It’s no big news that people can get addicted to alcohol. Drugs, cigarettes, food: all common addictions. But what about video games? Sure, there are kids (and even adults) who park themselves on the couch with the latest game, and play it for hours on end. But does this constitute an actual addiction? The American Medical Association (AMA) thinks so, and is pushing to classify video game addiction as a psychiatric disorder.A report issued by the AMA claims that up to 15 per cent of kids who play video games could fall into the addicted classification: this translates to more than five million young ‘ens! Of course we’ve all heard of incidents where children have sat and played video games for hours, failing to eat and drink, some with fatal results. Is addictive video games in fact the cause, or is the reason for the obsessive game-playing much more complex?
Of course video game publishers argue the latter, and, to an extent, I agree with them. The underlying issue could be depression, lethargy, lack of self-worth, or even a pre-disposition for addiction. When you think about it, that addiction could be manifested through pretty much anything in life: Coffee. Shoe shopping. Tanning. Sex. The list goes on and on. Sure, the effects of being addicted to one thing might be more detrimental than to another: you could die from alcohol addiction, whereas the results of a shoe addiction might simply be a depleted bank account and no closet space! But where does one draw the line?
What’s more, if video game addiction is diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder, what will happen? Kids will be popping more pills, and the parent’s insurance will pay for them. This is not the answer.
I used to play games when I was a kid, and even the simplest one could become addictive. In fact, the "addictive" quality is exactly what gives a game its appeal, and thus contributes to its popularity. But on the flip side, until you’ve experienced someone with a serious “addiction” to playing video games, it’s tough to fully understand the situation. And being an ex-smoker myself, I understand the nature of addiction, and how powerful it can be.
Personally, I can’t see how placing the blame on a video game is the answer; in the same manner that I can’t place the blame for a smoking addiction on the variety store that sells cigarettes; or on a fast food restaurant for a food addiction.
Any thoughts?
