MMORPG Addiction – Does It Exist? Should Bioware Do Anything?
“There is no formal diagnosis of video game addiction in current medical or psychological literature. Inclusion of it as a psychological disorder has been proposed and rejected for the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).”
I have seen several lengthy discussions about SW:TOR, parental controls, gaming addiction, and what responsibility, if any, BioWare has to protect us from ourselves. I would like to take this opportunity to present my opinion:
There is a difference between addiction and obsession. Addiction is when you have to do something due to a physical or mental craving and suffer from withdrawal symptoms when you are deprived of the subject of your addiction. Obsession, on the other hand, is a persistent, disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation. And while you may have obsessive thoughts about the subject of your obsession for a long time, there are no actual withdrawal symptoms present – as there are with addiction.
It is my belief that far too many people attribute addiction to Computer Gaming, when in actuality the person is simply suffering from an obsession. Look at people that watch sports – there are some of them that never miss a game, may skip sex in favor of watching a game, go to games in all kinds of weather, go great distances to get there, paint themselves in their team colors, etc.. Are they sports addicts? Or are they simply obsessed with sports?
A person who collects everything Star Wars…are they addicted? Or obsessed? What if they work three jobs and spend every penny they earn (beyond basic necessities) on those items? Was Edison addicted, or obsessed with the light bulb? Many obsessions are accepted by current society simply because they are seen as “normal” – like sports or religion. Or because they are hidden and not discussed, like pornography and sex. And then there are others that society is not yet comfortable with because they are unfamiliar or are too new, like the internet, video games, role-playing games and anime.
Granted, both addiction and obsession can create problems in a person’s life, but one implies no control over the actions of the person, and the other implies just an unwillingness to take control by the person for some compelling reason (such as…it’s fun! Or…it relieves stress. Or…the person has an underlying mental illness – like depression – and this distracts them from it and makes them feel good). When one area of a person’s life becomes unfulfilling or a source of anxiety, fear, or other negative emotions, the person may seek to compensate by finding fulfillment and/or escape in some other area.
Obsessions serve as a great mask and coping mechanism for a variety of mental illnesses – and video games have even shown to help treat a variety of mental and physical disorders. There is a video game called Focus Pocus by NeuroCog Solutions that is being used to treat ADHD in children. Video games are being used to supplement physical therapy for ICU patients. And finally, video games are also being used to treat PTSD.
Given that I do not believe that video games are addictive, I do not see any reason for BioWare, or any MMO developer, to do anything to impose any limits on an adult’s MMO playing. As an adult, I am responsible for myself and for my own health and safety. Warnings, reminders to get up and stretch once in a while – as long as those reminders are not intrusive, are fine. But anything which artificially limits me is not. This is not the same as rewarding those who have been away by giving them “Rest XP”. That is not a penalty for playing, but a benefit for those that cannot play as frequently as others. That is something that I find acceptable.
Now, I do not want anyone to think that I am not in favor of parental controls. I am in favor of sensible parental controls that assist parents in controlling the content that their children can play, the times that they have access to that content and the amount of time that the child may play that content in one gaming session. The type of content should be restricted by the ESRB or PEGI rating on the game. According to the “2011 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry” 91% of the time, parents are present at the time games are rented are purchased, so parents should be very aware of just what the game ratings are of the games that the kids are purchasing – at least…those parents that are likely to use parental controls. Thus, while there should be a rating lock, parental controls should focus more on when a game can be played, and for how long. And for an MMO, that’s a fairly simple thing to have, I would think.
If you feel that you may be unable to exercise proper self-control, or find that you cannot, I recommend that you take advantage of any parental controls that may come with SW:TOR – having someone you trust, or a computer program, set the password so that you do not have access to those controls. Or, that you have a trusted family member create your Account Password and log you in each time you wish to play. Or…that you simply do not purchase or play SW:TOR.
27 Responses to “MMORPG Addiction – Does It Exist? Should Bioware Do Anything?”
WELL DONE! Great read and great points!
Hello, my name is swtorcrafter and I am obsessed with making swteatorz in MMO’s!
I will admit I am obsessed. I had for many years thought I was addicted but after reading this I realize that is not the case, I guess I am just obsessed with SWTOR.
Is it healthy?
It makes me happy, my wife not so much.
So as long as she doesn’t divorce me I am safe!
great article, don’t be afraid to let it all hang out we can take it man!
I would just like to say this is a great post and very well written I might add. From someone who has dealt with some of the issues I say thank you. About 3 years ago I had a lot of personal issues arise from getting laid off to losing a few family members and friends in a short time span to having to sit and watch my girlfriend suffer in a hospital bed for months due to a doctor’s negligence and ignorance before I had her transferred and treated properly.
Dealing with all of this in such a small time span was so overwhelming at times I fell into a pretty bad depression for awhile. Wow, which started as a casual time sink when there was absolutely nothing else to do, turned into a crutch of sorts to keep my mind occupied so I didn’t have to think about all the things going on around me. Like Daelda previously mentioned, I never had any type of withdrawal symptoms or some unbearable force keeping me from stopping the extreme play sessions. I just preferred immersion into a different world other than dealing with the reality of everything going on around. It became incredibly unhealthy, and it took some close friends coming to my side to really make me see what I was doing. I took about 6 months away from the game to get my life back together and things finally started falling back into place. I did return to the game in small doses just for the satisfaction of proving to myself I could enjoy something on that level and not turn it into a type of obsession that people could portray as an addiction. I proved my point to myself and others so well that I started raiding and goofing off regularly without putting my job, family, friends, or other responsibilities on the back burner.
While I do look at that time of my life as a little embarrassing and pretty dark at some points, I do not regret it happening. Many of the events helped make me a stronger person. I also have a great leg to stand on if some uneducated hater of the gaming culture tries to tell me I have some kind of problem because I enjoy something in the same way as a lot of people do reading a good book. Which has happened a few times unfortunately. I will admit I have obsessed a bit here and there over the excitement of SW:ToR. I check the main site, forums, and blogs to see the current updates of the community. I’ve made sure to take precautions though. I’ve warned a few close non-gamer friends about the release and the proper courses of action to take if I don’t return from a galaxy far, far away; being the huge Star Wars fanboy that I have since birth : ) Anyways, sorry to take up so much space on here and the time of anyone that stops to read this. I just thought it could possibly help someone else that might be in a similar situation. Thanks again for a wonderful post.
Thank you all for your kind comments. Kaerick, I can understand where you are coming from. I am disabled, in part due to PTSD, and anxiety. MMO gaming has allowed me the freedom to find friendships and to associate with people that I otherwise would not have. Yes, I am under the care of a doctor who is aware of just how much time I spend playing MMOs (40+ hours per week). She has in fact told me that my gaming is a form of therapy for me and she approves of it.
Yes, there can be a point at which gaming can become unhealthy, but that is almost always because it is masking an underlying cause – depression, anxiety, or some other reason that a person just doesn’t want to, or can’t, deal with the real world. Thus it is a symptom, not the cause.
I have never suffered adverse effects from not gaming for days, weeks, or months at a time. It sucked, sure. I missed my friends, sure. But I never committed a crime or hurt anyone in order to “get a gaming fix”. It simply was never an addiction – it was, and is, an obsession. But one which I keep in check with the help of my wife. And I much prefer it to the nightmares brought on by PTSD.
Again, thank you for sharing a very personal story, Kaerick. I look forward to others’ thoughts and/or experiences on the subject.
I really appreciated this article.
Earlier in my life I also suffered from an obsession to video gaming, specifically MMO’s. I’m not saying that I’m completely over it, now, but when I finally realized my condition I realized I needed to make decisions.
I moved shortly before I started my freshman year of High School. I was already a shy person, and was nervous to make friends. When my attempt to meet new people blew up in my face on my first day I had a hard time finding a reason to meet anyone. To make it worse, I had a minor surgery later that made me miss some critical weeks at the beginning of the year to meet new people. When I came back, I felt out of place and didn’t bother trying to meet anyone anymore. I had already liked playing games before, but I started playing an MMO which filled my social need, and shortly took over my life. Instead of spending time with my family, I’d stay up in my room. I constantly told my little brother to leave me alone, who other wise was completely content to sit on my bed and quietly watch.
Over the years I missed family activities just because I wanted to play the game. I never had any conditions of withdrawal when I couldn’t play, it was just my preference to spend time in a world I felt more needed.
After I graduated High School, I was still playing MMO’s and other games more than working or spending time with my family. When I was 19 I decided to do what we call a mission in my religion. It involved leaving my family for a short time and also leaving behind a lot of other things, including video games. In that time with out it I was first surprised at how easy it was to go with out gaming. I also soon realized how vast the real world was due to the amount of people I got to meat. I learned that my obsession with gaming was holding me back.
When I returned from my mission, I made changes. I made rules to always put family first, and that choosing to stay home and play games instead of spending time with them was unacceptable. I still play a lot of games, but with a deeper understanding of who I am and how gaming affects me, I know when it’s time to call it quits for the day.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/Daelda or @Daelda
I’ll keep it short and simple. This is the best article I have ever read on this site. Very interesting and really well written. Keep ’em coming. I’ll have to keep this site as part of my regular reading rotation.
Excellent article. Spot on.
As a nearly 50 yr. old MMO gamer (got my start in MMOs with Everquest back in 1999) I can say that I’m quite happily hooked on gaming as a whole. There are still family and friends who don’t “get it” and I give them that look as they’re telling me that I shouldn’t be playing games. These comments are usually said as they’re obsessing over their NASCAR, soap operas, bowling league, fantasy football league etc.
Yeah like I’m the one who needs to quit. Gaming is the least expensive obsessions in my world since I”m a photographer. Do you know how many months of subscriptions can be paid for with the purchase of just one lens? LOL. My husband games and all three of my sons (25, 21, 16) are gamers. We hang out as a family along with two of my nephews and their wives. It’s what we do. When my sons were younger we did exercise our rights to implement parental controls. I don’t feel it’s Bioware’s responsibility to “watch-over” my gaming. I’m responsible for myself and my family.
I get a bit annoyed with parents who point their fingers at game devs and cry fowl because little Johnny plays violent games. Hello? You’re the parent. Don’t like the game? Don’t buy it. Take away the console or monitor what little Johnny is doing on the computer. Computers and platforms are not babysitters. It’s the same as pointing a finger at television networks. If you don’t like what’s on there then just get up off your butts and turn it off. It’s called personal accountability.
With all that said I’ll be a gamer until I can’t use a keyboard or controller. My hope is that before that time arrives holodecks become a reality and I’ll own one. 😀
Well written. I would like to add that just because there is no “formal medical diagnosis” does not mean that video game “addiction” does not exist. As a physician who suffered from video game addiction and met others who have, there are real withdrawal symptoms as well as emotional consequences. I have suffered from post-game depression and even the shakes. I almost lost my career, my marriage, and my life when I played excessively for 40-50 hours weekly for over 9 years.
There’s functional MRI scans showing video games stimulating the same dopamine reward pathways in the brain, similar to other substance abuse activity. Clearly not everyone who plays video games become an addict, but data shows 1 in 10 people who play become pathologically addicted.
Video game addiction is a growing and serious problem. Similar to how we educate people about responsible alcohol use, we need to educate the public about responsible video game play. There’s growing evidence that excessive play results in harmful permanent changes in the brain. I anticipate people would play a lot less when they see the research evidence that excessive play is bad for their mental health.
Andrew Doan, MD, PhD
http://www.hooked-on-games.com
Thank you all for taking the time to stop by and read and comment. This article was written by our newest writer to the site and I am sure he appreciates the love. Thanks again everyone. 🙂
Very nice article! Everything else has already been said in the previous comments 🙂
Keep up the good work!
This is something that definitely needs highlighting.
I found MMO’s to be a great method to cope with stress and get me through some tough times, but I have a very hard time keeping track of my play time, to the point that it has caused issues with my marriage in the past.
Learning to limit (and almost ration) my playing time has been a challenge.
Thank you for your input Dr. Doan. The medical diagnosis and existence of “Video Game Addiction” is disagreed upon in the medical and psychological community – hence its non-inclusion in the current, and upcoming DSM. Like the claims about video game violence, video game addiction has not been studied or documented in peer-reviewed papers to an extent for the Medical Community to make a formal designation of its existence, and some of the studies are contradictory. This is what lead to the 2007 decision to not recommend its inclusion in the DSM. If actual evidence of video game addiction were as high as you claim – 1 in 10 – the medical community would have no problem with its inclusion in the DSM. But the evidence is not nearly as solid as you make it out to be.
As to video games stimulating the reward pathways of the brain – I won’t deny that. But I will counter that *any* activity that gives pleasure stimulates those same reward pathways – hence their designation as “pleasure pathways”. Granted, I am not a doctor or an addiction researcher, nor do I claim to be. I am a skeptic and one who prefers to rely on evidence over anecdote. I *would* be interested to know how many MRI scans you have done on sports fans watching the Super Bowl? Or on soap opera lovers watching their favorite soap opera? Or on movie goers watching the latest blockbuster, 5-star reviewed movie? I would imagine that you would find similar results to your scans of video game players.
Now, should proper, peer-reviewed studies be presented in such quantity as to show substantial evidence that video game addiction does exist, I will gladly revisit my opinion. In the meantime, if there are those who feel that they are “addicted” to video games, or if anyone is playing video games to the exclusion of real-world interactions and commitments, I *highly* recommend that they seek out psychological help – preferably to uncover any underlying condition(s) that they are using video games as a coping mechanism for. But no, I don’t believe that anyone is “addicted” to video games.
@Andrew Doan, thank you very much for your input on this article. This has become a very, very fascinating discussion indeed! 🙂
WeekendJedi – You are the type of person that I would recommend having your spouse set the Parental Controls for just how much time you can play per day – or at least having an alarm clock or timer on the desk next to you that will alert you as to just how much time you have spent gaming. Also, in *any* relationship, open communication is the key. Talk to your spouse about this problem and be sure they know both how important they are to you, and how much you enjoy playing video games. Then either strike up a barter system – one item on the “Honey Do” List, or two hours of “together time/family time” equals one hour of game time. Or…give your spouse control of your gaming time. You married your spouse because you love them and trust them (I hope). And they love you and want you to be happy (again, ideally). If your spouse is aware of how much you enjoy doing something, they won’t want to completely take it away from you. Thus, by giving your spouse control, you can trust them to say, “Okay, time to be with the family now.” without completely stopping you from enjoying your hobby.
Moderation is key. Some people have difficulty with moderation and obsession can be like that. My wife knows that I can get deep into my gaming, or start a really good book and stay up all night until I read it start to finish. Doesn’t happen often, but it happens. Books that good are hard to come by. But she also knows that if she needs me to be awake for something, or if my reading light is bothering her as she tries to sleep, she can tell me and I will put it down and go to sleep because she has asked me to. In the same vein, if my Guild has a major Raid next week, and I let her know about it ahead of time, she knows not to bother me and to have a few snacks ready to keep me going. It is all about compromise – give and take.
I *highly* recommend that you find a relaxed Guild for TOR. One that puts IRL above the game. I know that you have a baby on the way, and that will add a whole new dimension to your life. You have to be able to drop the game and tend to the baby if you need to – Operation, Flashpoint or death be damned! So find a Guild that understands that. As a new dad, Hardcore Progression Guilds are probably a thing of the past – at least for a little while. Remember your priorities.
And, like I have said above, if you are falling into the game too much, maybe there is a reason. Check with a psychologist and make sure that you don’t have some other medical reason for your escapism. You could have depression, an anxiety disorder, or something else. Maybe you need medication, or maybe you just need someone to talk to. Either way, it is good to get to the root of the problem.
Thanks for the response 🙂 I’ve been looking at TOR from the beginning with this in mind – the group I’ll be playing with are very relaxed.
Since we started planning for the baby I quit WoW almost instantly, as it caused more stress than it helped with. My objective for TOR is to have fun, and as such I will be avoiding any kind of officer position within guilds, and will most likely have characters spread across multiple servers to speak to the multitude of people I chat with on Twitter 🙂
I went through a very rough patch that gaming helped me with a few years ago, but moderation is the thing I struggled with (although I am getting better at it!)
Unfortunately, there is a possibility to get addicted, even for adults.
It has no own DSM entry because it is mostly seen as an impuls control disorder with similarities to a gambling addiction.
But there are several definitions of internet/computer/MMO addiction as well as programs from Non-Profit-Organisations, so in my opinion there are many people who are affected by an addiction.
The most common warning signs (originally created by Jonathan Kendall) are:
Preoccupation with the Internet. (Thoughts about previous on-line activity or anticipation of the next on-line session.)
Use of the Internet in increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction.
Repeated, unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop Internet use.
Feelings of restlessness, moodiness, depression, or irritability when attempting to cut down use of the Internet.
On-line longer than originally intended.
Jeopardized or risked loss of significant relationships, job, educational or career opportunities because of Internet use.
Lies to family members, therapists, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet.
Use of the Internet is a way to escape from problems or to relieve a dysphoric mood. (e.g. Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, anxiety, depression.)
The mayority of MMO-players is not even at risk getting addicted, but there are definitely many (mostly teenagers) that are addicted.
Adults should be able to decide themselves how they prioritize their time, but if they are not longer able to decide what is more important, they should have easy access to help, just because someone is over 18 doesn’t mean that they can do everything by themselves.
(Please note that english is not my first language, I am sorry for any mistakes in this post^^)
Now it is time to play some Star Wars Battlefront.^^
Andy – Thank you for your input. The studies are not there to call it an addiction. There are several explanations and descriptions and even sitings of the Loch Ness Monster – but that does not necessarily make it real. Could it exist? Maybe, but given the lack of evidence, I am doubtful.
As I said, I am a skeptic. Anecdotes are not proof – of anything. I once saw a big orange light in the sky. Was it a UFO? Or was it something entirely different and explainable? I’m betting on the latter.
Give me peer-reviewed studies documenting video game addiction. Give me enough of them to show that this is not a statistical fluke. Impulse Control problems and Addiction are not the same thing – otherwise they wouldn’t have been changed to be under different classifications. Just as bipolar and depression – while seemingly the same to the layman – are not the same disorder and are not treated the same. If one cannot control their impulses, they have a rather large problem. But it is not an addiction. There is a difference.
There are a few studies, qualitative as well as quantitative, with conclusive outcomes like the ones done by Kimberley Young or by the german student union in 2002. The real problem are unprofessional articles and coverages in printmedia and television.
In the end, can any MMO-gamer tell me he doesn’t know someone who, just in his opinion, is addicted? (I know, it is not professional because it is subjective)
If it is called an addiction or “just” similar to one, there are definitely some people out there who are in need of help.
What were the methodologies and controls used in these studies? Have they been published in peer-reviewed Journals? Have their results been replicated? If these studies are so conclusive, why did the medical community recommend against including internet or video game addiction in the current and upcoming DSM? If the State of California could have used these studies to conclusively prove that video games are addictive, and thus harmful to children, why did they not do so in the recent US Supreme Court case Brown v EMA (which it subsequently lost)?
Yes, I can honestly tell you that I do not know *anyone* that is addicted to video games. Do I know people that need help? Yes. But that isn’t because of video games. I can walk into any church, school, or large building in the world and find someone in need of help – whether the people have ever played a video game in their lives or not. Correlation does not equal Causation. Thunder does not cause milk to spoil (as the Old Wives Tale proposes).
And yes, it IS important to determine what the root cause of something is before you treat it – even if the effects seem similar. Let’s say you have a small house fire. Your first inclination may be to throw water on it.But if this is a grease fire, you have just made an error that may have made things even worse, not better. So let’s make sure that we know the root source of the problem before we start declairing things “addictions”.
I am not saying that we should ignore people who are obsessed with video games – but we also should not ignore people obsessed with sports, soap operas, religion, stamps, or anything else. Obsession is key and the problem is what underlies that obsession. Once we know what the underlying cause for the obsession is, we can treat it and thus we can have a happier, healthier person.
Your fire and UFO analogys are not really accurate, sorry…
Of course there are many people in need of help without being video game players. There may be several reasons someone gets addicted to games, tragedies, unloving homes or just boredom, but all of them may end in large quantaties of gaming. Over time it will not just be an effect, but a problem in itself.
As far as I know, Brown vs EMA was decided because of the U.S. first amendment?
Personally, I like to play games as well as any other user here and can’t wait for SWTOR, I will play it on a daily basis but I will not consider myself as addicted. on the other hand I know someone who plays a lot of games and neglects important parts of his real life, I do not know if he is addicted, but I am sure it cannot be healthy….
Brown v EMA was decided on First Amendment grounds – but exceptions have been made to the First Amendment when the perceived harm was greater than the rights of the individual – for example, pornography is not allowed to be sold to children and certain types of pornography can be illegal to sell to adults (depending on community standards, local and state laws, etc).
As to your friend, I will wager that if you were to get him in to a competent mental health professional, your friend would receive one or more diagnoses or at least an appointment for talk-therapy. There is likely something going on that your friend is using gaming as a coping mechanism for.
Obviously you and I will have to agree to disagree on whether internet addiction exists or not. I do appreciate your input and look forward to more comments from you in the future. Your English is actually very good!
I can agree to disagree as well (-^^-) Thank you for your time and replies.
My pleasure! I always welcome contrary opinions when they are presented in a polite and respectable manner. What a boring world this would be if everyone agreed with everyone else!
Of course…we could do with a little more *polite* disagreement in some areas of the world, but that’s a whole other topic, and completely unrelated to TOR…. 🙂
Great article and nice to read some mature responses .
As a long time WOW player a lot of my problem was the social pressure , I play with a group of seven “real” friends.
There was a real dynamic of not letting the team down .
The grind became a real deal to me, those dailys had to be done , make mats etc etc
Happy to let it go in the end.
We are all still friends and still get on to talk it up , tell the same jokes :).
I believe you have to do whatever makes you happy. If you want to play MMOs 50 hours a week then you have to realize there is a price for that. If your wife isnt as important to you as making a dress in an mmo then you probaly shouldnt be with her anyways. People are not that stupid. Heroin addicts KNOW what they are doing to themselves, they KNOW what heroin does to them. If you dont think its as important as your family you most likely wont start, or if you do try to get help. If your addiction to get high is more important then thats what you’ll do. Most people use drugs and substance abuse as an escape, same as alot of people playing video games. Its an escape from their boring lives. They get to feel accomplished when they kill that boss or make that new awesome item.
To tell someone “your obsessed or addicted, you need help” is completely wrong. Some people are ripped on because they played mmos over spending time with their wife. They probably werent happy in the first place and never should have married. I know of 2 people personally who did just that and ended up meeting people on the mmo and getting married, have been happily for the last 6 years. We still have that “get married, have kids, big bank account” ideaology from long ago. That isnt what life is about. Its about being happy until you die. If you want to spend your time sitting in a room pvping then do it. Dont let anyone tell you about your problem and that you need help.
Happy Gaming.
Aareles
i am greek and i want to pass you the most famous old ( someone they told them ancients :p ) greek phrase .
“Πάν μέτρον άριστον ” “Pan Metron Ariston”
which means more or less that excellence is to be found in the balance and not in the size of things. And they were right. The secret seems to be in the proportions and the interrelationships and not in the quantity of things.
Everyone must have a balance in his life and of course in everything he do ( including gaming ) , even he is 40 or 60 or 10 years old !!!