Why buy poison when you have video games?

[CptStern]

Are video games killing you?

"Some gamers admit to playing for up to 20 hours in one stretch - so are these game bad for you or are they just harmless diversions from reality? "

LIZ WOOLLEY - ONLINE GAMERS ANONYMOUS:


"They stop eating properly (EDIT: and that's a bad thing? traditionally gamers are pudge-o's that can stand to lose a few pounds: your friendly neighborhood editor: Stern) and do not get enough sleep. They barely leave this new fantasy life, to do anything else. I do not believe all online games are inherently bad or evil.

But I do know, however, that some of the game manufacturers do require their game developers to have degrees in psychology to make them even more addictive.

If you find yourself in this position, there is hope for you.

I set up Online Gamers Anonymous as a self-help 12-step programme for gamers and their families, sharing their experiences, strengths and hopes to help each other recover and heal from problems caused by excessive and compulsive game playing.

My son, Shawn, committed suicide as a direct result of being addicted to the EverQuest game.

Our presence is limited to the internet and on our message board gamers and their family come to read stories others have shared about their compulsion with gaming and how they have chosen to come back to their "real" lives.

It gives gamers hope that they can do this and helps them realize they aren't alone in their struggle."


so what do you think? is gaming slowly killing us? are we doomed to be perpetual slaves to our addictions? will jesus save us from the evils of being a Gaming Junkie? these and other questions may be answered if you post here :E

 

[ComradeBadger]

Bahahahahahaa


I'm addicted to Op4/AG ;(

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

To be honest I dont know what to think..


One part of me is drawn towards getting a gun and going on a rampage like on gta.

The other is considering suicide!



Obviously there isnt another aspect that I'm missing... :E

 

[CptStern]

hey I found the Online Gaming Anonymous website:

here's the 12 step program to identifying and curing your Gaming addiction:


1. We admitted we were powerless over on-line gaming, and that our lives have become unmanageable. (laundry not done: check, baby in shitty diapers: check, house in shambles: check ....rank #1 in DM for 3rd round in a row: awesome!!!)



2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (oh lord please return to me my sanity, I promise only to play christian approved games like ..............pong)



3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. (oh lord, I will turn over my life to you oh lord ...can you aim for me?)


4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. (dark circles under eyes: check, angry look from wife: check, trembling hands: check ....awesome leet skills in DM: check!)


5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. (oh lord forgive me for I have sinned ...since my last confession I've committed the sin of coveting my neighbours computer, killed 345,234 players online with various instruments including: rocket launcher, crowbar, toilet)


6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. (I'm ready god please take away my happiness, my need to tinker with electronics and my desire to meet new people ..please turn me into a sheep as that's the best way of serving you ...oh lord)



7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. (Dear lord forgive me for having a crappy vid-card, if you provide me with a 6800 Ultra, I'll pray to you oh lord)





8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. (Comrade Badger, Le Pobz, The Dark Elf, El Chi, some dude named Ninjah-Killah! .....others)





9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure, them or others. (I'm sorry HL2-DM players for throwing various household items your way, please forgive me)




10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. (number of times I'm wrong in the politics forum: 0)




11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. (please oh Lord help me aim better so I may smite my opponent in your name oh lord)




12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other compulsive on-line gamers and to practice these principles in all our affairs. (one more rocket blast to the face eat that! Nijah-killah! oh wait ...is that you oh lord?)




disclaimer: all comment are made by me ..not to be interpreted as a sign of my addiction

 

[kirovman]

My experience:
I used to play games a lot, but now I only play them ocassionaly, I kind of grew out of it.

I know my brother is addicted to games though.

The only games I can play 20 hours straight these days are games like Civ3 or management/strategy games, because you keep telling yourself:

"just one more thing....5 more mins, etc."

I played HL2 pretty much solid until I finished it.

I don't play multiplayer for long time periods, because I feel my brain is rotting...

I'm more addicted to halflife2.net, which is worrying...

 

[Locust]

I'm partially addicted to games. I will uninstall half life 2 for about a week, then reinstall it again when I'm bored. I've never played for twenty hours on end, but Rome Total War took about 100-300 hours of my life away. Sure they are fun, but now days games require so much time to complete. I think that they are an addiction for a lot of people who play them.

 

[CrazyHarij]

I used to play alot, but just like kirovman said, I too grew out of it.. It seems like most people do the same so it's nothing to worry about in my opinion.

Just don't forget to breathe while you play.

 

[Gray Fox]

goddam this people are really ****ing weak.

 

[Death.Trap]

It's really idiotic that you always say shit like "Jesus will save us from video games!"

Yes, I know your being sarcastic, and that's my point. No church that I have ever heard of has condemned ANY video games. At all. Web sites like video gamers anonymouse or whatever are set up by extremist morons.

Just thought I would point that out.


BTW. I'm not calling you an idiot stern. I just think that it's ignorant to always relate single websites and the opinions on them to anything other than that website.


Besides that...


It is pretty damn funny.

 

[PvtRyan]

Nice ad on this page

(why on earth an ad for gambling addiction on a gaming site?)

 

[CptStern]

It's really idiotic that you always say shit like "Jesus will save us from video games!"

Yes, I know your being sarcastic, and that's my point. No church that I have ever heard of has condemned ANY video games. At all.

uhmmmm I really dont have the foggiest idea of what you're rambling on about ..who said I'm tying this in with religion or a specific church?

Web sites like video gamers anonymouse or whatever are set up by extremist morons.

Just thought I would point that out.

well no ...this site and organization was started by a mother who's son committed suicide because (according to her) his addiction to everquest

BTW. I'm not calling you an idiot stern. I just think that it's ignorant to always relate single websites and the opinions on them to anything other than that website.

please point out where I said christianity (or any other religion) is responsible for this. Learn to relax, not everything I say is an attack on religion

 

[MuToiD_MaN]

God this and God that ... God dammit. What makes you think that He cares About Your addiction To elves and trolls?

/Sneer caps

 

[Death.Trap]

uhmmmm I really dont have the foggiest idea of what you're rambling on about ..who said I'm tying this in with religion or a specific church?

Well, Jesus is usually associated with christians.

well no ...this site and organization was started by a mother who's son committed suicide because (according to her) his addiction to everquest

While I feel sorry for her, she is a moron for trying to blame his suicide on a videogame.

please point out where I said christianity (or any other religion) is responsible for this. Learn to relax, not everything I say is an attack on religion

Like I said above saying Jesus will save us from videogames certainly gives the impression of reffering to christianity. Since christians do in fact believe he existed.

And hey, I'm pretty relaxed. :cheers: No offense intended or anything, just wanted to point that out.

 

[Septih]

I can stop anytime i want...honest

 

[CptStern]

Well, Jesus is usually associated with christians.

yes ...that's why I used Jesus ..if you look at her 12 steps ..almost everyone of them mentions god

While I feel sorry for her, she is a moron for trying to blame his suicide on a videogame.

be that as it may, she believes it did cause the death of her son

Like I said above saying Jesus will save us from videogames certainly gives the impression of reffering to christianity. Since christians do in fact believe he existed.

it's a joke! all of my comments were meant to be taken as a joke ..I dont see how anyone could mistake that

And hey, I'm pretty relaxed. :cheers: No offense intended or anything, just wanted to point that out.

well I'd being lying if I said I wasnt offended by your attack ..that said ..apology accepted ..seriously, this thread was meant to showcase how some people view gamers ..it has nothing to do what so ever with religion

 

[lePobz]

I think I used to be addicted to games, these days i'd say games is more of a reality. I just play the real world for the odd hour or so on weekends.

Jesus... I feel really sorry for those people that are addicted to the real world, it sucks!

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

I guess you could say I used to be addicted to games. But Ive found real life to be one hell of alot more interesting recently.

 

[dart321]

I hate topics like this, I really do. How the hell can a person be addicted to a video game and then, when their mental heath is brought to the table, people turn the other cheek and blame it ALL on the games? How the hell can a person kill himself/herself over a damn video game and still be considered mentally stable but just “manipulated“ by the video games? I mean it's a form of entertainment. A way to relax. If a person is truly addicted to a video game, that does not necessarily mean they play the game alot, nor does it mean that people who play video games alot are addicted to them. What goggle says about addiction:

The physical and psychological craving for a substance that develops into a dependency and continues even though it is causing the addicted person physical, psychological and social harm.

If you constantly feel the need to play video games no matter if you're board, actually like the game you play, have other stuff to do, etc, then yeah, you have an addiction. If, however, you play video games because you truly enjoy them and consider them you're hobby, I see no reason to treat them any different than people who enjoy going to see movies alot, or people who watch TV alot. Hell, video games are probably a healthier hobby than those things, at least you are constantly having to think and adapt

Another point people overlook is the fact that they themselves are probably addicted to something. How many of these raving, Christian, soccer moms, that are so willingly able to point and blame video games for their parenting problems, are themselves addicted to daytime TV? Soap operas, talk shows, dramas, etc. They LOVE it, they make a goal to never miss an episode, never loose track of the melodramatic storyline, etc.

Yet these same people, turn right around and criticize their kids for spending 3 or more hours on the computer?! Give me a break. It's ridiculous. Some people spend thousands of dollars on car parts per month! Why? It's their hobby. No one cares. No one protests about how the car people don't do anything but sit in a garage and fix cars. Some people come straight home from work everyday and watch nothing but sports. No one cares. Why should I quit playing my video games when: 1) They help me relax, 2) I can magically *gasp* balance my social and academic lifestyle while still playing games (amazing, huh?) and, 3) they help entertain me when I'm just plain board

Can someone say "witch hunt"?

I don’t play video games 50+ hours a week or anything like that, I just refuse to keep a timed record of how many hours I spend on my hobby. Some weeks I play a lot, some a little. The bottom line is, if its fun, I’m going to keep enjoying myself provided I have the capability to do so without hurting myself (Like sleep deprivation, skipping work, ignoring kids) and that’s really all it comes down to. If I have free time, I’m going to use it doing something I love.

 

[Tr0n]

I bearly play any games now'n days.


So I'm safe.

 

[SpuD]

Im not going to bother reading all this and go play WoW.

 

[<RJMC>]

I could play videogames all the time if I want but I now that are more things in my life

cuz the true sometimes when I play a videogames for a long time and in one moment I stop and do other thing it feels nice

anyway videogames is a hoby for me,but one very good hoby

 

[ZeeM]

Bahahahahahaa


I'm addicted to Op4/AG ;(

hehe me 2

Is it our fault that her son is a no-life psycho who commited suicide only because playing a GAME :dozey:

 

[K e r b e r o s]

Stern, you always find gold.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I wouldn't laugh so readily. Theres a lot of truth in games being addictive, regardless of what this person is saying. Even a gaming mag did an article on it ages back :O It was just an interesting comparison between gaming addiction and other addiction.

 

[Kommie]

My ex-roommate ( I got a new room all to myself) here at U of K. was addicted to video games, I never talked to him or anything . But he played playstation from about when he got up to about 5 p.m when he went to bed. He never showered was horribly out of shape, he got winded getting out of his damn bed. He only stopped to watch japanese cartoons or read japanese comics. Just considering the "power" that video games had on him, shows that they do have some addictive qualities. But quite frankly he was pathetic, so I doubt that they can ruin normal peoples lives.

 

[Absinthe]

This isn't a 12-step program for ending game addiction.

This is conversion.