Video Game
Addiction
By the beautiful and talented Michaela
Reist.
Advantages of Playing Video
Games

Work better in team activities

Boast your creativity

Learn how to make fast decisions

Improved hand-eye co-ordination

Some games increase kids self confidence

Teach problem solving, motivation and
cognitive skills
Disadvantages of Playing
Video Games

Violent games can sometimes make people
do things they normally wouldn’t do. Such as
going on a killing spree, thinking they’re
playing a game.

Damages eyesight, causes dizziness, and
headaches (excessive gaming)

Lack of social interaction

Become lazy and unfit

Disturbed eating habits

Children are often fearful
How They Keep You Addicted

High Scores- In video games, there’s always
high scores. One way to keep you playing is
by showing these to you, which makes you
want to beat them. Everyone wants to be the
best, right? But being the best takes lots of
time and practice. Even just trying to beat
your own high score can keep you playing
for hours.

Finishing The Game- There’s some games
where you can play forever (role-playing
games), but the majority have steps and
clues to finish and beat the game. These
steps keep the player hooked. Each time a
new task is uncovered, he or she becomes
more interested.

Attachment-With role playing games, you
get to bring your creativity into it. You get to
design your character and make it unique.
Since you added your own personal touch to
the character, you have an emotional tie to
it, which makes you want to keep playing.

Discovery-Discovering things, places or
people keeps players curious, always
wondering what they’ll find next. In World of
Warcraft, most of the game is spent
exploring fantasized worlds.
Are There More Male Addicts
Than Female?
Some may say there are more male gaming
addicts than female. That is true. Both genders
have the same amount of a chance to become
addicted to gaming in general but for some
reason, males are found to find video games more
addictive. The reason why more males are
addicted to violent video games is because of the
higher amount of testosterone, there by having a
more aggressive nature than
females.

90% of American youth plays video games
and 15% of them are addicted

31% of males and 13% of females have felt
‘addicted’

60% of gamers are male
Some of The Most Addicting
Games

World of Warcraft

Everquest

Halo 3

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Call of Duty: MW2 (Modern Warfare 2)

Skyrim
Stories of Video Game Addicts
A website was created, WoWdetox.com, to help
WoW players to get over their addiction. The site
was made by Gary Haran, a former World of
Warcraft addict himself. You can anonymously
write a post about your problems with your
addiction and get help from others on the site. After
about a couple months after he created the site,
there was over 20,000 posts. Below are some
posts from people wanting to get over their
addiction. None have been altered.

"I ended up ill with a deep vein thrombosis in
one of my legs caused, according to the
Doctors by me sitting on my backside doing
instances all night and all day."
User’s posts:

"Im 12 and i cant stop playing wow i play about 8-10
hours a day mostly because all my frend are on it,
and im bored when i dont play it.I just failed socials
too so wat should i do.”

"WOW addiction is no joke. I started to play becuase
cousins and friends played (who are by the way all
overweight). At first all I did was play WoW once or
twice a day for lets say 2-3 hours. Then out of the
blue my cousin stoped playing becuase he said he
was addicted to WoW so he gave me his 70 (rogue).
Well after thta I was on 6-10 hours a day. I ignored
my friends went from workingout 4times a week to
twice. I would cuse people who asked me to get off.
In the end though I relised by playing WoW I was just
supporting big bussiness. Also, why waste money,
time with friends for a game? I know ppeolpe who
would be alot better off without WoW. I just want to try
to get all the money I have invested into it back so I
am going to sell the (rogue)....."
The Early Show- Gaming
Addiction
Some benefits and disadvantages about video
gaming + how to find out if you or someone
else is addicted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdfagA_
VYFQ
Bibliography

http://addictions.about.com/od/lesserknowna
ddictions/a/videogamewho.htm

http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-getyou-addicted.html

http://www.video-game-addiction.org