Therapist Repeats "Gaming is Like Snorting Cocaine" Claim
A therapist in the U.K. is once again claiming that playing videogames produces the same effect in the brain as snorting cocaine, making it "the silent killer of our generation."
Following a report from the National Sleep Foundation in the U.K. that linked videogaming and other electronic distractions with sleeplessness [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43380/Gaming-causes-lack-of-sleep], therapist Steve Pope weighed in with his own theories on the matter. "Spending two hours on a game station is equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces in the brain," he told the BBC Radio show 5Live. "It's the silent killer of our generation."
"Computer game addiction can also spiral into violence as after playing violent games, they may turn their fantasy games into reality," he continued. "It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally and physically."
If that's ringing any bells with you, it's because Pope said the same thing - I mean, the same thing - back in May 2010 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100906-Playing-Videogames-is-Like-Snorting-Coke-Says-Therapist]. The fact that the man is repeating the same line, almost word for word, two years later speaks volumes about his dedication and utter inflexibility as a true believer. In fact, he described his campaign against videogames as a "personal quest to spread the message."
To make his point, he suggested that parents listening to the program "go upstairs to your kid's bedroom and try and take the game station controller out of their hands." They will react "in the same way as an alcoholic would if you tried to take their booze. It's scary," he said. As for the claims about sleep disruption that started the whole mess, he said staying up late to play videogames causes an "endorphin high in [kids'] brains," leading to a "chemical imbalance" that disrupts behavior and learning.
Source: MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43423/Two-hours-gaming-a-line-of-cocaine]
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A therapist in the U.K. is once again claiming that playing videogames produces the same effect in the brain as snorting cocaine, making it "the silent killer of our generation."
Following a report from the National Sleep Foundation in the U.K. that linked videogaming and other electronic distractions with sleeplessness [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43380/Gaming-causes-lack-of-sleep], therapist Steve Pope weighed in with his own theories on the matter. "Spending two hours on a game station is equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces in the brain," he told the BBC Radio show 5Live. "It's the silent killer of our generation."
"Computer game addiction can also spiral into violence as after playing violent games, they may turn their fantasy games into reality," he continued. "It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally and physically."
If that's ringing any bells with you, it's because Pope said the same thing - I mean, the same thing - back in May 2010 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100906-Playing-Videogames-is-Like-Snorting-Coke-Says-Therapist]. The fact that the man is repeating the same line, almost word for word, two years later speaks volumes about his dedication and utter inflexibility as a true believer. In fact, he described his campaign against videogames as a "personal quest to spread the message."
To make his point, he suggested that parents listening to the program "go upstairs to your kid's bedroom and try and take the game station controller out of their hands." They will react "in the same way as an alcoholic would if you tried to take their booze. It's scary," he said. As for the claims about sleep disruption that started the whole mess, he said staying up late to play videogames causes an "endorphin high in [kids'] brains," leading to a "chemical imbalance" that disrupts behavior and learning.
Source: MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/43423/Two-hours-gaming-a-line-of-cocaine]
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