Video Game Addiction: A Medical Disorder?

American Medical Association Seeks To Have Obsessive Game Playing Declared A Psychiatric Disorder

(CBS/AP)  Phil Anton, age 17, loves video games, but he has never let them get in the way of school or sports. Still, there is growing concern that not everyone knows when to stop, reports CBS News technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg.

The telltale signs are ominous: teens holing up in their rooms, ignoring friends, family, even food and a shower, while their grades plummet and belligerence soars.

The culprit isn't alcohol or drugs. It's video games, which for certain kids can be as powerfully addictive as heroin, some doctors contend.

A leading council of the nation's largest doctors' group wants to have this behavior officially classified as a psychiatric disorder, to raise awareness and enable sufferers to get insurance coverage for treatment.

In a report prepared for the American Medical Association's annual policy meeting starting Saturday in Chicago, the council asks the group to lobby for the disorder to be included in a widely used mental illness manual created and published by the American Psychiatric Association. AMA delegates could vote on the proposal as early as Monday.

It likely won't happen without heated debate. Makers of video games scoff at the notion that their products can cause a psychiatric disorder. Even some mental health experts say labeling the habit a formal addiction is going too far.

This weekend, the AMA will debate the report, which warns in particular about online games involving role-playing and never-ending quests — games like World of Warcraft, Everquest, or Final Fantasy, Sieberg reports.

Dr. James Scully, the psychiatric association's medical director, said the group will seriously consider the AMA report in the long process of revising the diagnostic manual. The current manual was published in 1994; the next edition is to be completed in 2012.

Up to 90 percent of American youngsters play video games and as many as 15 percent of them — more than 5 million kids — may be addicted, according to data cited in the AMA council's report.

Joyce Protopapas of Frisco, Texas, said her 17-year-old son, Michael, was a video addict. Over nearly two years, video and Internet games transformed him from an outgoing, academically gifted teen into a reclusive manipulator who flunked two 10th-grade classes and spent several hours day and night playing World of Warcraft.

"My father was an alcoholic ... and I saw exactly the same thing" in Michael, Protopapas said. "We battled him until October of last year. We went to therapists, we tried taking the game away.

"He would threaten us physically. He would curse and call us every name imaginable," she said. "It was as if he was possessed."

When she suggested to therapists that Michael had a video game addiction, "nobody was familiar with it," she said. "They all pooh-poohed it."

Last fall, the family found a therapist who "told us he was addicted, period." They sent Michael to a therapeutic boarding school, where he has spent the past six months — at a cost of $5,000 monthly that insurance won't cover, his mother said.

A support group called On-Line Gamers Anonymous has numerous postings on its Web site from gamers seeking help. Liz Woolley, of Harrisburg, Pa., created the site after her 21-year-old son fatally shot himself in 2001 while playing an online game she says destroyed his life.

In a February posting, a 13-year-old identified only as Ian told of playing video games for nearly 12 hours straight, said he felt suicidal and wondered if he was addicted.

"I think i need help," the boy said.

Postings also come from adults, mostly men, who say video game addiction cost them jobs, family lives and self-esteem.

According to the report prepared by the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health, based on a review of scientific literature, “dependence-like behaviors are more likely in children who start playing video games at younger ages.”

Overuse most often occurs with online role-playing games involving multiple players, the report says. Blizzard Entertainment's teen-rated, monster-killing World of Warcraft is among the most popular. A company spokesman declined to comment on whether the games can cause addiction.

A woman in the New Haven, Conn., area who bought the game for her 15-year-old son last year, says he got hooked on it.

"Now that I look back on it, it's like I went out and bought him his first Jack Daniels," said the 49-year-old woman who didn't want her name used to spare her son from ridicule.

Dr. Martin Wasserman, a pediatrician who heads the Maryland State Medical Society, said the AMA proposal will help raise awareness and called it "the right thing to do."

But Michael Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Association, said the trade group sides with psychiatrists "who agree that this so-called 'video-game addiction' is not a mental disorder."

"The American Medical Association is making premature conclusions without the benefit of complete and thorough data," Gallagher said.

Dr. Karen Pierce, a psychiatrist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said she sees at least two children a week who play video games excessively.

"I saw somebody this week who hasn't been to bed, hasn't showered ... because of video games," she said. “He is really a mess.”

She said she treats it like any addiction and creating a separate diagnosis is unnecessary.

Dr. Michael Brody, head of a TV and media committee at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, agreed. He praised the AMA council for bringing attention to the problem, but said excessive video-game playing could be a symptom for other things, such as depression or social anxieties that already have their own diagnoses.

"You could make lots of behavioral things into addictions. Why stop at video gaming?" Brody asked. Why not BlackBerrys, cell phones or other irritating habits, he said.

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For much more on video game addiction, from the National Institute on Media and the Family, click here.

[inconsiistant]

This should most definitely and wholly be considered a medical disorder. I myself had this disorder a few years ago, and thankfully, I managed to pull myself out. The game I played was neopets. It was addicting. For a time, I was closer to my "neofriends" than my real-life friends. I made excuses to go on the site when I should`ve been doing my homework. On an average week day, I would spend 5 to 7 hours playing on the site. I /really/ wish I hadn`t. So much of my life was wasted on earning points to buy little, meaningless pixels. I urge this disorder to be made final, so help can be made to the people who need it. I know I would`ve liked a little help back that, if unwittingly.

[michellem99-2009]

I have LEGO bricks. In the 70s they had them hand held games.I had the Mattle baseball one that I played. In the 80s a simon but its sounds couldn't be turned off so it was not played. I hated them games that were all over the place and it was unbearable to do the wash,eat with all that racket going on in the background. I think they were 25 cents to play. We stayed home to be free of them. They are gone. But now they are on the computer. But my dreams were always to have what was denied me. I have no idea what it is like for you that have full sight can do as you are ablebodied. You can explain it but it is meaningless to me as I can't relate to it. I am legally blind and multi disabled. So how does a visually impaired play the games.Computer vs me. I am 52. I think road rage should be a medical sisorder.

[charrick1]

Wow... Anyone familiar with what a "loaded question" is should be ashamed of CBS News, and those who don't should learn.

At the end of the video, for instance:

CBS: "How scary was it for you...?"
Guy: "Pretty scary."
CBS: "Terrifying!"
Guy: "Yeah."

Or something like that. For shame.

[charrick1]

Wow... Anyone familiar with what a "loaded question" is should be ashamed of CBS News, and those who don't should learn.

At the end of the video, for instance:

CBS: "How scary was it for you...?"
Guy: "Pretty scary."
CBS: "Terrifying!"
Guy: "Yeah."

Or something like that. For shame.

[michellem99-2009]

No.GrmmaWhamma, I have never heard of the games said in the story and never played them. Dell games there is a demo ver of Fate that I play. I have the full ver of Fate as well. I love the mazes plus it is harder for a visually inpaired person to play .I like the one person play.

[klingon69]

Fun is addictive. we should ban fun. Drugs are fun at least at first. Street racing is fun until the police smash your car. Gambling is fun if your lucky. Video games are fun. My personal addiction is LEGO.
Posted by cbscrash07 at 01:25 PM : Jun 22, 2007
Lincoln logs...they are the best.
Used to use legos when smoking some good hemp. Lotsa fun trying to build something when wasted.

Many people, including children, play the games to avoid life and it's challenges. Depression is a real motivator behind addiction to diversionary activities such as these time-consuming, thoughtless games.
In the video game world, the weak, fat, nerdy, physically challenged, ugly, plain...etc can become an Adonis or Aphrodite. It plays upon peoples conception of theirselves.

[klingon69]

THIS IS NOT A MENTAL DISORDER. Those of us that play the game do so because WE CHOOSE to play it. If the kid stops doing his homework due to something more entertaining then that is his problem. Maybe he needs more consequenses and threats brought upon him.
Posted by itwasntme000 at 09:12 AM : Jun 22, 2007
Unfortunately, threats lose their punch if the person wants to play.
Back in the late 70's early 80's, I played alot of Dungeons & Dragons. At that time the churches, doctors, parents...etc were calling it an addiction, devil worship, ...etc. The fact is, ANY addiction can be defeated. All you have to do is WANT to quit.

[ksltcjohnson]

Video games are big business with alot of money involved and I do believe that the makers of these games do whatever they can to get people hooked on them to keep the dollars coming in, just like cigarette companies used to do and still do to a lesser degree. They don't care about the problems, they want as much money as they can get. I am usually against government regulation, but I can see the time when some kind of regulation will be needed for online games and I will welcome and encourage it.

[ksltcjohnson]

In the past I have generally scoffed at classifying all sorts of problems as medical addictions, but I have to agree with this one. Not everyone that plays will get addicted to an online video game, but some will, and do. I have three sons who all play World of Warcraft to varying degrees. One plays somewhat moderately, another plays somewhat moderately, but has substituted it for much of his social life, the third appears to exhibit all the symptoms of being addicted to it. He no longer socilaizes with any of his old friends or has any interest in doing anything other than playing this video game. It's all he wants to do. When we try to restrict his playing, he becomes verbally abusive to the point of seeming like he is possesed. He also becomes violent and breaks things. The year prior to playing, he was on the honor role at school, then when he starting playing alot, we could barely get him to pass the 8th grade. He will do no homework unless we let him play. At times he has played for 14 hours straight. We have tried everything we could think of on our own, without much success. It is appearing like the only solution might be to disconnect the internet and remove all video machines from the house. I'm sure it will be very unpleasant here when this happens. Some more help and awareness of this problem would really be helpful, such as making medical/mental help readily available.

[Videogamesrule]

When I first read this article,I saw that there was a supporting website for it:olganon.org
When I posted a rebuttle on a suggestions forum,I was banned.This leaves one to wonder,if they are so sure that they are right,why did they block the,most likely,only rebuttle on the whole site?If they are going to make this ridiculous excuse for an argument over video games,they should be open to disagreements.Don't we have to listen to their side in these kinds of arguments?Why can't they listen to the opposing side?If you would like to read my argument here is the link:http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=32848243
or you may email me at:[e-mail]

[grammawhamma]

MichelleM99...Do you know anybody that plays the online games mentioned in the article? Not only are kids addicted to them but also some adults. I know several marriages that were ruined over Everquest a few years ago. They were adults that could not stop playing this game. They ate at the computer, they slept only a few hours a night if that, they called in sick to work when their Everquest group had a raid planned. Everquest was all they could talk about when not playing it...it is a sickness. I witnessed this behaviour.

[michellem99-2009]

I do not have faith drs. for reason all they care about is control. They did not medacate kids years ago. Today parents begs the docs to medicate their kids..laziness.The games are not the problem. It is the parents. Before computer,I played solitaire with cards and still do. I have played solitaire sinse pre teen.As a legally blind and multi handicapped person,my world is is so different from yours as yer fully sighted. I also know the different from make believe and real life. I love to bowl on computer.
Now there are games I honourly would not play. Any body knows computer games are not real. Just as you explain to a child what is real and what is not.When I was growing up things were different,we did not eat sugary foods. Candy bars,pop, are the problem but they don't holler sugar addiction but sugar makes them hyper. Cut their sugar intake,you will notice calmness. Same with adults. Yep cut out junk food. No body can study when hyper. It may not be the games but yer loosy sugar junk food. I am 52.

[incog-nito]

Another dumb idea. Video game addiction is no different from any other addiction.

What's next? Watching too much TV is a medical condition? How about too much web surfing? Too much exercise? Buying too many lottery tickets?

Soon they will come up with a drug for all of these "disorders", of course.

[jolsonbear]

I play World of Warcraft about 3-4 hours per day---however I don't have cable and turn on my tv on wednesday to watch a 1 hour program. I know people who spend three times as much time in front of thier TV's as I do on my game.

[toddpw01]

Pretty much any addiction that interferes with life counts as a mental disorder in my book. What about Internet time-wasting addiction? Lots of people have borderline cases of that!

But it seems to me that we got this way by creating a society for ourselves in which jobs are so specialized, that anyone with a source of income can basically be a psychopath and get away with it, unless they cross a line and get themselves in trouble with gangs or the authorities.

What happened to making kids deal with each other on the playground and at the local park? Socialization doesn't happen in a vacuum. People have to learn how to deal with others by doing.

[hypnotoad72]

hmmagain - not always true, but not always false either...

Either way, some people will always starve. Other people will always say one thing and do the opposite. There are always those in control and those who follow. How the controllers treat the followers is a just litmus test for a society.

[thesarge00]

Adding to people's confusion is the recent trend of social games - MMORPG's, that combine the simple game paradigm, with socializing. Again, easily addictive, but no more so than the group of friends who go out every night and hang at the bar, or the jetty, or the beach, or wherever your group of friends hang out. Questions will be raised that these "online" friends don't count since they're insubstantial - seemingly forgetting that not even 50 years ago plenty of folks were only able to carry out continuing relationships with loved ones via regular mail and the occasional phone call. One more for the critics - what's a more unhealthy relationship: someone you've never seen who you chat with daily about events, offering each other moral support in times of crisis - or - talking onesidedly to someone you've never seen who's book of advice prompts you to try to legislate morality for everyone and to blow up abortion clinics?

[thesarge00]

I'm the first to advise moderation in all things, but that also includes hysterical reactions. Now there's going to be parents/grandparents running around worried about "this here vid-deeo game addiction I heared about on the news - it was on the news so it's got to be a fact!" Addiction is a hot button word, that isn't always well defined. Does everyone who coughs have emphysema? Games CAN be addictive: they offer set goals and the ego boost of being attainable ones - a far cry from the messy, inconclusive and often unrealistic goals offered in day-to-day life. Easily psychologically addictive. However, they can also be a simple psstime, with the same set up and payoff, that we simply say "Yay me" about, and move on to other things. You want passtimes with more psychological disturbing effects? Try going out in the streets near a sports bar after a hotly contested game.(cont)

[thesarge00]

I'm the first to advise moderation in all things, but that also includes hysterical reactions. Now there's going to be parents/grandparents running around worried about "this here vid-deeo game addiction I heared about on the news - it was on the news so it's got to be a fact!" Addiction is a hot button word, that isn't always well defined. Does everyone who coughs have emphysema? Games CAN be addictive: they offer set goals and the ego boost of being attainable ones - a far cry from the messy, inconclusive and often unrealistic goals offered in day-to-day life. Easily psychologically addictive. However, they can also be a simple psstime, with the same set up and payoff, that we simply say "Yay me" about, and move on to other things. You want passtimes with more psychological disturbing effects? Try going out in the streets near a sports bar after a hotly contested game.
(cont)

[hmmagain]

"OFF TO WAR, ANY ADVICE?

when good people spank evil people, women and children prosper

invest money in people who make everyone pay so no one starves

invest votes in people who tax everyone at gunpoint so no one is slaved

invest market share in all but the most vulnerable: infants and toddlers

don't pay minimum wage folk to canvas everything all the time by dancing get well soon you are here why why why feed the world first aid on the trail songs; instead, pay maximum wage folk to canvas nothing ever by dancing get sick soon tax the world first strike on the trail songs

more food is thrown out each day than is needed to feed the world, you needn't feed the few to feed the many: you should instead tax the many to feed the few and the proud"


=origin anonybus