Video Games: Good Clean Fun or Dangerous Addiction?

Have you ever found yourself playing a video game for hours on end, losing all track of time and, quite possibly, the love of family, friends, and significant others? Many gamers have a vice, whether it’s Call of Duty 4, World of Warcraft, or Halo 3. It’s that game that makes you incoherently mumble, “just five…more…minutes!” even though you know damn well you won’t be stopping any time soon. There is no denying that games have an addictive quality, but is there a cause for it? And more importantly, are there consequences? Scientists have stopped research on developing a Portal gun and have instead turned their attention towards our favorite pastime to discover how games turn us from humble, albeit doughy couch potatoes, to frothing addicts looking for our next digital fix.

A recent study offers an intriguing new angle: Gaming activates a certain area of the brain connected to reward, addiction, and the need to conquer. The unsurprising twist? Men’s brains are more affected by video games than women’s. So the next time you guys jump out of your chairs and scream “Suck it!” into your headset after winning a game of CTF in Halo 3, you should remember that it’s just your mesocorticolimbic centre getting a little too turned on. But can this turn gamers into addicts? Apparently it can, as there are now treatment centers that focus on video game addiction in Amsterdam and China. In fact, video game addiction in China and South Korea may be a hint at the beginning of a worldwide epidemic.

It’s not all doom and gloom for video game addicts, however. Though they’re often the butt of countless jokes and endless mockery, one Australian study maintains that contrary to popular opinion, video game addicts are not just nerdy introverts.

While I’m no scientist, I can supply readers with some sage advice: If you find yourself buying Avatar: The Burning Earth and mashing the B button to unlock the 5 achievements just to pad your Xbox Live Gamerscore, you might have a problem. If you spend 16 out of 24 hours each day grinding your Alliance Warlock towards level 70, you might have a problem.

Video games, like everything, should be enjoyed in moderation. If you or anyone you know has a problem with excessive gaming, contact your physician immediately… and sign up for GotGame’s beta after that ;). There are also support sites aimed at helping gamers kick their addiction, and even videos to keep us informed when our eyes aren’t glued to a game-related screen: