Video Game Addiction: Do we need a Video Gamers Anonymous? Essay

Video Game Addiction Do we need a Video Gamers unknown?Super Mario Brothers, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Street Fighter are familiar names to nearly all of us. They are all best selling games of major telecasting game consoles. Over 9.8 billion dollars were spent on video games in the United States during 2001 alone, and video game consoles are present in 36 jillion homes in the United States (1). With the increasing amount of time that people are spending on video games, one is left to wonder if it is possible to expire addicted to video games. Do we need a Video Gamers Anonymous?Addiction has been defined as A primary, chronic disease, characterized by impaired subdue over the use of a psychoactive substance and/or behavior. Clinically, the manifestations occur along biological, psychological, sociological and spiritual dimensions (2). While there is currently no syndicate for video game dependance in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3), which is the m anual utilized to diagnose psychological disorders, video game addicts are often described by clinicians in the field as displaying many symptoms characteristic of other addictions. These behaviors embroil failure to stopover playing games, difficulties in lean or school, telling lies to loved ones, decreased attention to personal hygiene, decreased attention to family and friends, and disturbances in the sleep cycle (4). Withdrawal symptoms can even include behaviors as severe as shaking (5). All addictions can be dangerous and harmful to the addicted person and others around him however, video game addiction can be particularly detrimental to children. Video games are becoming increasingly popular with children of young ages, which in turn may raise... ...//www.selfhelp magazine publisher.com/articles/internet/cybaddict.html4)When games stop being fun,http//msnbc.msn.com/news/737966.asp?0si=-5)Video games Cause for concern?,http//news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1036088.stm6)Video games Research, ratings, and recommendations, Contains many references for empirical studieshttp//ericeece.org/pubs/digests/1998/cesar98.html7)Video games addiction, http//www.theparentreport.com/resources/ages/preteen/kids_culture/130.html8)Are video games really so bad?,http//www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990510/video3.html9)Questions Answered,http//www.missouri.edu/kingjw/feb15q.html10)Positron Emission Tomography ,http//exn.ca/environment/11)The Biochemistry of Human Addiction, Discusses the role of dopamine in addiction http//www.er.doe.gov/feature_articles_2001/June/Decades/94.html