How to Stop Addiction: Is Pathological Video Gaming an “Addiction”?
Question by PS3 Slim: Is Pathological Video Gaming an “Addiction”?
We told you last week that eating too much may soon be considered an “addiction.” Now here’s another one for you: video game addiction.
A new study found that kids and teens who are more likely to become addicted to video games (which researchers call “pathological” video gaming) are those who spend a lot of hours playing these games, have trouble fitting in with other kids and are more impulsive than children who aren’t addicted, HealthDay reports.
We’ve always had a bit of an intolerance for kids (and adults) who’d rather be playing video games than doing anything else … even if it’s Rock Band or Wii tennis.
But apparently, for some young people, this is a serious “addiction.” Once addicted to video games, children in the study were more likely to become depressed, anxious or have other social phobias. Their school performance also suffered.
“It might be that kids who are socially awkward, who aren’t doing well in school, get depressed and then lose themselves into games,” Douglas A. Gentile, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University in Ames, told HealthDay.
“But we found that in kids who started gaming pathologically, depression and anxiety got worse. And, when they stopped gaming, the depression lifted. It may be that these disorders [co-exist], but games seem to make the problem worse.”
Also eye-opening: Among the 3,034 participants in the study, the average time spent playing video games was around 20.5 to 22.5 hours a week. That’s about three hours a day when they’re most certainly not doing homework.
What do you think? Is video gaming a real addiction? Or is this just more junk science?
How do you feel about this topic?
Best answer:
Answer by crimkid2002
I think it is habit forming which is different than addictive. Depression and anxiety are normal for someone who is inactive, just like those who watch too much tv and take no exercise. There is a lot more influencing that study’s results than just a game.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
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