Gaming Addiction Debunked
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Gaming Addiction Debunked Recognize the risks and be safe.
Is Computer Game addiction a problem? We take a responsible look.
The Good News
The generic term “Computer Gaming” covers all types of games played on computers. It is best to realise at the outset that there is a distinction to be drawn between “Online Gaming” and “Video Gaming”. “Online Gaming” can be likened to competing in a virtual arena, involving several, possibly hundreds of competitors, most of whom will often be total strangers. Such games are referred to as MMORPGs – Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. One invariably plays video games in private with friends and family or perhaps on one’s own, playing downloaded games, perhaps boxed games bought from your local video games retailer or on eBay or even swapped with friends. Many of you will never have participated in MMORPGs although nearly all of you will have at some time played a video game, which have been around since the late 1960s. The wider social contact of MMORPGs seems to be a factor more likely to push people to addiction according to research; but not always!
Well, some good news is that ninety per cent of the young people who seek treatment for compulsive computer gaming are not addicted. So says Keith Bakker the founder and head of Europe’s first clinic to treat gaming addicts according to BBC News.
Hundreds of young gamers from a worldwide catchment have attended The Smith & Jones Centre in Amsterdam for treatment since 2006 when it opened; but the clinic is changing its treatment as it realizes that compulsive gaming is a social rather than a psychological problem.
The American Psychological Association in 2007, conducted research to determine if computer video game addiction should be added or not to the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders being released in 2012. Gamers will be happy to hear their conclusion was that there was not enough evidence to confirm that addiction to computer video games was a disorder.
This is one of three concise articles, on Computer Gaming Addiction. Presented by a website dealing only with Video and Online Gaming and endeavour to put a sensible perspective on this important issue.
Using the infrared camera in the