Help me, I'm addicted to games!

[wraggster]

News from CVG

July will witness the launch of a detox programme in Amsterdam that aims to help gamers hopelessly addicted to videogames to kick the habit, it's being reported.

The programme is being headed up by Amsterdam-based Smith & Jones Addiction Consultants, whose director Keith Bakker has been working with the videogame addicted since the beginning of the year. He reckons that videogames can prove as addictive as narcotics or gambling.

"We have kids who don't know how to communicate with people face-to-face because they've spent the last three years talking to somebody in Korea through a computer," Bakker commented. "Their social network has completely disappeared."

In case you're concerned that you may be suffering videogame addiction, apparently the signs to watch out for include spending hours gaming - duh - poor social life and neglecting normal day-to-day activities.

The detox programme will be a course that runs four to eight weeks, during which time 'patients' will, among other stuff, undergo sessions with therapists and be encouraged to participate in activities of a more social nature.

[GagaMan]

Kick the habit? Sod that, I may hit all those symptoms, but I'm not addicted, I just don’t have a lot else to do! That's my excuse. ;p

[Tron_Fan]

I can see where video games might be addictive. Sometimes when I play I just want to get a little further... just a little further.... then before I know it another hour has gone by.

I'm not sure if "withdrawal from society" can be also labeled as video game addiction, though. That, to me, seems to indicate some other level of disturbance that would need to be addressed.

But the one dude in Korea that played 50+ straight hours and then keeled over and died probably should have had some kind of help.

Better watch out though. Once video games are labeled "addictive" they'll be regulated like cigarettes and booze.

[bullhead]

Korean dude? ...... Died? Playing games? .... How? Why? ...... Can you tell me the story? Or point me to a link.

[cyrien]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4137782.stm

[sroon]

Yah im a-$#@!-ed to games too

[scorpei]

To bad I don't live close to Amsterdam or I would go over and go do an interview for you all .

[Apoklepz]

I say better addicted to games than drugs or other stuff that'll mess with your body and soul.....sheesh!

[DenofLions]

I could see where this would be of use, like the Korean dude posted about above, or the Chinese girl who died of playing World of Warcraft untill she starved to death (google Chinese girl dies from WoW for the story)

[gronne]

or other stuff that'll mess with your body and soul.....sheesh!

Yeah... Like videogames.....

People are so stupid, they think just because "they" can handle it, there should be no restrictions. I, just like you guys, am addicted to games and the internet. There's nothing inbetween, the only difference is that I admit it. And I'd say that most of you are worse than I am. We live in a very ****ed up society and we make up all kinds of stupid excuses in order not to change it. But just as everything it automatically and naturally strikes back at us in the end. It's like all funny christians who think they're going to heaven because they believe in God, yet they don't by any means whatsoever act upon the bible's guidelines. I act much more christain than most of my christian friends, yet I couldn't give a ****. You people will always make up excuses and never admit to yourselves the problems you've got... until it's too late.

Just the fact that we sit 5-8 hours on the internet everyday on a chair giving non stop information to our brains, says everything. The human body is designed to go out hunting and moving most of the time, the last 50 years have been a catastrophy for the human body from an evolutionary point of view.

Yet, you will continue to give your excuses again and again and again. (If you wonder about my excuse it's because I've got a severe leg injury since four years, and a very severe neck injury since 5 months). My dream is to get back on the football-pitch(soccer that is), and start living a "normal" life, away from this ****ed up digital world. Unfortunately, I've come to love all of it.