Gaming Addiction and "Pro" Players

[stonewall337]

I've always contested the term "gaming addiction". I contest there being such a condition in the way that the word is often used. I think obsessed would be a much better term. But for the sake of this post, gaming addiction simply means an unwillingness to quit. (Inability to quit is another discussion).

 

This is from an article on CNN about ProGamer MarineKingPrime, of SCII fame. It is, however, applicable to all games with some competitive nature to them.

 

But there's one difference, he said. Pro gamers usually aren't addicts.

Addicts can't succeed on a higher competitive level, he said. The game takes complete control.

Pros, however, find a magical balance. They're obsessed with the game, maybe, but their playing of it isn't depressive, meandering and hopeless. They're chasing after a goal.

http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2012/08/tech/gaming.series/korea.html?hpt=hp_c1

 

We've had this discussion before, about time/money spent on a game. But I thought this take on gaming obsession/addiction and the pro/high end scene was very very interesting.

[pulli23]

I love how you contest something that is "proven" in various studies. It is like christians contesting evolution & the big bang, utterly ridiculous.

 

Anyway the reason why it gains so (too?) much attention nowadays, is because it is a growing & hardly visible addiction. An addiction that is little known about & very hard to solve. Only real way is to remove someone from internet/gaming completely for several years, but that is not possible in the current social circumstances. The addiction is similar to gambling addiction (actually one can argue it is equal), when you "gain" something your body releases several substances. These give a feeling of pleasure & satisfaction. However when you are addicted, you can't live without those, and you aim constantly to gain those substances.

 

Being a professional has little importance in this: professional gaming is so far & few inbetween, and they have no social influence as such small group that talking about them is in combination with addiction is pointless. Addiction is a serious problem, growing with the growth in those games that actually AIM to give this sense of feeling (most small games actively persuade & strengthen the addiction by giving constantly a small amount of satisfaction, immediately followed by a promise for more). That is a problem: where gambling can be regulated & people can be simply not allowed access; it is not possible for gaming addiction with internet being so prominent. Remember an addiction is a problem because the addicted can't get away from it by himself - he has to be forced by the outside to do.

 

It's also stupid to say that addicted people are "depressive" like many people are addicted to smoking, it simply means you can't go on without gaining something in a game.

[Makoto_the_Phoenix]

Professional gamers in the SC2 ring are often paid salaries and given prize money to continue playing competitively. Some don't view that as an addiction, but more of a job.

 

I don't see how progaming and game addition relate to one another. One can lead to a healthy social life, habits, and prosperity; the other...won't, necessarily.

[Poppe]

Sorry there is no tl;lr, if a few paragraphs are too much then feel free skipping this post ;)

 

 

 

I love how you contest something that is "proven" in various studies. It is like christians contesting evolution & the big bang, utterly ridiculous.

 

To be fair, there is nothing solidly proven about gaming addition. At this current time it is not recognized by the American Medical Association or International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). I believe the main cause for it not getting the classification was the withdraw symptoms not having any real physical side effects. Basically none of us will break out in cold sweats and shake for days if we don't play Runescape like say a cocaine addict might. I've read some fairly good published articles on it out of curiosity over the years and besides that this is not at all my field of study, nor my area at all.

 

One more point that is worth throwing out there is the nature of science. Nothing in science is ever proven, it is just accepted. It is a fun lecture I've seen given to freshmen a few times about the scientific method, that goes on to say your Doctor isn't working on facts, he is working on accepted theories. Science is made like this so when new research is done, published, and accepted by peers that it can fold into science and possibly replace other research. Now evolution and the big bang theories are well accepted, but the nature of science is not to be concrete, but allowed to change as evidence is found.

 

---

 

Now that aside I will contradict myself. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) about a year ago (August 15, 2011) actually changed there definition of addiction from a behavioral problem involving substances to a chronic brain disorder¹. This begins to open the door for more conventional addictions to be added, such as gaming addition. Science can be slow to move at times because there is a pressure to get things right. It gives a bad image to the public for any science to accept something, and then reject it. So there is overwhelming need to be confident on a decision. Personally, I've seen people publish data and conclusions in scientific journals and then later have to make an amend to the article because they got something wrong. To do this you basically have to republish a sort of response to your original article and in many regards publicly confess you are wrong. As some may know, scientists of all flavors are typically proud people, so doing this hurts.

 

These factors are why I believe internet gaming addiction is not officially recognized, yet. There are quite a few articles out there that at the very least show that complex games can show behavioral changes. An article published by the University of Gothenburg suggests that complex games that involve violence can lead to more aggressive behavior in the people playing them². There research goes on to say basically knowledge learned in the game, about the game can be transferred to real life. Such as playing a modern warfare game and learning how to cut someone... well that knowledge carries with you. The University of Michigan also found the opposite is true, that some games can also make children nicer³ .

 

So if there is evidence that video games can actually cause behavioral changes then I think video gaming, in general, is on its way to be recognized at the very least as something that can have an effect on ones behavior. These two previous studies I mentioned focused mainly on teenagers and even younger kids which I suppose are more impressionable. But there are even studies published that say adults that actively game can show behavioral changes. Brigham Young University published an article saying Online Role-Playing games can actually hurt marital satisfaction⁴. So if playing Runescape can make someones sex life decline in satisfaction then I think we can agree there are some problems :P.

 

But, turning back more to the article in the opening post: I'm not a fan of news articles mainly because they are written and published by journalists, not scientists. So the article touches more with someones story then anything medical. I do believe all of us that have played Runescape can tell apart those who play for levels, milestones, or certain achievements and those that play for the sake of playing. I won't lie I have a few friends who log onto Runescape and just bank stand because they have nothing better to do. Personally I don't understand it, but I see those that fit some evidence of addiction. Some others log in because they want to get a 99 or maybe get a pernix body split. They log in and do something and works towards a goal. Now I'm not sure there is a difference between the two, but for me I'd be more concern about those that log in and do nothing just because they want to be in Runescape and they are shifting more into "the dark side of gaming".

 

StarCraft is a bit of a different game then Runescape in a lot of regards. It is a strategy game, which leads to actually competitions people can watch and enjoy. Runescape doesn't really have that since there are many different competitions to be played in Runescape and many people only like a few certain areas. There is even two totally different communities geared to two different warring styles. So with that sadly I've never heard of anyone in Runescape getting a sponsorship (I don't count anything involving youtube). So I guess with that we are all amateurs (the word means unpaid, and not so much inexperienced). But does that mean we all are just addicts :P?

 

 

 

Sources, incase anyone wishes to know (sorry tip.it doesn't get a formal citation list, but these are in some basic apa form)

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¹ American Society of Addiction Medicine (2011, August 15). New definition of addiction: Addiction is a chronic brain disease, not just bad behavior or bad choices. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 5, 2012, from http://www.scienceda...10815095013.htm

 

² Ulrika Bennerstedt, Jonas Ivarsson, Jonas Linderoth. How gamers manage aggression: Situating skills in collaborative computer games. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 2011; 7

 

³ University of Michigan (2009, June 18). Some Video Games Can Make Children Kinder And More Likely To Help.

 

⁴ Michelle Ahlstrom, Neil R. Lundberg, Ramon Zabriskie, Dennis Eggett, Gordon B. Lindsay. Me, My Spouse, and My Avatar: The Relationship between Marital Satisfaction and Playing Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). Journal of Leisure Research, 201

[T. Skill]

If I was making 150-200k annually for playing a video game, you can bet your ass I'd be "addicted" too.

[pulli23]

Mod Edit: Please remember to stay on topic, thank you!

 

Many, many studies show it is exactly the same as gambling, there doesn't need to be a different thing for it. It is the same substance that releases: the feeling of joy & accomplishment.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Kimberly
Removed off topic paragraph.

[Golvellius]

Don't worry, North Korea is going to invade them sooner or later.

At that point, there won't be any power or internet for them to do gaming.

Addiction solved.

[Fallstar]

Depends. The term addiction usually carries negative connotations. If someone is enjoying themselves however, and the 'addiction' doesn't have a negative impact on their lives, what's the problem.

 

That's how video game addiction differs from more classical addictions. Someone who smokes cannabis for a couple of years is at a higher risk of mental illness afterwards than someone who doesn't. Someone who plays a video game too much doesn't do significant physical or mental harm to themselves however. They might coincidentally have a poor diet or not excercise much, but that's a lifestyle problem, not the fault of the game.

 

These people who do suffer because of poor lifestyles, that are also gamers, would probably have found something else to occupt their time whilst having a poor lifestyle. Being too lazy to exercise or eat properly isn't caused by video games.

[Jonanananas]

Well the big problem that I see with gaming addiction is not an unhealthy lifestyle but a lacking social life. And while surely computers aren't the cause of that, they can make it a lot easier.