Game-addict clinic opened in Amsterdam

Havoc · #1 06-08-2006, 02:17 PM

Gaming has reached the next level! Whoo! I dunno if this should be in off-topic or non-OWF gaming... you guys decide

.

---

Whenever a major title like Halo 2 or Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter comes out, workplace productivity finds itself ravaged by the so-called "gaming flu." Expansive games with dozens of hours of content, such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, often provoke compulsive seclusion among those trying to finish them. Then there's massively multiplayer games like World of Warcraft that never end, prompting players to indulge in near-daily fixes.

While most gamers can handle their habit, apparently some can't. That's where Smith & Jones Addiction Consultancy comes in. The Amsterdam-based center, which specializes in drug and gambling addictions, is opening up a new ward dedicated solely to the treatment of gamers who simply can't stop playing.

"There were 15-year-olds being brought to us who were showing the same behavior as 50-year-old gambling addicts," Keith Bakker, director of the consultancy, told the BBC. Bakker said the majority of game addicts fit the same profile--socially isolated adolescent males who "want to escape reality."

"We knew about drugs like crack, but we couldn't find a program anywhere for kids like this, and we saw enormous parallels between problems with gaming and alcohol and gambling," said Bakker. Though the clinic already treats game addicts on an outpatient basis, the new Smith & Jones program will consist of an in-patient stay of four to eight weeks to help patients cope with game withdrawal. "There can be anxiety, panic attacks, sleep problems, dreaming about games, nightmares, shaking," said Bakker.

As for the issue of problem gamers relapsing, Bakker said that remains a difficult problem to prevent. "You can't do a urine test to see that they're not still gaming," he said. "If a coke addict said they wanted to go out to a club or to see people, we'd be worried about whether they'd meet a dealer. But if a gamer said he wanted to go out for the night and meet people we'd throw a party."

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6152141.html

used:) · #2 06-08-2006, 02:20 PM

Ha, sounds interesting. Next thing you know, we'll have game trafficing at the Mexican border. What a hoot.

Kimon · #3 06-08-2006, 02:40 PM

Haha... that's a little bit funny.

Statikk HDM · #4 06-08-2006, 03:10 PM

No, its not funny at all. I remember reading about this sort of thing a few years ago. Look up something like Wives/Women Against Warcraft.

***Nate*** · #5 06-08-2006, 07:28 PM

:

"If a coke addict said they wanted to go out to a club or to see people, we'd be worried about whether they'd meet a dealer. But if a gamer said he wanted to go out for the night and meet people we'd throw a party."

QFT

used:) · #6 06-08-2006, 08:02 PM

This is going to sound dumb, but what exactly does "QFT" mean?

Havoc · #7 06-08-2006, 11:51 PM

I'm guessing something like 'Quote for... true'? no idea

.

Facsimile · #8 06-09-2006, 12:33 AM

Quoted for truth.

Havoc · #9 06-09-2006, 02:06 AM

Ah, well I was close!

Although, who says they won't go out and visit some cyber cafe when they go out? We have plenty of those in Amsterdam

Leto · #10 06-09-2006, 02:17 AM

If someone is stupid enough to get that addicted to games, put simply: I think they should kill themselves. It's not like we're losing a cancer cure here.

Slig_Cake · #11 06-09-2006, 04:42 AM

I think it's mainly a problem that lies with poor parenting. If your kid is playing x-box 24-7 ban it from him it's simple. Encourage him to get out a bit more into the real world. My parents didn't believe in 'entertainment systems junk' and so I only played a few computer games when I was younger.

They did get me into warhammer though because my mum knew I liked fantasy crap. And although I don't play it anymore I think it was a really healthy alternative. I learnt some good skills in painting and got into it, it involved lots of reading, it helped me think lateral (building armies) and I actually got out to see what kind of bums I was playing against (peter jackson lookalikes that smell like maccas). Sure it's expensive but it wasn't really something I could play compulsivley.

On another note, I think nerds with a low self esteem would be the most likely to be addicted to games.

***Wil*** · #12 06-09-2006, 04:48 AM

:

…the new Smith & Jones program…

That just finished its run on BBC1, yesno?

:

Whenever a major title like Halo 2 or Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter comes out, workplace productivity finds itself ravaged by the so-called “gaming flu.”

And it's set to happen all over again soon:-
Left Behind: Eternal Forces
IGN Preview

Leto · #13 06-09-2006, 09:08 PM

:

I think it's mainly a problem that lies with poor parenting.

Blame ye not the parents, shrew. People other than children play games, didn't ya' know. OH SNAP.

Slig_Cake · #14 06-09-2006, 11:14 PM

Yep and like I said at the bottom of the post:

Nerds with a low self esteem.

They're obviously people unhappy about their lives...have a shocking lookin missus...crappy job...

***Nate*** · #15 06-10-2006, 12:52 AM

:

I think it's mainly a problem that lies with poor parenting. If your kid is playing x-box 24-7 ban it from him it's simple. Encourage him to get out a bit more into the real world. My parents didn't believe in 'entertainment systems junk' and so I only played a few computer games when I was younger.

I don't think we're talking about kids here - we're talking about adults who spend all their time and money on games and never hang out with real people.

Leto · #16 06-10-2006, 01:27 AM

:

Nerds with a low self esteem.

They're obviously people unhappy about their lives...have a shocking lookin missus...crappy job...

You like to generalise, don't you?

Please, please kill yourself, and save me the trouble of court.

Havoc · #17 06-10-2006, 02:15 AM

We're talking about kids and adults here. But mainly the younger crowd, as thats whats the gaming industry is aimed at. To problem lies in hte fact that some kids start to become unhealthy from playing, and if that happens it's an addiction.
When you don't eat, drink or sleep for 48 hours just because you're playing CS, your addicted! And, you're also a nerd and a retard for playing such a crappy game

.
Point is, gaming isn't one of those things which you know off that it's addictive when you start doing it, like drugs or drinking. It sneaks in, so there isn't realy anyone to blame. Ofcourse, as a parent you should catch on to it in time, but the kid itself can't realy be blamed as you don't notice it yourself that much.
I had times where I played entire nights, had a blast, then I looked at the clock and saw it was 5 AM. I'm not gonna say I'm addicted, as my personal health does not suffer from it and I have a good (for me) social network. Also, I know when to quit and my real life is more important to me then my online life. Even though both get just as much activity

.

Facsimile · #18 06-10-2006, 02:39 AM

I didn't actually reply to the topic before.

I have a friend that I can seriously see needing this sort of clinic in the future. Shit, I can see him needing it now.
For example, his time spent on Maple Story:
679 hours in total, 37 hours in the last seven days. Not to mention that's a school week.