Gaming addicts VS. Drug addiction...can gaming be just as bad?

First and foremost, read this article before you judge and comment on it by the title alone. Some people seem to go on the offensive and leave uninformed comments going off of a stories title, without reading the article....

....Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's begin.

[guru9535]

I heard about that football player. its a shame he could'nt get back.

[darthv72]

I am 38 years old. I own almost every console released since pong. Both foreign and domestic. I cant tell you how much my entire game collection has cost me but one thing is certain, I have something to show for it.

Unlike a drug addiction, where the money spent goes to the drugs and then consumed, my gaming addiction is physically present in my home. Systems and games that are worth more than originally purchased as well as ones who's value is significantly lower.

I would hate to admit this but I will. My gaming habits since childhood has amassed a sizable amount in the rough estimate $25-30k+. That is taking into account the amount spent over the course of the years.

My tag is darthv72 and I'm a gameaholic.

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

GAMING is NOT an ADDICTIVE substance, period. It can be a bad habit, but you will not be addicted to gaming like you will drugs. I have a bad habit of masturbating, im not addicted. I wont feel terribly sick or nearly die if I dont get my fix. No one will ever be addicted to videogames like people are addicted to drugs.

Look at Ricky williams, he lost his NFL career for smoking weed, and is back now. Who ever the player who lost their job for videogame addiction is a moron and weak minded. Does anyone believe Tiger woods is a sex addict? FUCK NO. its an excuse to do what you want. Ohh im "addicted" so thats my excuse for doing what I want.

Gaming addiction is just an excuse for morons who let gaming take over their lives. If I spend all my time petting my dog and fail out of school, will people believe me if I say im addicted to petting my dog? NO they will say im an idiot who spent all day petting the dog.

If you believe a so called gaming addiction, is anything like drug addiction you are clueless.

Gaming "addicts" game too much because its what they want to do, and they are greedy. Many Drug addicts NEED their fix. Many of them may even want to stop but cant. There is no "gaming addict" who cant stop gaming when they TRULY want to.

To quote a movie I like "you ever suck dick for" videogames?

[darthv72]

Oddly enough what some would call a bad habit, others call addiction. It depends on the point of view. From the outside you see someone who is a hoarder and you think they need to clean their stuff up. That is a bad habit.

On the inside that person is addicted to the nature of keeping things. They dont think they have a problem at all which is the sure sign of an addict. Denial.

Your first comment is quite funny however. "GAMING is NOT an ADDICTIVE substance, period." Naturally it wouldnt be a "substance". I had to lol at that for a sec but I knew what you were trying to convey.

Anything can become an addiction. It depends on how deep you want to take it. Some would call me a serious collector. I am an addict, I can admit that. Spending every $$ on games and accessories can lead to a very poor (no pun intended) lifestyle.

[fanboybeater1]

Me too, that just happened, did'nt it?

[jinofthesheep]

hmmmm rather rubbish article i've got to say. not much in the way of structure and doesn't really make any concrete points. if it's actually a problem, how about using concrete facts/case studies. the mother killing the baby over farmville sounds very unlikely, but if it's true then it's probably not just due to the game. it really isn't on the same level of drug addiction though, that's a ludicrous suggestion. not a very good article, but i bet it'll generate heat on here for no other reason the fact that it stirs...pointless...if it was written properly, i wouldn't have an issue with it, but it's not so i do...

[kmr1977]

I disagree. I thought it was pretty well written and interesting. Good for him too, staying sober. My dad is in AA and has been for years, before he was, he was a drunk dick.

[jc48573]

I'm going out for a cigarette.

[moogle84]

Well it can definitely be very bad for your sleep patterns.

[Blacktric]

I need to quit gaming or else I'M GOING TO DIE! My hair is thinning, my teeth are starting to fall off and my eyes are always red. Gaming is no different than using meth 24/7 so I'm gonna get to a clinic and get help for my addiction. I want to be normal again :(.

/BIG F*CKING S

[DaBadGuy]

I watched a Koopa walk along the edge of a straight razor

That's my dream

That's my nightmare

Walking, jumping, throwing hammers, along the edge of a straight....razor...and surviving.

[soundslike]

I would go as far as to say that at least going outside to do drugs would be a *healthier* lifestyle than some gamers have...

[Dan50]

Yup totally the same as drugs. >_>

[ZombieAssassin]

Headsets cause brain cancer, mindless shooters cause brain rot, and drinking 50 cans of soda a day while playing games make your teeth fall out.

....and if you couldn't tell i was being sarcastic

[Bromeslice]

People with the addiction gene can get addicted to just about anything, people use games and drugs as a scapegoat.

[gedapeleda]

People with addiction gene aka weak people

[Crossifixxo]

But I usually get bored with playing a single game more than an hour on average. The longest I've ever played a single game is BFBC2 on my ps3 for 2and a half or 3 hours. I do feel to play something on my ps3 but it doesn't really hurt if I don't.

[ZombieAssassin]

Well drug addicts spend hundreds to thousands a year on their habit as I'm sure most of us do but I'm fairly certain most of us wouldn't do some of the things they do to buy them. IDK though I use to smoke weed like it grew on trees and dabbled with many other drugs but i've quit (for the most part) but I don't think I'll ever quit gaming...so it might be more addicting (for me at least).

[GodsHand]

How much for the bottom left shroom?

[BlueEye]

You cant compare these two together for many reasons including.
It's A LOT easier to get addicted to drugs.
Video games don't damage your body and highly possibly, your mind (as long as you don't act like those REALLY stereotypical video game nerd that looks him/herself in a room for weeks without food, drink or human contact)
Once a game get's boring, you stop playing and get another (or go back to an old game), with drugs after a while the drug will stop having affect so the addict will try new and potentially dangerous crap.

There are many other reasons, but the point is you cant compare these two together when a minor video game addiction is easy to handle, but even a minor drug addiction can ruin entire lives.

[damnyouretall]

is it just me or are games just more fun when youre high? i wonder how many hardcore gamers are stoners. for me its 2 adictions in one. i cant hold interest unless im stoned,,i dunno

[soundslike]

back when I still smoked weed it got hard to separate the two. Especially if you have friends doing the same. To answer your question: A LOT. Too many. And also, you can't hold your interest when your stoned because you have "normalized" your high, if you take a break for a few weeks or quit you'll lose that feeling completely. Then you realize if you were stoned you'd be getting owned. (w00t rhyme)

[QuantumSponge]

Well, drug addiction hinges upon a chemical addiction, whereas gaming addiction relies upon psychological addiction. Granted, over time, if the addiction grows to extreme levels, it can turn into a kind of chemical addiction as well, since your brain associates said activity with enjoyment.

But then again, anything can be potentially addictive. Knitting, fly fishing, car maintenance. You name it.