Psychology in Life

Video Game Addiction

Okay I’m back and I’ll start off with Video Game Addiction. Now this is distinct and separate from Internet Addiction Disorder in that it focuses on video games, not the internet.

Video Games

There’s no need for an introduction, I’m sure you know what video games are. From the classic, blocky Pong to the anticipated Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2, they are all designed to keep you hooked. This shouldn’t be surprising, not one bit. Game manufacturers make money. To make money, they need lots of customers. Addictive games bring in lots of customers.

There is no denying how addictive some games can be. Whether it be an inbuilt level/achievement system, the social aspect of multiplayer games, or the thrill and adrenaline that courses through when dominating the game, these games are addictive and everyone is susceptible.

Teenage boys are most commonly addicted, but surveys show that over 50% of the gaming population are in fact, adults. Games like World of Warcraft have over 12 million active subscribers, all paying an initial sum and then again every single month to continue. Imagine, an online world with 12 million people. I live in Australia, and we have just over twice that amount.

That’s right, a single video game has nearly half the amount of people as an entire country. Amazing, isn’t it?

World of Warcraft

Let’s take a look at this game for a moment, and analyse what makes it so addictive. The game offers an impressive 8,000 quests and a neat levelling system that goes along with it. This in itself can be addictive, as completing each quest moves you closer and closer to the next level. With each level, new skills and spells become accessible that increase the replayability of the game. There are races, classes, professions, guilds, auctions and all sorts of other nifty features that keep the player there, levelling until level 80 – the highest level.

Even after reaching level 80 which normally takes at least a month, even more an experienced gamer, the ‘World’ offers a huge variety of activities. Banding together in groups to fight bosses, and even fighting each other, all of which are easily accessible to the casual player.

The adrenaline makes it addictive. The social side makes it addictive. The replayability makes it addictive. The game is designed to be addictive. And it seems as if it’s working.

Escapism

Games simulate entire worlds for the player to immerse themselves in. Much like a book or a movie, except much more interactive. This often leads to people with poor social skills or problematic lives to spend their time in the games, escaping from reality.

This is actually a fantastic side to games if used in small doses. Just as books have been used to let people experience a different reality, so do games. But this is extremely dangerous to the weak minded and as such, it can lead to serious psychological problems, starting with addiction.

Awareness and Treatment

Treat it as any other addiction. It’s as simple as that. Video games will cause major disruptions in a person’s life if they become too addicted. Visiting a psychologist or going ‘cold turkey’ will do the trick.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!