Hang on...RetroVortex said:
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
#1
- Thread starter Mark J Kline
- Start date
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
DOCTOR!! <3Ralvuimego said:Hang on...RetroVortex said:
[http://img37.imageshack.us/i/medicw.jpg/]
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
First let me say I am an ex wow-er. And pretty heavy. In the first 4 years of it's release, I had put ~7000 hours into it. That means that of the 4 or 4 1/2 years I had an active account, about 1/4 of my time was spent on WoW.
I think the fact that WoW is a very good game, along with the fact that it essentially has no ending, is the problem. Maybe I worded that wrong. The game isn't the problem, but the fact that addictive personalities (like me) have no automatic release. For instance, I loved Mass Effect 2 a lot. I played through it twice and pretty much neglected all other parts of my personal and partially my professional life to complete it the first time. But then it was over, and I blabbled about the game to my friends for a while, and then it got swept under the carpet. For someone like me who has potential to be self destructive, WoW is pretty much kryptonite. It's a great game, with a lot of interesting things to learn, a good community (sometimes lol), and a world that evolves at a fairly fast pace.
I've played other MMOs and currently am playing one (Global Agenda) but no other has had the effect that WoW had on me. Single player games yes, but like I said, they have a definite ending.
I think addiction is an accurate word. I know people who would play Halo 2 online always. They would cancel our hockey games, or not come out to a concert, or pretty much avoided anything that wasn't Halo 2. Similar to me, if I was home I would be online. If I was not online I wished I was. I thought about it all the time, always preoccupied. My hygiene suffered, my health suffered, my social life suffered, my relationships suffered. Regardless of all the negatives I would always have the disposition of "oh well, I'll just play more Warcraft". I haven't played it in a long time but I feel like I kicked a habit. If I see my friend playing it, I start to get what I can not explain other than a craving. The same way some ex-smokers can't be around someone smoking. I have an inexplicable urge to redownload all the content and load up, but luckily I have the self-control these days to say "no"
Anyways really interesting article, I liked both the first piece about your personal experience and this one.
I think the fact that WoW is a very good game, along with the fact that it essentially has no ending, is the problem. Maybe I worded that wrong. The game isn't the problem, but the fact that addictive personalities (like me) have no automatic release. For instance, I loved Mass Effect 2 a lot. I played through it twice and pretty much neglected all other parts of my personal and partially my professional life to complete it the first time. But then it was over, and I blabbled about the game to my friends for a while, and then it got swept under the carpet. For someone like me who has potential to be self destructive, WoW is pretty much kryptonite. It's a great game, with a lot of interesting things to learn, a good community (sometimes lol), and a world that evolves at a fairly fast pace.
I've played other MMOs and currently am playing one (Global Agenda) but no other has had the effect that WoW had on me. Single player games yes, but like I said, they have a definite ending.
I think addiction is an accurate word. I know people who would play Halo 2 online always. They would cancel our hockey games, or not come out to a concert, or pretty much avoided anything that wasn't Halo 2. Similar to me, if I was home I would be online. If I was not online I wished I was. I thought about it all the time, always preoccupied. My hygiene suffered, my health suffered, my social life suffered, my relationships suffered. Regardless of all the negatives I would always have the disposition of "oh well, I'll just play more Warcraft". I haven't played it in a long time but I feel like I kicked a habit. If I see my friend playing it, I start to get what I can not explain other than a craving. The same way some ex-smokers can't be around someone smoking. I have an inexplicable urge to redownload all the content and load up, but luckily I have the self-control these days to say "no"
Anyways really interesting article, I liked both the first piece about your personal experience and this one.
Very insightful. I come from a dysfunctional home myself (lots of spousal conflict), and I've found I became an avid gamer in much the same way. Even as the stress in my home life has lessened, though, I've found that my interest in gaming has not. I wouldn't consider myself an addict, though.
I hope you continue with this column. Some of the greatest insights to be made in the gaming world are psychological.
I hope you continue with this column. Some of the greatest insights to be made in the gaming world are psychological.
I think your first post contains an amount of win that cannot be described.Heavy Weapons Guy said:DOCTOR!! <3Ralvuimego said:Hang on...RetroVortex said:
[http://img37.imageshack.us/i/medicw.jpg/]
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
Anyhow: an interesting read. It's refreshing to see that not every psychologist views video games as the spawn of all evil that often seems to be a general consensus... hell, I wish you were my psychologist! xD
... also, in attempting to write out some sort of heartfelt note or explanation as to why I'm a gamer, "videogames" could be replaced with "crack" and nothing would have been changed whatsoever. That's slightly alarming.
For me, when I play videogames they may conflict with my schoolwork (I am in an advanced program so we get lots of homework every night) but I would not consider myself an addict, rather a "lover of videogames" (I got this from a reading about a guy who changed his name to "Amor de Cosmos"). I certainly do not neglect up to the point of near-failing, and am prepared for tests and exams, but I could do better in terms of homework and marks.
However, as the quoted comment in your article touches on, this is not because of videogames that this happens but rather because of my personality in association with arts. If there were no videogames, I would instead be calling myself "lover of movies" or "lover of books."
However, as the quoted comment in your article touches on, this is not because of videogames that this happens but rather because of my personality in association with arts. If there were no videogames, I would instead be calling myself "lover of movies" or "lover of books."
Too bad they said the TF2 Doctor thing already.
Good and interesting article (especially "Physician Gank Thyself"), I like that you are not precisely a person that grew up worshiping games but you where willing, open-minded and professional enough to give them an honest opportunity.
I bet your patient's attention/respect spikes if you tell them your gaming experience.
Good and interesting article (especially "Physician Gank Thyself"), I like that you are not precisely a person that grew up worshiping games but you where willing, open-minded and professional enough to give them an honest opportunity.
I bet your patient's attention/respect spikes if you tell them your gaming experience.
Hmmm... [http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html]
It's a good point that just because some people don't get addicted it doesn't mean something isn't addicted. Most people aren't addicted to alcohol or gambling or sex even though they've experienced it. But some people are. It's all in the dopamins, dude.
The problem probably lies in trying to classify videogames as good or bad. They aren't, they are a million different experience which affect different people in different ways. And even one game can feel different to different people depending on what is their suit [http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm]. We, gamers, have made an habit out of acting as if games are the most awesome thing on earth out of defence for the people who say it's a devilish thing out to destroy our psyches. It's a lie we've come to believe in.
It's too bad that Dr. Kline has only played WoW. I haven't, and the only online game I keep coming back to is Kingdom of Loathing [http://www.kingdomofloathing.com/]. I personally think any MMO cannot stand on its two legs without at least an amount of grinding and I just have no time for grinding any more. (Because I'm trying to get to level 30 on KoL, possibly.) I wish the doc had more experience on other videogames for a more complete view.
It's a good point that just because some people don't get addicted it doesn't mean something isn't addicted. Most people aren't addicted to alcohol or gambling or sex even though they've experienced it. But some people are. It's all in the dopamins, dude.
The problem probably lies in trying to classify videogames as good or bad. They aren't, they are a million different experience which affect different people in different ways. And even one game can feel different to different people depending on what is their suit [http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm]. We, gamers, have made an habit out of acting as if games are the most awesome thing on earth out of defence for the people who say it's a devilish thing out to destroy our psyches. It's a lie we've come to believe in.
It's too bad that Dr. Kline has only played WoW. I haven't, and the only online game I keep coming back to is Kingdom of Loathing [http://www.kingdomofloathing.com/]. I personally think any MMO cannot stand on its two legs without at least an amount of grinding and I just have no time for grinding any more. (Because I'm trying to get to level 30 on KoL, possibly.) I wish the doc had more experience on other videogames for a more complete view.
Gaming is a delicious mix of catharsis, art, fantasy, and escapism. As much as it is heralded as addictive and wrong, I still hold it as medicine. I for one find it a way to deal with my own transgenderism and the anxiety I receive from it.
THE OFFICIAL MEDIC IS HERE!!!9NineBreaker9 said:I think your first post contains an amount of win that cannot be described.Heavy Weapons Guy said:DOCTOR!! <3Ralvuimego said:Hang on...RetroVortex said:
[http://img37.imageshack.us/i/medicw.jpg/]
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
Anyhow: an interesting read. It's refreshing to see that not every psychologist views video games as the spawn of all evil that often seems to be a general consensus... hell, I wish you were my psychologist! xD
... also, in attempting to write out some sort of heartfelt note or explanation as to why I'm a gamer, "videogames" could be replaced with "crack" and nothing would have been changed whatsoever. That's slightly alarming.
I didn't mean to hijack the thread with my picture... but I return this time with a question.
After reading the first two articles, I've got questions about what the scope of this series of articles is. The two articles I can get information from deal primarily in gaming addiction. I mean there is the ever present topic of violence in video games... but beyond that, I think it all depends on your experience with games as well as psychology.
Either way, I'm still intrigued with where this article can go. Sorry if I sounded a little too critical.
After reading the first two articles, I've got questions about what the scope of this series of articles is. The two articles I can get information from deal primarily in gaming addiction. I mean there is the ever present topic of violence in video games... but beyond that, I think it all depends on your experience with games as well as psychology.
Either way, I'm still intrigued with where this article can go. Sorry if I sounded a little too critical.
"I stopped playing WoW, not because I was addicted and needed an intervention, but because I became bored with the game. Do heroine addicts get bored of shooting up? Do crackheads get bored of smoking crack? No."
This is probably one of my favorite arguments for why gaming is not an addiction, for the most part that is.
I would rather use the word "Obsession" on psychological addictions, since that is more or less what it is.
Although as I am writing this a friend of mine pointed out that you get some kind of kick out of leveling or gaining new gear, so it might be that there is a sense of addiction going on.
I don't know what to think, but I personally feel "addiction" is a too strong word, when it is tossed as a lable on anyone that plays MMOs, regardless of their mental state.
This is probably one of my favorite arguments for why gaming is not an addiction, for the most part that is.
I would rather use the word "Obsession" on psychological addictions, since that is more or less what it is.
Although as I am writing this a friend of mine pointed out that you get some kind of kick out of leveling or gaining new gear, so it might be that there is a sense of addiction going on.
I don't know what to think, but I personally feel "addiction" is a too strong word, when it is tossed as a lable on anyone that plays MMOs, regardless of their mental state.
Great article, keen to see more.
Only MMORPG I really got into was Runescape back in the day, mostly because school was so boring, needed something to suck up time. But I stopped that before long when i realized I didn't actually enjoy playing the game, was just farming resources for some potential enjoyment in the future...
Only MMORPG I really got into was Runescape back in the day, mostly because school was so boring, needed something to suck up time. But I stopped that before long when i realized I didn't actually enjoy playing the game, was just farming resources for some potential enjoyment in the future...
Totally this.Aurgelmir said:
Obsession is the correct word and meaning.
"Addiction" is only for REAL dependencies like coke and heroin.
For every hobby, pasttime, detail and job there are some people who will get obsessed with it. This isn't anywhere near as problematic is heroin addiction.
Okay, I just cannot fathom how EPIC that is!!! The similarity cannot be a coincidence! People, we now have our very own Medic in the squad! YOU ARE A GREAT DOCTOR!!!Mezzo. said:THE OFFICIAL MEDIC IS HERE!!!9NineBreaker9 said:I think your first post contains an amount of win that cannot be described.Heavy Weapons Guy said:DOCTOR!! <3Ralvuimego said:Hang on...RetroVortex said:
[http://img37.imageshack.us/i/medicw.jpg/]
Yep. I do see the resemblance.
I do look forward to seeing more of these articles though.
Anyhow: an interesting read. It's refreshing to see that not every psychologist views video games as the spawn of all evil that often seems to be a general consensus... hell, I wish you were my psychologist! xD
... also, in attempting to write out some sort of heartfelt note or explanation as to why I'm a gamer, "videogames" could be replaced with "crack" and nothing would have been changed whatsoever. That's slightly alarming.
I never thought I needed a shrink...until now. I mean, video game addiction was always a controversial subject, some said that video games are like cocaine or heroin, others said video game addiction does not exist. I can witness to the fact, that video games could be addictive, as any other pleasurable substance or activity. I was once addicted to a MMOG called RF-Online some years ago, and to my horror, when I looked back afterwards, I did show symptoms of addiction, like making excuses to play, neglecting responsibilities, the all too common "just one more level" syndrome, getting agitated, restless or even agressive when I couldn't play, etc. I feel quite embarrassed about that in retrospect, but when I was under the spell of the game, everything seemed normal to me, and I was honestly surprised when people tried to talk me out of playing it six hours a day...anyway...
Welcome to the Escapist, Doc. I'm looking forward to reading your articles!
You know what, I'm going to have to agree with the qualified doctor as to the meaning of the word addiction. Chances are, he knows what he's talking about.veloper said:
Consider maybe, that you have been using it incorrectly all this time and need to learn its true meaning.