Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Videogame Lobbyists Join Scientists To Fight 'Gaming Disorder' Classification (vice.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the ready-Player-Two dept.

Remember when the World Health Organization moved to define a new disease called "gaming disorder"? An anonymous reader quotes Motherboard: Multiple video game lobbying groups from around the world have banded together to push back against the classification, and 36 academics, scientists, doctors, and researchers have drafted a paper that called the WHO's methodology and motives into question. The professionals will publish the paper, titled "Weak Basis for Gaming Disorder," in an upcoming issue of Journal of Behavioral Addictions. The article is a collection of well reasoned arguments against classifying "gaming disorder" as a disease, complete with references to extant research...

"We agree that there are some people whose play of video games is related to life problems," said the article's abstract. "However, moving from research construct to formal disorder requires a much stronger evidence base than we currently have"... To be clear, the article doesn't argue that something isn't going on and that gaming addiction isn't real and isn't a problem. It just thinks that rushing to define it and put it in the the ICD is a bad idea.

72 comments

  1. Game addiction by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

    I've known people who have been pretty savagely hooked on WoW or other MMOs, but I strongly suspect video game addiction isnt a disease, its a symptom of something deeper like social anxieties (Easier to grind dungeons than make IRL friends), poor executive cognitive function (Ie being garbage at making life priorities and staying on task) or depression.

    But a stand-alone mental disorder? How do you even define that, whats the cut off point and why. Seems spurious to me.

    --
    Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
    1. Re:Game addiction by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Well they are working with legislation. So it means they are trying to find a boogie man to blame all their problems on.
      Comic Books, TV, Cell phones, video games. All often when abused are symptoms of a bigger problem that we do not want to face or admit.

      The problem is that we treat other people like crap, and actively work to disempower them.
      We are not taking people who show promise and putting them under our wings to help them grow and prosper, we are taking their skills and exploiting them until they are not useful and tossing them aside to fend for themselves. Or the smart ones will leave early putting you in a vulnerable position for the guy above you to todd you out.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:Game addiction by gweihir · · Score: 1

      I basically log into WoW to meet people I know there. I also have no problems finding enough time for work and other personal interests besides gaming. Yet I log into WoW almost every day. Am I doing this "addiction" thing wrong?

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    3. Re: Game addiction by sonamchauhan · · Score: 1

      Yes, you are.

    4. Re: Game addiction by gweihir · · Score: 1

      Damn, another failure. Here I though I finally managed to be in the mainstream...

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    5. Re: Game addiction by sonamchauhan · · Score: 1

      'Cause' and 'effect' are often intertwined. Weaken one (any one) and you weaken the other.

    6. Re:Game addiction by MrL0G1C · · Score: 1

      I agree it is a symptom rather than a cause. I wouldn't say I have a gaming problem but I certainly do use them as a form of escapism.

      --
      Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
    7. Re:Game addiction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I've known people who have been pretty savagely hooked on WoW or other MMOs,

      Great. To the end of the line/queue, please.

      Two children, two such problems and I myself (decades ago) would hear "there are better uses of computers than playing games" (it was Colossal Cave, BTW; you young'uns -- even your vices are easier! And out of my lawn!).

      > but I strongly suspect video game addiction isnt a disease, its a symptom of something deeper like social anxieties

      It's part of being human. Thank whoever you believe in for such people being normal. If people don't play, you'd feel like in some movie like "Body Snatchers", and were it not for those games "addicts" would possibly come to deal with real-life vices like drugs, bad company, maybe even crime.

      If I gained a cent every time someone ascribe my undesired behavior to "mental health" problems, I'd have enough for treatment... ;-)

      > But a stand-alone mental disorder? How do you even define that, whats the cut off point and why.

      Excellent question. It's like the dawning of a new day... when does the night end and the day start?

      Who, I mean, WHO is normal? I could point to some leaders who are clearly out of the curve and decide to tackle their country's problems exactly because of that (of course, some leaders in other countries are simply "stupid", no matter which game they play...)

      As "someone" who knows "someone" who really needs psychiatric attention, let me say that: in some situations, game involvement is a blessing. It's more or less like giving a dog to an autistic child -- you regret not being able to give human contact, but if s/he can relate to the animal, it may be a way out of the condition -- so we try everything.

      I'd like to add a last point, maybe it's not the game "addicts". Inside which kind of society do they grow? Are we prepared to deal with such "social" problems (because if anything, I'd label it a "social issue"). I've seen a lot of child-less grown-ups claim "fathers these days don't know how to raise their kids". The old "I can't play ball" but I can criticize players situation. What if we taught them how to play better, so that they could live better?

    8. Re:Game addiction by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      I basically log into WoW to meet people I know there. I also have no problems finding enough time for work and other personal interests besides gaming. Yet I log into WoW almost every day. Am I doing this "addiction" thing wrong?

      I guess we have to look at who is doing the complaining.

      I do some gaming in the evenings as a way of relaxing before turning in for the evening.I'm married and financially solvent. So I probably don't fit the mold.

      But this is not who is being chased. There are a lot of young men who's main interest in life is gaming. They run a spectrum from the single guy who works but focuses on gaming, to the stereotyped guy that lives in his mom's basement.

      But while it is not a mental disorder, it is a symptom of a problem. These men, many who were drugged to keep them in line as they were growing up, were never able to complete the growing up process. They have decided that gaming is just fine, and why not? They have friends online, the games they play bring them happiness, and no one is hurt..They have found a niche that allows them to physically exist in modern society.

      The downside is that they tend to have no interests in socializing or pair bonding and definitely do not want children. So they run afoul of certain groups. Some who now want to classify these males as suffering from mental illness. Which is pointless, because these guys aren't looking to be "cured". They have found something to do with themselves in a society that insists on denigrating and chasing them away.

      But this is not a mental disorder in the sense that there is something mentally wrong with the guy that can be cured through psychoanalysis or medication.

      It is a symptom of the way many of us have raised our young men in recent decades.

      Meanwhile, I'll still enjoy my gaming.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    9. Re:Game addiction by Kjella · · Score: 1

      I've known people who have been pretty savagely hooked on WoW or other MMOs, but I strongly suspect video game addiction isnt a disease, its a symptom of something deeper like social anxieties (Easier to grind dungeons than make IRL friends), poor executive cognitive function (Ie being garbage at making life priorities and staying on task) or depression.

      Well if you draw a parallel to alcoholism then escapism, depression, anxiety etc. are common causes to start drinking too much, but once you have problems to stop I'd say that's its own condition not merely a symptom.

      But a stand-alone mental disorder? How do you even define that, whats the cut off point and why. Seems spurious to me.

      Not any harder than any other addiction, looking for an exact cut-off point is like trying to find the one beer that makes you an alcoholic. The TL;DR version is "Are you throwing away your life to satisfy an addiction?"

      The question is more whether this is a unique form of addiction and has some meaningful difference in the mechanisms and treatments than other forms. A drug addiction has an obvious physical component. A gambling addiction has an economic component. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is kinda an addiction to do the same thing over and over again. I suppose the main difference with a gaming addiction is that you receive constant validation and encouragement to game more and you're rewarded for it both by the game and your gaming peers. Out there friends, family, work, school etc. is going to shit but in here you're important and successful. I think the closest parallel - and the biggest reason it probably won't become a disorder - is to joining a cult. Because doing pretty much the same to join some wacky religious fanatic is not a mental disorder...

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    10. Re:Game addiction by sg_oneill · · Score: 1

      I basically log into WoW to meet people I know there. I also have no problems finding enough time for work and other personal interests besides gaming. Yet I log into WoW almost every day. Am I doing this "addiction" thing wrong?

      Well this here kind of indicates that since its not impairing you, then probably not.

      But it also highlights one of the friction lines that philosophers have made (particularly the phenomenologists) regarding psychiatry that a lot of what are called "mental illnesses" dont seem to really have much to do with "illness" and more to do with alternative ways of cognition. Lets take someone whos mildly autistic, but none the less has a reasonable social life, love life, work life etc. What exactly is "ill" about it? Wheres the impairment? Woudlnt it just be easier to note the guys wired a bit differently. A lot of things classed as mental illnesses dont really seem to be dehabilitating things, or causing distress or harm. Largely psychiatry has taken this on board, removing homosexuality for instance off the box because theres no evidence its any more harmful than being left handed. Transgenderism is off the books too , and replaced with an alternative diagnosis that applies specifically to distress caused by it when young people realise they are transgendered and freak the fuck out because they dont want to be but cant seem to change it.

      So is someone who plays WoW every day "mentally ill"?. No, unless its causing them harm or distress. For many, its just how they live their life, and thats fine.

      --
      Excuse the Unicode crap in my posts. That's an apostrophe, and slashdot is busted.
    11. Re:Game addiction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is Alcoholism not a disorder? Mine is based on social anxiety and depression...

    12. Re:Game addiction by Boronx · · Score: 1

      The distinction between symptom and disorder is exceedingly fine. Every disorder has the potential to become a symptom if our understanding of the causes improves.

      --
      Play Command HQ online
    13. Re:Game addiction by Boronx · · Score: 1

      I think it is different than other addictions. I know many guys whose lives were in the toilet because of WoW, but just one day quit cold turkey and never looked back. I've known a few alcoholics who quit, but they needed a ton of support and still do years later.

      --
      Play Command HQ online
    14. Re: Game addiction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And in the US it acts as another back door way to deprive people of their constitutional rights. Oh? You play a lot of video games? You canâ(TM)t buy a gun because youâ(TM)re mentally ill. Now, try that with alternate sexualities, delusional beliefs (eg Trump Derangement Syndrome), or transgenderism and the left would cry foul.

    15. Re: Game addiction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So is mine. That and I have no further interest in the âoedating game,â and I have a job where I work 24 hour shifts and fly all over the country to do so. After 24 hours heading back to the hotel at 7am only to work again the following morning. Yeah, Iâ(TM)m going to game, binge watch TV, and drink.

    16. Re:Game addiction by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      The distinction between symptom and disorder is exceedingly fine. Every disorder has the potential to become a symptom if our understanding of the causes improves.

      The issue of course, is where the line lies. There are some folks who believe disorders start at a low level, like those who drink alcohol alone being an alcoholic. I almost always drink alone. But I might only have 2 mixed drinks a year. Weird definitions, and quite up to the person rendering judgement.

      Porn addiction. Is a person who uses porn as a masturbatory aid at all addicted? I think a person might be considered addicted if they end up with calluses on their peen, but what of the person who regularly uses it because no one else is interested in them? Or is it a safe outlet for men's natural inclination for multiple sexual partners? Monogamy is a matriarchal concept, and porn might be a way for some to cope with their sexual boredom or a partner who has diminished sex drive, without all of the messiness of actual affairs.

      And that gamer. Finds an outlet that he enjoys, isn't bothering people. A really good chance that he is a societal reject. But the rejection is more the problem than the gaming. Did the guy self reject form society? That would be strange. We are not going to get 100 percent participation of highly socialized people when one of the cornerstones of society is castigation and expulsion. Conform or be cast out. So the rejected person does something else. And now some people want to call him mentally ill for it. Jeebuz K Ryste!

      Way I figure, if he isn't harming others, let the poor shit alone.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    17. Re:Game addiction by sheramil · · Score: 1

      I basically log into WoW to meet people I know there.

      Isn't 37 GB kind of bloated for a chat program, nice though the graphics are?

    18. Re:Game addiction by RyoShin · · Score: 1

      its a symptom of something deeper like [...] depression.

      This is my biggest fear about the classification.

      I have severe depression, going on 10 years now. I've resigned myself to the idea that it will never be cured, at best I can block it for short time periods. Over time all of my hobbies, pleasures, and interests dulled and disappeared; the only one that hung around with any sort of gravitas was playing video games (and even is more of a simple distraction than a pleasure.) Video games also make for good escapism, a way to keep my head from being crowded by dark thoughts. As such, I play video games a lot. I wouldn't meet the specific definition that the UN is proposing, but if I wasn't already open about my depression and already a small amount of help any lay onlooker might assume that I had that "video game addiction" they just heard the nice lady on the evening news mention.

      The actual issue of depression would go overlooked, or ignored because America hates dealing with mental afflictions. A proper doctor would (hopefully) realize it for what it actually is, but likely not until after the "addict's" life has been upturned because someone thought they were being helpful.

  2. Escape by rtb61 · · Score: 1

    It should more accurately be called escape disorder syndrome. Where the individuals find so much difficulty in interacting with often delusional and disorderly beliefs within society, that they prefer to escape to comic books, paper bank novels, binge watching TV series, surfing the internet and computer games, no necessarily exclusively but often a combination.

    That there are individuals, especially minors that want to lose themselves in video games, the video game is not the driver, what they are trying to escape from is and the video game is just the means of escape. You need to solve the reason for the escape. A lot of it can be tied down to the disruptive nature of capitalistic society, where they know, factually that their life is worth less than other people's wealth and that their life is forfeit when it comes to preserving the wealth of others. That is a pretty solid reason for escape, you are not paranoid about people being out to get you, when there are people out to get you ie the 1% vs the 99%, the 1% will kill as many of the 99% as they can get away with, to feed greed and ego.

    Capitalist society will kill and consume you to feed it's greed, now who sanely does not want to escape that, well of course the psychopaths don't but I did say sanely.

    --
    Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    1. Re:Escape by LKM · · Score: 1

      It should more accurately be called escape disorder syndrome

      That's not why people are addicted to games like WoW, though. These games use psychological tricks (e.g. specifically tuned loot drop algorithms, systems that bring people back to the game through social pressure from peers they play with) to create something that's very close to, if not actual addiction. That's entirely different from somebody who just likes to play Uncharted to feel like a powerful badass.

    2. Re:Escape by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      And there is nothing peculiarly American or peculiarly modern about it. There have always been obsessions and escapes, and they exist everywhere. If you think that getting away from the mechanized complexity of an industrial society will insulate you from the problem, just try keeping New Zealanders away from their rugby.

    3. Re: Escape by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bullshit.

      A game being rewarding or engaging isn't the sign of a mental disorder, doesn't create mental disorder, and certainly isn't malicious like you try to insinuate.

      If eating chocolate wasn't rewarding, your fat fucking disgusting girlfriend would pig out on potato chips, or fried chicken. It isn't a problem with the food... It's her.

    4. Re:Escape by Rockoon · · Score: 1

      I think the point is that its easier than ever to find an escape. For one person its WoW, but for another its GTA Online. More than a few people at work spend their breaks dragging imaginary fruit around trying to make 4 or in row's or something.

      Any propensity the population had to "escapism" is being maximized.

      The debate is if "something should be done" about it, and I say screw that. Presuming an eventual post-scarcity society at some point, escapism is all there will be. Stop pestering people.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
    5. Re: Escape by Boronx · · Score: 1

      These games are designed by psychologists to trap addicts. It certainly is malicious. The timing and visual display of rewards is all calculated to take maximum advantage of inherent human weaknesses.

      --
      Play Command HQ online
    6. Re: Escape by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cadinos and slot machines are also rewarding, so no problem either.

      There is a reason why gambling can become an addiction. The psychological foundations, and design process, are the same for some games.

    7. Re:Escape by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      Your post started well, then degenerated in a criticism of capitalism.
      Today's society certainly has its flaws, but putting capitalism as the main reason behind escapism is a bit too much.
      It capitalism really is the cause for escapism, then that would be a success rather than a flaw. The reason: it is now possible to live in fantasy-land and survive. Put all these game addicts in a situation where they need to go out in order to survive, and 99% of them will go out, survival instinct is strong.
      There are always people dissatisfied with their society, and often with good reasons, the 1% in capitalism is like nobles in monarchy, or the party members in communism. Nothing new here.

    8. Re:Escape by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agree. People like the OP seem to believe that capitalism is responsible for greed, and further that people in socialistic societies are less greedy. Both beliefs are false. Further, history has shown the violent horrors that socialism can lead to, so it is no utopia.

      It stands to reason that the poor class, in a capitalistic society, will naturally gravitate towards any social change that involves making rich people give them stuff for free. Obviously, they don't have much and their tendency to remain in the poor class demonstrates their inability (or unwillingness) to get what they want. So, they feel like earning is a dead end, and they see rich people and all the stuff rich people have, and they see no means of getting it apart from force (political, in this case). Everything after that is just rationalization.

      About gaming addiction....

      I will point out that games like World of Warcraft provide not only a form of entertainment that provides direct and incremental rewards and progress towards a goal, but it also provides a social community of people to talk to and work together with towards common goals. These are basic human psychological needs, and also methods used to help combat depression. It is no wonder the games are popular; especially among people who are not getting those needs met by other means.

    9. Re:Escape by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      NO, we are better meant to plan things. Wont healthy happier societies, then you have to create the social infrastructure to support it. Much like drug addiction, it has been proven, provide healthy more stable social environments where the addict is more content and that social environment eliminates the need for self medication ie escape with drugs.

      Same for the gaming addiction, reduce the social pressures and create more psychologically healthy social environments and you will eliminate the need for escape. So gaming addiction is not the disease, it is purely the symptom, just like drug addiction, the disease is the malfunctions in society caused by the mass negative impact of the parasitical nature of psychopaths, genetically damaged individuals parasitically feeding on the rest of society to it's destruction, to feed the destructive ego and lusts of those psychopaths. Their actions and influence are the disease, their cerebral genetic condition the cause.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    10. Re: Escape by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surely those games will credit a psychologist in the credits then... i'll wait.

    11. Re:Escape by parkinglot777 · · Score: 1

      It should more accurately be called escape disorder syndrome. Where the individuals find so much difficulty in interacting with often delusional and disorderly beliefs within society, that they prefer to escape to comic books, paper bank novels, binge watching TV series, surfing the internet and computer games, no necessarily exclusively but often a combination.

      I disagree that it is a syndrome. I believe it is a kind of addiction that happens in different level to different people. Some could be addicted to gaming far worse than others. I have experienced myself including my older brother. However, I grew out of it. And back then when I was addicted to gaming, there was no MMORPG for us but only Arcade/Atari/Nintendo, and Internet was not available to most people/countries back then (early to mid 80s).

      It is an urge to make you drop your responsibilities just to be near by any kind of games. It doesn't matter whether you just watch someone else playing or you play it yourself. I have better self control, so I barely passed high school and grew out of it once I went to college. My brother, on the other hand, dropped out of high school twice (my father pushed/forced him back to school a year later after he dropped out the first time) and still has the urge to go back to the same behavior whenever he could.

      From my experience, it is NOT A DISORDER but a kind of addiction. The social thing comes later because new kinds of games emerged. However, it is still based on addiction to gaming. I don't believe that it should be a disorder but rather a personal issue.

  3. I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They're saying that people people who have problems with computer games have other underlying problems, as if that somehow means that game addiction isn't real. But here's the thing: *all* addicts have other underlying problems. It's a feature of the psychology of addiction. Whether it's alcohol, drugs, porn, or games, people with addiction are escaping from life. There's a vicious circle because avoidance makes the problems worse, and the addictive habit also becomes stronger. I

      used to game for 16 hours a day. I couldn't stop it. I had work to do, and I would PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE myself to get started on it. But like an impulsive twitch, in seconds I would be back in the game. I felt and utter sickness and dread, but that prompted me to dive deeper into the game, so that I could escape my fear and unhappiness.

    If you don't think this is addiction, you don't know what you're talking about.

    1. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Addiction to gaming or addiction to being lazy and irresponsible?

      Don't encourage this flakey classification because you're addicted to bullshitting yourself about your laziness.

    2. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The game wasn't the problem, bud, and you admit as much right up until your cop-out.

      Addicts and politicians like to blame the device instead of the user, one because of ego and the other because of control.

    3. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your lack of empathy suggests a different kind of mental disorder, one far more dangerous and prevalent in society.

    4. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by dak999 · · Score: 1

      I was addicted to computer games and I quit playing them for 5 years. But I needed help to be able to do that. I couldn't do it on my own.

    5. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I had a problem and I dealt with it. But I had to admit that there was a problem. And drenching myself with shame, as you are trying to do, was not the solution, it was a part of the problem. I wanted to quit, but I couldn't, at least not until I stopped attacking myself and I looked for help.

    6. Re: I am a Computer Game Addict, No Doubt by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd say playing videogames often requires such effort and concentration that it is the opposite of being lazy.

      To be lazy, you just stay laying on the couch doing nothing.

  4. 503, yeah, you've seen them before, A LOT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    so what's new with that?

    My fav forum is this

    http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/

    That place was down for over a week, maybe closer to two. It was hopping and a bopping during days (1000+ active users the norm), and even busy-ish nights. FOr the first week it was showing only a 403. Hm. Eventually, it gave a message about the owners,

    Penton Business Media, Inc

    doing "maintanence" on their sites. This company holds a lot of big-name media places, which surprised me considering the HVAC forum is run by a guy named "Dad".

    Long story ending, the HVAC site LOST 7 months of posts, which "Dad" said was because of a hard disk failing. One guy complain he lost 8000 post (i.e., an HVAC tech wrote 8000 replies to questions, now forever lost).

    I don't believe for a second this was any sort of maintanenace, first of all (Penton's claim, for ALL its sites during this period), nor that an HD death caused a super-busy site to forever lose 7 months of its history.

    I think it was a ransom-ware attack.

    Not that that has anything to do with this place, and its seems-like-forever-ongoing 503s.

    1. Re:503, yeah, you've seen them before, A LOT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nobody cares, APK

    2. Re:503, yeah, you've seen them before, A LOT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And yet you read and replied. Thanks broh!

  5. Gambling, not Games by LKM · · Score: 1

    Meanwhile, videogame publishers are filling their games with gambling mechanics, eventually validating WHO's classification. Good job, guys. Good job.

    1. Re:Gambling, not Games by Entrope · · Score: 1

      That's kind of a dumb argument. "These things are using classic addiction mechanisms to encourage users become habitual users. We need a new name for this!"

    2. Re:Gambling, not Games by Ranbot · · Score: 1

      Meanwhile, videogame publishers are filling their games with gambling mechanics, eventually validating WHO's classification.

      Good job, guys. Good job.

      I'd argue that many of the most popular games have an element of chance/gambling in the mechanics [long before the obvious random loot boxes people argue about today]. Many many great or popular games have an element of chance built into them, and much of the player skill involves strategies to exert some control, predict, or adapt to the chance elements of the game, just like a professional gambler would do. For example, many FPS games, like Counter-strike, have randomized elements and while good players have some legit "hard" skills (e.g. hand-eye coordination, speed, knowledge of levels, etc.) they also develop strategies/habits that decrease the random elements, like they burst fire to lower the weapon's cone of fire, how they move around the level, positioning, etc. Almost every MMO has some form of rare item drop mechanic, or "critical hit" mechanic. All iterations of the popular Super Mario Kart franchise randomize the items racers receive. Go back before video games, and table top D&D is at its core dice gambling, as are board games like Risk, Parcheesi, Sorry, etc. I don't think those recurring chance mechanics in games are purely accidental... there's something about it that appeals to people. So, if gambling fills a need for some people, it's should be no surprise that many video games can fill a similar need.

  6. There's a spectrum of computer related disorders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Social media disorder, gaming disorder, internet disorder, Slashdot disorder. I was literally trolling Slashdot in my dreams when I had withdraw symptoms from the outage.

  7. Gambling is a recognized addiction... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gaming should be a recognized addiction, too.

    There absolutely is enough evidence to classify Gaming as an Impulse Control Disorder, just like compulsive gambling. It was already 11 years ago when I realised I had a serious problem and read the literature. I went to Gamblers Anonymous because there was no Gamers Anonymous. I felt such identification with the people there. They were going through much the same thing as I was going through.

    The idea that we should delay in classifying this as an ICD is utter bullsh*t. It's a sad thing that video game manufacturers are acting like tobacco companies 30 years ago. Meanwhile, people are stuck and suffering. Many want to quit, but they need help and support.

    I

  8. Gaming disorder by gweihir · · Score: 1

    That is when you suck at gaming, right? Anything else would not make much sense, because otherwise a lot of the human race would have a "TV disorder".

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    1. Re:Gaming disorder by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      That is when you suck at gaming, right? Anything else would not make much sense, because otherwise a lot of the human race would have a "TV disorder".

      I ain't the brightest LED in the room, but even I know insightful when I see it.

      Its time, and what we do with ours

      Some people watch a hellava lot of Television. AHA! Television addiction. I spend many hours a day in front of a computer, some work, some play - Oh noes, computer addiction. I like to ride my motorcycle - a lot. I'm nearing 100K miles on my Shadow Spirit 1000 - Damn motorcycling addicts anyhow!

      And yeah, there's time for video games, so I guess I'm an unholy mess of a multi level addict.

      Damn people enjoying what they are doing anyhow!

      My question to those who want to classify gaming as mental illness is how would you "cure" the illness, and what do you want the "cured" gamer to do with his time? This would give greaat insight to just who is having problems with gamers.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  9. Re:There's a spectrum of computer related disorder by gweihir · · Score: 1

    I forgot it was unusable and was surprised again every time. This must either mean I do not have that addiction or I have a memory disorder in addition.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  10. Anyone ever look at the JS loaded on this site? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe slashdot was DDOS'd because of all the fucking trackers they load on every page

    This is worse than Beta

    1. Re:Anyone ever look at the JS loaded on this site? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I tried loading the site without an ad blocker once. Couldn't. It crashed the VM entirely. I was giving it 4GB RAM too. Tried again with Chrome (was using firefox), same result, actually crashed even harder.

  11. Where's your Ferrari? by bronney · · Score: 1

    This reminds me of a joke I read last year on facebook about smoking and its associated costs.

    GF: You know if you've never smoked in that 15 years you would have enough money to buy a Ferrari?
    BF: Do you smoke?
    GF: No!
    BF: Where's your Ferrari?

    I spent way more time than I should on playing games. I know it. But I can't help but wonder what kind of life I would have achieved if I never gamed. Probably the exact same life because I know more people who don't game and just as mediocre as me. We just have different "addictions".

    1. Re: Where's your Ferrari? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So you're suggesting because you made poor choices in the time management area of your life that we should classify your hobby as a disease?

    2. Re:Where's your Ferrari? by zifn4b · · Score: 1

      But I can't help but wonder what kind of life I would have achieved if I never gamed

      Don't worry about it. It doesn't matter unless you personally think it matters. Eventually the sun will go supernova and after that there will be the eventual heat death of the universe. No matter how you slice it, the human race and all its achievements will cease to be. So if you think it matters what your contribution to society is, don't sweat it. Just do you. There is no evidence for God. No evidence of an afterlife much less a hell. There won't be anyone to judge you because you played too many video games. Don't sweat it unless you personally want to.

      --
      We'll make great pets
    3. Re:Where's your Ferrari? by PPH · · Score: 1

      I don't smoke and all I've got to show for it is a stinkin' Porsche!

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  12. Terrorist Gamer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Some categories of gamers start behaving like terrorists. Not killing virtual pixels or sprites, characters but actually real peoples.

    1. Re: Terrorist Gamer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah. They become drone pilots for the CIA.

  13. Addiction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Addiction is a singular disease, regardless of the pathology. Addiction is a disability of willpower that ordinary healthy people possess. Like phobias, it is often curable. Anything else you might hear about addiction is complete bullshit.

  14. it is basically a disorder or some sort by FudRucker · · Score: 1

    they are the same kind of people that could/would be addicted to gambling, or spending all day everyday at the beach neglecting everything else in thier life, or all their time on craigslist or facebook, collecting pets, or toys of a certain genra or collecting clothes/shoes,or if they had a smartphone gaming addiction to angry birds or candy crush, its not the game, its the behavior they have become severely infatuated with something and cant let it go, isnt that obsessive/compulsive disorder?

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
    1. Re:it is basically a disorder or some sort by zifn4b · · Score: 1

      You forgot (drumroll) addicted to Slashdot. ;)

      --
      We'll make great pets
    2. Re:it is basically a disorder or some sort by PPH · · Score: 1

      You can't even imagine whet the last couple of days suffering withdrawal symptoms was like.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  15. Prescription by MiliusXP · · Score: 2

    You play too much video game.. here your prozac...

    1. Re:Prescription by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      You play too much video game.. here your prozac...

      Both funny and insightful.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    2. Re:Prescription by zifn4b · · Score: 1

      You play too much video game.. here your prozac...

      Big pharma... CHA-CHING!

      --
      We'll make great pets
  16. Ah misdirection... by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    The important thing is we're talking about this and not pesky gun control laws that might introduce waiting periods into gun buying.

    A friend of a friend walked into a gun shop the other day to buy a pistol for target shooting and defense. Walked out with a $500 "assault" rifle and a bunch of ammo and accessories. If he had 7 days to contemplate that purchase he'd have cancelled the order. That's what the gun debate's about in nut shell.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:Ah misdirection... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Walked out with a $500 "assault" rifle and a bunch of ammo and accessories. If he had 7 days to contemplate that purchase he'd have cancelled the order.

      Or maybe he would have been counting the days until he could get his hands on his purchase, much like anyone waiting on the delivery man.....

      What you just described is not a problem limited to guns, it's a problem with everyone being inducted into irresponsible impulsive purchases and consumerism at a young age. It's also not the cause of the mass shootings either. That's a severe mental health issue that society also loves to ignore and place blame on the "poor gun control laws". Despite the fact that if the would be shooter is picking up a gun, and therefore your "improved gun control laws" would finaly have a chance to act, society has already failed, because the would be shooter has already justified killing innocent people.

      Of course all of that is just another symptom of the real issue: We as a society are utterly unwilling to address our issues, and perfer to implement quick legislative "fixes" that do nothing to address the issue, just so we can say we did something and continue to ignore it.

      misdirection indeed.

  17. ITT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    people who don't know the definition of a disease. Have you ever heard of "heart disease?" There's no such thing.

  18. Alphabet Soup by JimSadler · · Score: 1

    We now have so many disorders that any three letters floating up in your alphabet soup are likely to represent some disorder. Perhaps it is time to simply classify problems that are obsessive behaviors as simply mental illness. It doesn't matter if its duck hunting or sticking heroin in your veins, if you are doing things that are against your best interests you have a problem. Problems tend to cascade into larger problems. If a person is absurdly attracted to video games you can bet that things like social interaction are effected and as the person becomes more and more isolated becomes some kind of social menace. Values and function tend to be locked together thus we see young people obsessed with cars getting a hold of way too fast cars and causing wrecks that effect many others. Questioning the value system of a young male who is car crazy is not likely to reset the values that cause the behavior. What we consider as normal is often an indication of lousy mental health. That means that since most people have such issues that society as a whole is a bit of its nut.

    1. Re:Alphabet Soup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... If a person is absurdly attracted to video games you can bet that things like social interaction are effected ...

      That's why I only play single player games. I don't want my menacing affected by the icky social interactions effected by multiplayer games.

  19. Includes This Symptom. by Templer421 · · Score: 1

    SWATing other players and getting people killed....over a damn game.

    1. Re:Includes This Symptom. by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      SWATing other players and getting people killed....over a damn game.

      I was playing Armored Warfare yesterday and some guy was cussing out some kid for running into him so I said some little thing to him and the guy went off. So I called him "son" because he was acting like a child and he says "I was born in 66". Holy fucking shit, dude. Over fifty years old and still cussing people out in video games. I just wanted him to hush because the messages are distracting :/

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  20. judi online by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]7Asiabet[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]Agen Bola[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]Judi Bola[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]Judi Online[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]sbobet[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]7asiabet[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]7asiabet.com[/url]
    [url=http://7asiabet.com/]asiabet7[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Togel Online[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Togel Singapura[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Togel Hongkong[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Judi Online[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Agen Bola[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Sbobet[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Judi Bola[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Goal4d[/url]
    [url=http://goal4d.com/]Goal4d.com[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Judi Bola[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Casino Online[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Judi Online[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Agen Bola[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Agen Sbobet[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]flashbet338.com[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Maxbet338[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Maxbet[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Ibcbet[/url]
    [url=http://flashbet338.com/]Maxbet338.com[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Cerita Dewasa[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Cerita Sex[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Cerita Hot[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Cerita Porno[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Film Semi[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Video Hot[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Video Mesum[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Majalah 18+[/url]
    [url=http://model18plus.com/]Video Porno[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]Prediksi togel[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi hongkong[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi singapura[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]berita bola[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi parlay[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi bola[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi hk[/url]
    [url=http://dutaprediksi.com/]prediksi sgp[/url]