Video Game Addiction by Angelo Gomez

Addictions are terrible things. While most people automatically think of alcohol, tobacco, sex, gambling, or drugs when they think of addictions, few people will think of internet and video game addictions as serious problems compared to the others. However, these addictions could lead to problems as equally as horrible, especially when combined. The growing popularity of virtual worlds has led almost 1 in 10 youth gamers to show symptoms of video game addiction (10 Most Common Addictions).  The growing popularity of virtual worlds and the increased social aspects of gaming due to the internet have caused the form of entertainment to grow to scary new addictive levels.

History

When doing a Google search for articles on “video game addiction,” you’ll find many articles with titles claiming that video game addiction is a new problem, however ever since video games have been popular addiction has been a problem. In 1981, the first instance of trying stopping video game addiction occurred in the United Kingdom when a member of the British Parliament, George Foulkes, introduced a bill titled “Control of Space Invaders and Other Electronic Games” to his peers(British Lawmaker Revisits His Infamous Anti-Space Invaders Bill). The bill was to ban the Space Invaders arcade cabinet in order to try and stop the truancy created by the popularity and addiction to the game. The bill was almost passed but lost by a mere 20 votes (1).  With events like this dating so far back, it can only be assumed that with the development of technology things could only get worse.

Examples

            As technology advances the games that are created are designed to be more addictive in many different aspects. The creation of the internet allowed games like World of Warcraft to be created as not only a game with tons of quests for you to complete, but it’s in a social setting allowing you to interact with people across the globe as you work to complete your tasks(Why Is Warcraft so Addictive).  Mobile Games, such as Candy Crush and Clash of Clans, are addictive as they provide quick bursts of dopamine to the brain between withdrawals while you wait to get more lives(Nelson).  And with the rise of “e-sports,” a competitive aspect was created in the video game community as people tried to become the best at games such as League of Legends.

       

     World of Warcraft is one of the most popular games of all time, with over 100 million player accounts made in the games lifespan (World of Warcraft: Azeroth by the Numbers).  However, with the games popularity it is also one of the most addictive games. With millions of different quests to complete and loot to collect the game offers an immersive gaming experience as well as a social experience since the game is multiplayer. However despite the endless fun one might receive from playing a game with such a large player base and things to do, the game has killed those who don’t know when to take a break.  For example, in March of 2015 a Chinese man passed away in an internet café in Shanghai after a 19 hour session of playing the game without breaks for the restroom or food(Hall).  The game’s addictive qualities and fun façade have led many people to spend countless hours on it, however game developers understand that big games like World of Warcraft are for everyone and have been branching out to a wider audience by sneaking into our pockets.

            In 2012, the mobile game Candy Crush Saga was released for iOS and Android devices (Nelson).  The game took the world by storm accumulating tons of downloads. Candy Crush can attribute its success to being a simple puzzle game for all ages. The game was fun and easy to pick up and it was easy to get through early levels allowing for a surge of dopamine to rush to players brains. Players would get excited but when they got stuck on a level and lost all their lives, they would be forced to wait to get more lives in order to play again. Since the player is forced to wait in between play sessions, the game does not grow old and the player gets a constant stream of dopamine from the game causing them to grow addicted. While this addiction is much less harmful, typically only robbing its players of time not life, it is an addiction nonetheless and the time spent playing these games could be spent better elsewhere such as working, studying, or even playing a more theatrical narrative driven game.

            In my own personal life, I have struggled with video game addiction.  The games have served as a means of distracting me from working on my homework and school projects. I’ve spent many long nights with my friends up playing video games and burned many hours that I should have been studying and working on assignments for class. Though I have gotten better at stopping myself from getting distracted and playing, I still fall into the pit occasionally.

Solutions

            Video game addiction is a problem that hasn’t been really apparent until the dawn of the 21^st century. In the 80’s, video games were mostly single player and while children were attracted to the prospect of mastering the games they played, it wasn’t until online multiplayer games became popular did video game addiction become a large problem. Approximately five percent of youth have a gaming addiction (The Truth about Child Video Game Addiction - TechAddiction). Because video game addiction is such new problem scientists still have not found a true way to cure the addiction, however people still are able to fight the problem themselves.

            A cure to boredom. A way to relax. These are just a few of the reasons people play video games.  While video games are seen as a great way to pass time, however people grow addicted to these games because of the high they provide (Video Game Addiction). The games send signals to the brain to stimulate the release of dopamine and promote positive thoughts with the game (Rauh). In the words of M.D. Michael Brody, a person will have an addiction when they need more and more of a substance to keep up normal behavior and they will behave irrationally when they do not receive enough of the substance (1).

            Because video game addiction is such a new problem one of the only ways that people can save themselves from it is by detoxing it from their system (Rauh). What makes video game addiction so different from addictions to drugs is that addicts must use the pathway to the drug in everyday life. While smokers and alcoholics typically are able to avoid their addictions by not purchasing cigarettes or alcohol, respectively, gamers typically need to use their computers or phones in everyday life. Another problem with video games is addicts typically cannot tell that they are addicted. It is harder to pull away from a video game because of the joy and excitement a player receives from the experience. However, according to Doctor Keith Bakker, director of Smith & Jones Addiction Consultants, the key to treating video game addiction is showing people that the pleasures of the real world are superior to virtual fantasies.

            There have been many attempts to cure video game addiction; however this social epidemic is on the rise with no true cure in plain sight. The lack of the existence of a cure can be chalked up to many reasons. For starters, the addiction is fairly new and no long term side effects are known yet.  Video games also cannot be simply banned.  Similar to alcohol, video games can be abused however people are still able to drink and play responsibly. And most importantly, it is hard to pinpoint the source of videogame addiction and what behavioral problems could stem from them (Essig). For now gamers and scientist will just have to wait for time to see if there are any long term affects to the addiction.

            While scientists work on a cure to the addiction, gamers are left to suffer the negative side effects of the addiction. Negative effects of the addiction range from but are not limited to, impulse control disorder, a sedentary lifestyle, a lack of social engagement, problems with concentration and attention, an avoidance of developmental tasks, increased aggression/violence, and repetitive stress injuries (Video Game Addiction Symptoms and Treatment). Researchers have begun to treat the disease as if it were any other impulse control disorder. Impulse control disorder is treated by attempting to give the patient new sources of dopamine. Because dopamine acts as a reward for the brain, the brain will learn to crave the dopamine more and more (1).  The body will grow dependent on the dopamine and constantly crave that high of happiness that the chemical gives it. Because of this, clinical treatments have begun to try and replace video games, as a source of dopamine, with healthier activities such as sports, family time, and other social activities.

Camus and Absurdity

            In his writings Camus often speaks of materialism when referring to absurdity. Video games have joined the category of materialism. Because of the evolution of technology, the world has simply grown more and more materialistic. Video games are also absurd because people use them as a portal to a different reality. Camus would have found videogames as a social epidemic because they are a distraction to people from their search for the meaning of life.  His disbelief in rationality would have lead him to believe it be impossible to find a way to stop this problem because people would not see the harm in escaping their realities to live out fantasies in a different one.

Conclusion

            With the advancement of technology in our world, video games have emerged as a new interesting form of media. While originally just another means of entertainment, video games have grown into a problem and an epidemic as people grow more and more addicted to them. While many people in America play and enjoy video games, a minority group of players have grown severely addicted causing problems for themselves and others. Solutions for gaming addiction have been difficult to come by because, although the addiction is very similar to drug and alcohol addictions, it is still a new problem and scientists and researchers are struggling to find a true cure to the problem and how to ease the symptoms of those already afflicted. It is absurd to think that a simple form of entertainment could be so harmful to society; however as game designers grow smarter and technology advances games will grow more addicting so these people can profit. Video games were created as a way for people to spend some down time and relax, but as we become more immersed in a digital world, games have started to take away from our social and mental well being.  The best way to prevent such trauma to our society is to make sure our video games are enjoyed responsibly to ensure that you don’t become a part of the ever growing problem.

Works Cited

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Nelson, Jeremiah. "The Psychology Behind Addicting Games like Candy Crush and Flappy       Bird." AndroidHeadlinescom. N.p., 2014. Web. 11 May 2016.

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