERICA! (Score:2, Insightful)
If only these crazy terrorists would learn to leave our stuff alone,
Consider, most of those crazy terrorists were just powerless and bitter people until the CIA gave them American weapons and training in how to use them. In some cases we have been through a few cycles of this.
Our problems in Iran happened because we supported the Shah's regime. The people revolted and declared America the real enemy. So, we funded Saddam to fight Iran.
In Afghanistan, the CIA supported the people who would become the Taliban because they were fighting the USSR. Now, guess what?
The CIA supported Noriega because he was fighting the communists, gues what?
How many times will the millitary have to bail the CIA out before they learn?
Re:Planetside (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Planetside (Score:2)
Or something like that.
Re:Planetside (Score:5, Insightful)
Addiction is a behaviour. You learn to become addicted. You can also unlearn it to a certain extent... but (as all the psych people out there probably already know), a behaviour can never be completely extinguished once learned. Hence the "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic" mantra of AA has a real foundation.
Behaviours are like memes: they compete with each other. To the extent that you exibit one behaviour more than others, it defines you. Getting locked into a certain pattern of behaviour(s) makes you boring, IMNSHO. Thus, addiction may be a response to boredom, but it in turn makes you boring. Got to love the irony.
Of course people who feel inadequate, unsatisfied, and ignored in "real life" (whatever that is) will try to find a way to experience the thrill of power, exultation, and adulation. The fact that they are "only acting" has nothing to do with the reality of their experience. Other people may choose to devote their lives to, say, show biz for the exact same reasons. You could argue that acting in a play and playing in an online game are equivalent, except you are more likely to be paid for the former. Keep in mind that this may change.
So really, when someone retreats into addiction, they are seeking well-being and belonging. The fact that people identify more easily with their game alter-egos than with their equally-artificial social persona is not only a matter of mental health, but an indicator that our culture (the ones in which these games flourish, that is) itself is sick.
Why are people so ready to give up the world of wage slavery, voter apathy, anti-intellectualism for worlds like EverQuest? I think the answer is obvious: it's more rewarding than involving themselves in the game of "real life". They want to live the life of a hero (or villian) in the true sense: they want to take on the role of the archetype, to accept the hero's challenge to conquer his own weaknesses and transcend The World itself.
We all are, really. Some of us have kids to keep our name/genes alive. Some try to make their mark on history. Others may work in their community to improve things for the next generation. All are seeking a "place" in the world--not the world of time and space, but the world of stories, lore, and cultural memory. Looked at from this point of view, what the EQ addicts are doing isn't so strange. They are trying to do what we all do, just in a different medium.
The problem here is that no game can deliver on the promise of the hero's quest. The closest they will come to this experience is not to "beat the game" from within the game, but to beat it from the outside, BY PUTTING THE GAME BEHIND THEM. They can then move on to the real challenge: finding a way through life that reinforces their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.
Our Western lives have been organized around things that seem custom-made to make us feel bad about ourselves, which drives us to find comfort in one addiction or another. We spend our lives trying to make up for the guilt and regrets of what we "had" to do. Basically, through the long process of dividing people into halves (private/public, personal/professional) we have created a world for ourselves where everyone walks around fighting with themselves and each other. Why is it so strange that we would want to escape from this?
Re:Planetside (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Planetside (Score:2)
No one wants to see underlying problems--they want to blame the game or the substance instead of the deficiencies in our society. It's sad and alarming, and is getting us nowhere. We need to see the problems in our society and work our best to fix them--not blame that which brings the problems to light.
Excellent comments, man. That's very much what my interview project is about. We try and put all these different things that "bring the problems to light" on stage next to eachother, and thereby show that they all have common root causes.
I'd like to quote some of your comment for something. May I?
What about Work? (Score:3, Funny)
Or does that make them "drug" dealers, since people now like to label them as heroinware makers?
BTW, if you haven't noticed, this post was posted with sarcasm intended. If you didn't get it, go here. [humor.com]
Re:What about Work? (Score:3, Funny)
Slashaholics?
Re:What about Work? (Score:2)
Re:What about Work? (Score:2)
Okay this is a pet peeve of mine.
Why do people insist on adding the 'aholics' suffix to mean addiction?.
I's a substring of alcoholics.
Witch is derived from alcohol.
Why not Slashdot Addicts?
I should use preview more :) (Score:2)
Here's my post without the typos and spelling errors.
Slashaholics?
Okay this is a pet peeve of mine.
Why do people insist on adding the 'aholics' suffix to mean addiction?.
It's a substring of alcoholics.
Which is derived from alcohol.
Why not Slashdot Addicts?
Re:What about Work? (Score:5, Funny)
Slashadics?
Ouch, no thank you!
Re:What about Work? (Score:2)
People are dumb.
Same reason scandals get the suffix "gate". There was no "Gate" in Watergate, it was simply the name of a hotel.
Re:What about Work? (Score:3, Funny)
The Work-Game is also Heroinware (Score:2, Interesting)
The organizers of "work-games" also set up "quests" and "meetings" in which players assemble and engage in social interaction, all within the context of furthering their game goals. The quest for magical items and treasure brings together individuals who otherwise might not have much social interaction.
Re:What about Work? (Score:5, Funny)
Computer Programmers vs. Drug Dealers (Score:4, Funny)
Software developers: Refer to their clients as "users"
DD: "The first one's free!"
SD: "Download a free trial version..."
DD: Have important South-East Asian connections (to help move the stuff).
SD: Have important South-East Asian connections (to help debug the code).
DD: Strange jargon (Stick, Rock, Dime Bag, E)
SD: Strange jargon (SCSI, RTFM, Java, DSL)
DD: Realize there is tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market.
SD: Realize there is tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market.
DD: Job is assisted by the industry's producing of newer, more potent mixes.
SD: Job is assisted by the industry's producing of newer, faster machines.
DD: Often seen in the company of pimps and hustlers.
SD: Often seen in the company of marketing people and venture capitalists.
DD: Their product causes unhealthy addictions.
SD: Doom, Quake, SimCity, Duke NukeEm 3D, 'Nuff said?
DD: Do your job well, and you can sleep with sexy movie stars who depend on you.
SD: Drats! Drats! Drats! Drats!
this is quite silly. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:this is quite silly. (Score:2)
What's the line from Fight Club? "I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who have ever lived -- an entire generation pumping gas and waiting tables; or they're slaves with white collars. Advertisements have them chasing cars and clothes, working jobs they hate so they can buy shit they don't need."
WTF??!! (Score:5, Insightful)
The game had nothing to do with his problems, nor any of the other problems described in this article, and likening video games to heroin is just rediculous.
These are just incontinent people. They understand that neglecting family, work, friends and what not is wrong, but they freely choose to do so. There's no physical addiction, their hair won't hurt when they stop playing, they can stop if they want to.
Yeah, I know somebody is going to say 'but they have an addictive personality.' Here's four words for people with addictive personalities, "sucks to be you." I'd try to feel bad for you, but everything can be addicting at some level, and a true addictive personality has to take extra care to make sure that they're getting hooked on good things, like exercise, family, laughter, and prostitutes, and stop blaming the rest of the world for making things you like.
Re:WTF??!! (Score:3, Funny)
1. Play Game.
2. Reluctantly stop playing game to do "real life stuff".
3. Do "real life stuff" all while thinking about Game.
4. Play Game again. Feel better until #2 comes again.
Re:WTF??!! (Score:2)
Well, if the "real life stuff" that your supposed to do, or that your SO wants you to do is boring, then it's a bit more understandable. You'd rather be doing something fun than something boring. But when it becomes the only thing you do for fun, then yeah, there's probably a problem there. Especially if you start skipping work or school in order to play.
Re:WTF??!! (Score:3, Funny)
They're pissing all over themselves?
I think mayhap you mean incompetent.
Re:WTF??!! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:WTF??!! (Score:2)
What about those of us who do both right and wrong, and don't give a rat's ass?
Re:WTF??!! (Score:3, Insightful)
Aristotle described four categories of people
It appears that Aristotle would disagree with your analysis of incontinence in your original post:
Aristotle said in Nicomachean Ethics [columbia.edu] regarding incontinent people: So, too, to the unjust and to the self-indulgent man it was open at the beginning not to become men of this kind, and so they are unjust and selfindulgent voluntarily; but now that they have become so it is not possible for them not to be so.
In other words, they can't simply stop if they want to, at least, according to Aristotle.
correction to your "correction" (Score:2)
Notice they're all americans (Score:2)
Re:Notice they're all americans (Score:3, Interesting)
You might be hearing these people saying that stuff ALL THE TIME, but if you don't speak Japanese, you'd never guess it.
Re:Notice they're all americans (Score:3, Interesting)
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/ [mainichi.co.jp]
Addiction != Bad Thing (Score:2)
The addiction itself is not always a Bad Thing. Thank God that this guy [classicalarchives.com] and [classicalarchives.com] few [classicalarchives.com] other [classicalarchives.com] maniacs [classicalarchives.com] were addicted to music.
hmmm (Score:2)
Yep lets blame those people because they dont take responsibility.
that statement is:
-very old and has been repeated millions times for alchoholics, drug addicts, overeaters, undereaters, gamblers, people with depression etc.
-shortsighted
-completely useless because it has never helped anyone and tends to force people deeper into their addictions.
Re:hmmm (Score:2, Flamebait)
You're a fucking retard.
- A.P.
Re:hmmm (Score:2)
Did he say that? Did he imply we should blame everyone else but the sole person responsible?
I'd say that 'addiction' to EverQuest is more of a symptom than a disease, but putting text[words] into someone's post[mouth] and then attacking them isn't the way to debate.
Not useless (Score:2)
The statement isn't useless. Telling screwed-up people to "take responsibility" may or may not help them. If it helps everyone else realize that, basically, their addictions are their problem and not my problem, then I'm better off.
Useless to the addicted? Maybe.
Useless to people who want to play a game (or do more-or-less anything) without worrying about someone else's personal shortcomings? No. Very useful.
Re:WTF??!! (Score:2, Interesting)
Yeah, it does suck to be me.
I was at one time totally addicted to Utopia [swirve.com] until I realised that it was not a good idea to cancel a week-long vacation to play the game so I snapped out of it, killed my kingdom and quit. If I was able to get broadband where I live, I'd probably be addicted to Asheron's Call or Everquest at this moment.
I have come to believe that what is really required is education. Most people are not aware that gaming can be addictive and thus they don't consider the chance that it will happen to them. I didn't. But if people recognise that they have addictive personalities like mine, then they will be able to regulate themselves more effectively.
I know that such things are dangerous for me so I try to avoid things like "Evercrack" especially when I have other things like university classes to take care of. I am afraid of casinos because I can just see myself being robbed by the slot machines ... I mean it is statistically possible to win big money. And if I just gave up after losing $40 that would mean that I was there for no reason except to lose money so it would be more logical to go and win it back. But as we all know, slot machines are overall tilted so that in the end, the casino always wins.
But everyone knows about gambling addiction, especially since there was a Simpsons episode where Marge got addicted.
So how can gaming addiction be reduced? Educate, I say. Even if it means playing corny videos to schoolkids. Being able to identify a problem is the first step to solving it. "Because knowing is half the battle."
Re:WTF??!! (Score:2)
Re:WTF??!! (Score:2)
But that aside I do really know a good friend who has wasted the better part of 3 years playing everquest. He doesn't seem to aknowledge he's an addict. But he's lost two pretty decent jobs, spent at least a year moving from friend to friend with his computer to mooch of free food, power and internet connection.
The once or twice I saw Everquest it seems they (the company who wrote the game) don't do too much to really help out - for instance it seems like it is real time world - for instance if you get hurt you have to stay online for whatever it takes to heal yourself. I literally waited half an hour at my friends place (back when he had one) to wait for an avatar of some sort before we went out to eat - and when it didn't work I had to leave him behind. It really does seem like you could spend 40 hours plus a week playing it and live a normal life in the game it self.
Unlike one of my old favorites Phantasy Star Online - if you get sick of it drop it no worries your character will be just fine when you come back online.
Personally I think I took responsibility for the game in the first place - I haven't played it - mostly because I don't have the time to.
I wish I could get addicted to excersise (Score:2, Funny)
Maybe if I was addicted to pr0n I could do that too though...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Not again... (Score:2, Insightful)
Look. . . (Score:3, Insightful)
Joking about people whose lives have degenerated into living a virtual existance while their former friends and loved ones leave them is in the poorest of taste.
[re-inserts balls]
Bitch, where's my fucking Counterstrike CD?!?!?!
Re:Look. . . (Score:2)
Yes, the first half of my comment is absolutely true.
The second half? I had some karma to burn, and wanted to see what would happen if I threw in some trash that was itself tasteless.
Only after I clicked submit did I remember that the 15 year olds who frequent
O, the irony.
So... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:So... (Score:2)
Not likely (Score:2)
The first, because they need a future generation of soldiers who don't care about the people who die when fire Hellfire missiles from a remotely piloted drone - "if it happens on the little screen it's just a game!". Ronald Reagan, I believe, stated that video games were good training for future fighter pilots
The second, because they've seen how effective some carefuly controlled TV is at reducing the vast majority of people to semi-sentient sheep, unable to intelligently analyze their own government's actions.
Re:So... (Score:2)
Damn! There goes your job market!
----> ;-) <----
No... (Score:3, Funny)
Top 6 signs that your TV network is going to fail (Score:3, Funny)
05. Your motto is "Get Game"
04. One of the your "original programs" is a show about simulations of sports.
03. Your target audiance is quite possibly the least likely to watch TV among those with access to them. And you know they have "short attention spans".
02. Executive quoted as saying "We won't compete."*
01. Logo rendered on an Atari 2600. Englarged with MS-Paint.
*A bit of a misquote, I know, but no less funny for it.
Hmph. (Score:2, Funny)
I'd write more but I have a great game of Civ going...
Yahoo! Pool (Score:4, Interesting)
Luckily Yahoo! is starting to charge $10 a month of special privileges, like set tourneys. I have forced myself to stay away from those, and the "ladders".
There is nothing really that great about this game, except that its free, and loads up easy into the web browser. Just goes to show that a game doesn't have to be great to be addicting.
Stay away from Yahoo! Pool!
Re:Yahoo! Pool (Score:3, Funny)
You think that's bad? Well, I'm addicted to pocket pool. And I've played (with) it over 1500 times.
30 hours? (Score:5, Funny)
Angie said her live-in boyfriend spends at least 30 hours a week playing "EverQuest" as a female elf...
This is supposed to be an example of compulsive behavior? 30 hours a week?! What a fucking lightweight.
When I was a kid, we used to play 30 hours a day. And we didn't have no live-in girlfriend either.
:)
Re:30 hours? (Score:3, Informative)
There shouldn't be a social stigma for every guy to play a male human and every female to play a female human. The entire point of these games is that you're role-playing something exotic, something not mundane. If you're just role-playing yourself, save the money you're sending to the EQ people and just go out and live life.
my story... (Score:5, Funny)
It started in middle school with the Apple][. Addiction to BASIC kept me from the smell of sweet, sweet glue...
Back in the early 90's, I had to forego many high school drinking parties to play Civilization...
In college, I never went to a rave because I was too busy MUDding--never got to taste Ecstasy
And now that I am gainfully employed, I spend all my spare cash on broadband internet connections and online games--my drug dealer is getting really upset with me!!!
Good Ol' Everquest (Score:5, Insightful)
The players who make up the high level game spend MASSIVE amounts of time in game. I know many people who have over 300+ DAYS of time logged into the game...
Players often quit, only to return a few months later usually with an excuse like *RL is boring* or something similar. Sounds more and more like drug addiction doesn't it?
The thing that worries me the most though is that most of these people are kids who are either in high school or just got out. They have no ambition or desire to do anything but play everquest. When I was their age I was spending all my time programming, reading books, and learning skills necessary to succeed in life. If everquest were around back then, I would probably be working fast food making $6 a hour now.
Almost every game company out there now is making a MMORPG like everquest. Worlds of warcraft, shadowbane, neverwinter nights, final fantasy XI, Everquest for the console, star wars galaxies, daoc, anarchy online, and many more. The market is going to be completely saturated with heroinware in the next fear years.
The current generation of kids growing up is going to be nothing but a bunch of computer crazed, game addicted losers who spend all their time in some virtual world slaying some pixel dragon.
Oh well, I'm glad I quit (again).
Parenting takes a backseat obviously. (Score:2)
It's not a problem with our games. It's a problem with our families. Especially if they're at work a good chunk of the time. Yeah, they're making a living for the family while Jimmy's brain is dissolving on "acid-ware" or any of the innumerable activities a kid can get in trouble at. Just one example. I'm not Dr. Spock here, but kids need supervision and some form of regulation in their activities... ~sigh~
Hehe, addictions... (Score:4, Funny)
Man: Hi, my name's Joe, and I'm addicted to junk food. I'm not sure I can do this.
Woman: Don't be frightened, tell us your story.
Man: Well, at first it was just a donut here, a chocolate bar there, but then it got out of control... I sucked dick for butter tarts, man!
Woman: My God! That's disgusting! You're beyond help!
*Man walks away in shame*
Woman: Now, let's continue...
*See man walk back, steal tray of desserts*
Other man: Hey! He didn't even suck our dicks!
I suppose I'll be modded down for being off topic, but it was funny at the time. =)
Games aren't addictive! (Score:2)
Don't worry, games aren't addictive
Of course games aren't addictive. Games were addictive! Today I was playing Day Of The Tentacle [lucasarts.com] for something like 18 hours, thanks to the brave guys from ScummVM [sf.net]! Special greetings to Ludvig [sf.net], great work! I'll send you bills from my oculist! :)
OK, now must sleep...
Get G4 on your local provider! (Score:2)
With digital cable and DSS providers and their excessive channel capacitiy, all that needs to be done is have your voice heard and I'm sure we'll get it everywhere soon. Use the
computer addiction in general (Score:2, Troll)
I don't think one can blame the game so much as the medium and what it allows one to do.
There's something very mesmerizing about the screen in general (look at all the TV addicts) and it gets even more compelling with interaction.
Are you addicted? Take this online test [netaddiction.com] and see.
This page [support4learning.org.uk] also contains some good information and links.
I am trying to wean myself of all but the most necessary computer use, but so far it's not going too well.
I thought of a system that would disconnect my internet connection except at certain hours (since that seems to be the biggest part of the problem), but I would probably just get around it if I wanted to. Or maybe not... could be a good start.
Anyone with any suggestions please reply!
Hmmm Heroinware? (Score:2)
*blind ignorance sets in and an air of superiority is asserted*
Of course you must of meant Dope Wars [beermatsoftware.com]!
Here's what it is: (Score:2, Insightful)
Attitude Problem (Score:2, Interesting)
How Do They Pay? (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm sure a lot of people would be quick to interject the fact that EQ items are sold all the time on online auction services, but I think it's a stretch of the imagination to say that they're all doing that. What seems to be the case is that mommy and daddy are paying for their habit.
If mommy and daddy are taking financial responsibility for their habit, what would make sense would be to stop paying for it. How can you blame Sony for offering an addictive service if you're the one who's feeding them money?
I say put one of these so-called addicts in their own apartment, maybe pay for their rent and food, and see how long their addiction lasts. Think about what would happen if you were to kick one of these folks out of the house? Or if you were to destroy the power cable running from the PSU (or indeed soon, PS2) to the wall?
I'm not going to say that I don't play more than my share of Q3A or UT, but for Christ's sake, what's going to happen if you do some kind of drastic action that forces them to quit cold turkey? Are they going to get a case of "the shakes" or something?
The New Addiction: Cyberdrugs (Score:3, Informative)
T. pops in: "Don't worry, games aren't addictive"
Most games are not addictive. Only a particular type, and the reasons are still unraveling. This is a new type of addiction.
Anonymous Coward: "if...they enjoy EQ, OF COURSE they're going to spend a lot of time playing it."
The problem is they do not enjoy it. They are miserable as a resul of playing it. That's why the article is called "When games stop being fun".
mosch: "...but they freely choose to do so. There's no physical addiction, their hair won't hurt when they stop playing, they can stop if they want to."
Something happens in the brain with this particular type of game that is just like what happens when someone is taking an addictive drug. I know it is hard to believe, but it is true. That's why there is ever increasing coverage of it. It is a bizarre unexpected new addiction.
danny256: "The biggest issue is there is no withdraw, if I take an everquest freak and make him stop playing, he will get better every minute"
There is withdrawel. When your playing you feel bad, and when you stop, you feel worse. So bad, that you return to playing.
Sound like I am speaking from experience? I am. It is a very bizarre problem to which I and others are giving a great deal of thought to figure out why this happens and only with a particular type of game. I have always enjoyed spending long hours playing video games. Keyword: "enjoy". Now something very different happens with an MMORPG. At first it was fun like any other game or enjoyable activity. You are having more fun than before you were playing. But eventually and very slowly, so slowly that you don't realize it is happening, it changes. If I knew it would happen or could see it happening I wouldn't have played. Well, I am not going to go into all the details, but it did get to the point where I was experiencing hallucinations. I had gotten so low and was so miserable that I finally knew I had to stop cold turkey or I never would get out of it alive. I knew I feel much worse for a while before I felt better, but I knew I had to stop.
Well, it was a while ago, and I am all better now. Totally over it. It was an educational experience. I have learned from it. Like I said if I had known that would happen, would never have started playing. And thats the reason for all this attention this new form of addiction is getting. People need to know. I think there should be a warning label, though most people, at least at first, will not take it seriously, will not believe it could happen to them, but awareness will increase and eventually understanding the problem will be common knowledge.
Note, this doesn't happen with everyone. Certain people are probably genetically predisposed just like with alcoholism. Knowing alcolism runs in one's family, those people avoid alcohol.
foo fighter: "Joking about people whose lives have degenerated into living a virtual existance while their former friends and loved ones leave them is in the poorest of taste."
Thank you.
I hope this posting has increased someone's understanding of the problem.
Re:The New Addiction: Cyberdrugs (Score:2)
Re:The New Addiction: Cyberdrugs (Score:2)
some comments (Score:2, Interesting)
First, the causes: there seems to be two camps, personified by some other comments to this story. The first response [slashdot.org], which I suppose we can call the socio-cultural cause, implies that people become addicted to these games because society has created an environment in which the individuals feel no particular motivation to participate in what we would call normal behaviour patterns. The post in this example has claimed that in fact individuals who are not shown basic respect tend to withdraw to their own space. I think that this is largely true. But to claim that individuals who have so-called addictive personalities should not accept responsibility for their behaviour is also not quite right. Of course, the poster that I have referred to did no such thing but the next poster that I will refer to seems to imply that that is the case.
So this is the second comment [slashdot.org], and it is one that essentially berates individuals with addictive personalities as being weak-minded, lesser people because of their difficulties. This too is the wrong approach. As with everything, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. It is probably true that socio-cultural factors have a lot to do with the creation of not only people with addictive personalities but in fact with personalities, period. Many theorists have suggested this and I think it's clear that the evidence bears it out. Put simply, when talking about selves or, if you prefer, subjects, culture is both the constructor and the constructed. The point that I want to make, however, is that in the case of addictions and addictive people, this fact ought to be made aware to them in a proper setting, such as a therapists's office or in the confidence of a close and trusted friend. What I mean to say, of course, is that a person with an addiction problem needs to be treated with respect and understanding such that they may be able to come to realize that, once they are made aware of the elements of the world around them that construct their realities, they can and should choose to alter their outlook and thus alter their behaviour.
So really my point is just that while personalities are socially constructed they are also able to be reformed by people who become intellectually aware of their situation. This is an important point, and it's the point that, I think, bridges the gap between mosch's point and Chasing Amy's point. Also, I want to suggest that there is a good reason to begin to examine in empirical detail how it is that culture shapes subjects and thus how we need to change our culture to change how subjects are. This would seem to alleviate a large number of our problems, if it could be done.
Also keep in mind that the addiction that is talked about in the news.com article is pretty serious. It's probably not a good idea to confuse occasional game-playing with real addiction.
news flash (Score:3, Funny)
so what?
Anyway, I'd say you really have a problem if you find yourself drinking coffee and masturbating while playing everquest.
Someone start a support group! / Why it won't last (Score:3, Insightful)
What really scares me, though, is that I don't find the term heroinware at all offensive, because I actually know more people who have completely ruined their lives with these games than I do people who have ruined everything with drugs - and at least the drug users manage to quit!
Seriously, this problem is just beginning to rear its ugly head. Once Blizzard releases World of Warcraft, things are going to get really, really nasty, as entire offices have their IT departments stripped on important "game days." And that will be the beginning of the end for these virtual worlds; as companies lose the benefits of computers to an increasing number of problem staff members, there WILL be some sort of legislation to wean geeks away from these games.
Really.
Re:Someone start a support group! / Why it won't l (Score:2)
Re:Someone start a support group! / Why it won't l (Score:2)
Given our track record in this area, what's more likely is that there will be doomed attempts - driven by ratings grabbing media hysterics - to ban "these" games. Note that "these" games will always mean whatever people with addictive personalites become addicted to.
First they came for EverQuest, but that didn't worry me because I didn't play EverQuest... and so on.
What we will never do is to actually address the problem of people with addictive personalities. We'll carry on doing what we do now, which is to provide patchy and erratic treatment programs for a few select substances. We have programs for heroin uses, programs for alcohol users, programs for nicotene users. But how many people kick heroin (some through methodone), get chalked up as a success, then go on kill themselves with alcohol or the tar and toxic additives in cigarettes?
Newsflash: people with addictive personalities will become addicted to addicting substances or activities. What we need are clinics where you can walk in and say "I'm an addict", and you get helped to find a new addiction that's less prone to binge abuse of tainted substances, and that's less socially destructive.
The reason why we'll never have that (I believe) is that then billionaire scions of the US Royal Families might end up in the same program as the lowest scum from the streets that they exploit to pay for their cocaine habits. Think that one through. Substance based treatments ensure that you generally mix with Your Sort of Person. That sounds pretty cynical, but if you look at our track record of banning substances specifically to ostracise and criminalise certain ethnic and social groups [neoteric.nu], it really makes sense.
Too long (Score:2)
Better "smackware"
Gambling is addictive; why not gaming? (Score:3, Informative)
No one really laughs at gambling addiction; why isn't gaming addiction taken seriously? Researchers have found that gambling generates similar brain patterns as cocaine usage [harvard.edu]. Gaming certainly shares many characteristics with gambling.
As someone who has personally become addicted to all sorts of games ranging from Civ to RPGs to Mechwarrior to Tetris, I think gaming addictions should be studied seriously.
Speaking of which, what am I doing here, at this hour???
Of course... (Score:2)
Just watch, we're going to get drug sims pretty soon. "All the high without the disease!"
Anyone who says, "The Company made me.. (Score:2)
Britney Spears
McDonalds
The War on Terror/Drugs/Brown People
Windows
Duke Nukem Never
Anything Oprah says
Larry FucKING Ellison and his Big Brother Oracle
SUVs
Wine Coolers
Pet Rocks
Pokemon
Jerry Springer
The Olympics
Creed..I mean Perl Jam...no, I mean Creed.
Scienfuckingtology
Cigarettes
Miss Fake-ass Cleo
DisneyLand/World/Movies
Beanie Babies and the Cultist Collectors of Crap
Packard Bell
Star Wars - The Movie, and the Politicians who want to make it.
Senator Hollings and his Bills o' Plenty (what's the focus group tested name this week?)
Dick Cheney is in perfect health.
Planet Hollingswood
Michael Jackson
AOL - Now eaiser to use!
The Ab Rider/Blaster/Roller/Master/Baiter
There are many more, of course. Just watch any TV channel, radio station, magazine, ect. The difference between personal responsibillity and corporate responsibillity is easy to see. Corporate responsibillity is to see that you buy what they are selling. YOU are responsible for weighing the pros and cons of the decisions YOU make. You want to play EQ for 40 hours a week? Fine. Just make sure you turned off the oven. You want to smoke a half of Green? Better make sure you still got your job.
In other words: Take the fall you set yourself up for and stop fucking whining about how it's 'not my fault :( Wahhh'
It's not just MMRPGs (Score:2, Insightful)
But before Everquest and Ultima there were addicting games. I remember logging hours and hours with CIV1 in Highschool. In College I remember logging obscene amounts of time playing UT and chatting late into the night on ICQ.
And yes, I cut some classes. In fact, so did my roommate. He cut so many classes playing computer games he had to drop out! He even skipped an exam because he was too busy playing games on his computer.
basically what I am saying is the problem has always been around. Before MMRPGS, these shy, anti-social people might have just read books to escape.
Heck, Simon and Garfunkel wrote about this in the 60's:
I am an island
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room
Safe within my womb
I touch no-one and no-one touches me
I am a rock
I am an island
And the rock feels no pain
And an island never cries
Alex
Interviews Wanted (Score:2)
I'm conducting online interviews with gaming "addicts" as part of a theater production that will tour college campuses in the fall. Contact me via my website [outlandishjosh.com] if you want to know more.
tetris is pharmogenic (Score:3, Interesting)
So yes, some video games have been classified as being physically addictive. Explains all the tetris dreams I had when I was younger.
Re:Figures (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This article is inaccurate (Score:2)
Even very serious coffee and tabaco addictions will not prevent the victim to function in society.
That is true about heroin as well, up to a point.
you'd be surprised (Score:2)
Lawyers, bussinessmen, actors, etc.
Re:Master Of Orion (Score:2)
What finally turned me off to it was the problems with the multiplayer code - it had some problems with data corruption and just plain fubaredness (Is this a word? Look it up for me.)
As for Everquest, I like it a lot but it's got it's limitations too.
Codifex Maximus
Ogre WAR 54
Dwarf CLR 40
Dark Elf WIZ 30
Re:Master Of Orion (Score:2)