A counsellor from the UK’s first gaming addiction centre has spoken to IncGamers about the risks facing gamers.
Peter Smith from Broadway Lodge in Western-super-Mare told IncGamers that people who are addicted to gaming exhibit the same kind of characteristics and behaviour as those with physical addictions to substances like alcohol or drugs.
“There are many more similarities than differences," said Smith.
"The one obvious difference is that there is no chemical dependency.”
“But with gaming, as with gambling, it’s a process and people become addicted because that process can stimulate the body’s natural heroin-like substances like adrenaline and endorphins.”
Smith also said that the way games are designed can also contribute to the problem, with developers actively trying to draw the gamer as far into their artificial world as possible.
“But it’s also to do with the obsessional nature of games," he explained.
"I think a lot of psychology goes into the development of games. It’s about trying to grab people’s attention and excite them with challenges and stimulation.”
At Broadway Lodge, treatment for game addcition begins by removing the patient from their regular environment and placing them into new, community-focused surroundings.
“We start by admitting them into treatment and what we’re doing in that very simple process is taking them out of the environment where all the triggers and the queues exist,” he said.
“We don’t have access to computers, we only have one television in the building which is used very occasionally for educational use. It’s a very artificial environment – a therapeutic community with other people who are dealing with managing their own addiction. They support, encourage, confront and challenge eachother.”
Following the initial “detox” period, the emphasis shifts to social interaction “and, by living in a community in the centre, they are practicing what they learn every day.”
When asked whether he thought gaming addiction was widespread, however, Smith was keen to stress that it affects a very small amount of gamers.
“Just like any other addiction, like alcoholism, most people have a drink and don’t have a problem,” he said.
“The same principle applies to gaming. A lot of people get a lot of pleasure out of it but a very small percentage of people either have an addictive personality type or are vulnerable to a range of addictions. They can get caught up in gaming to the extent that it dominates their lives.”
Smith also stated that he believes there is a risk that games will be demonised by the mainstream media.
“I think that most people will play a game and become immersed in it but I don’t actually believe many people will go out and replicate what they’ve done in a game any more than they’d go out and replicate what they’ve heard on the radio or seen in a film,” he explained.
“I think there needs to be much more research into this and I think there is a risk that games will become demonised. But we do have some people who are susceptible and that will always be the case whether it’s gaming or gambling or replicating what they’ve seen in films or read in books.”
What do you think about gaming addiction? Do you know anyone who has formed an unhealthy relationship with games? Let us know in the comments section below.
User comments
Now he has a long term girlfriend, going out with mates as much if not more so than gaming.
It is only addictive because these people haven't got any sort of balance or good enough friends to strike that balance but all they need is a place they can meet like wise people and maybe go LARPing or meet up for board games with their new mates.
I dunno, I'm just waffling.
Most things are fine in moderation, be it food, drinking alcohol or gaming etc.
You need a healthy balance between everything you do in your life. I admit, that when I first bought WoW about 4 years ago, that is all I seemed to do apart from have to work through the day of course. Nowadays I can still be found playing games, alot... but I have a whole host of other things I like to do, so gaming doesn't take up ALL of my time, just a nice big chunk of it. ;)
A shrink who's actually reasonable about this, and not wholly concerned about his bottom line. Miracles do happen. :D
Big difference when compared to some of these other professionals, who are clearly only doing it for the money and see the addiction bogeyman around every corner.
I'm an avid gamer and believe gaming addiction is very real and games are made to hook people in and that they should continue to be that way. If they weren't compelling we'd not play them and that would ruin it for the vast majority of people who integrate videogaming sensibly into their lives (well most of the time).