Are You Addicted To Games?

Ahem. Hi, my name is Richie and I'm addicted to games.

Apparently, the Smith & Jones Addiction Consultants are able to treat those suffering from obsessive/compulsive gaming.

"The Smith& Jones GAMESTERDAM clinic is the first residential treatment facility in the world that is specialised in and focused on treating people who’s lives have become unmanageable as a result of their on or offline video gaming behaviour."

The site describes treatment of those who are unaware or deny their problem by helping them "see they have a problem, admit they have a problem and ask for help."

The site says that "computer and video games can be fun and innocent. Most people can play computer games without trouble. However, 20% of all gamers can develop a dependency on gaming."

According to a www.babyart.org article symptoms could include: dropping grades, sleeping at school, Carpal Tunnel syndrome and headaches.

Ahem. Wow.

So where do I start?

An addiction to games, huh? I guess everything is possible.

Three words, World of Warcraft (a.k.a. WOW). This game has become an icon amongst the gaming community.

There have been stories about people spending their saving just to "level-up" their characters.

Proof? I'm a victim.

Not of WOW but of Xbox 360's Final Fantasy XI, the massive multiplayer online role-playing game (mmorpg).

During this time, I spent weekends playing from nine in the morning to midnight non-stop, only to get up for hygienic purposes and nourishment.

Those were dark times. Trying to make my character reach a certain level and keep up with other players was a daily mission.

Oh no, flashbacks. Got to stop.

Well, I guess there is a such thing as addictions. But that someone has taken the time to make a program to "heal" these people is amusing, yet strangely relieving. Emphasis on "strangely."

-R

*http://www.smithandjones.nl/
*http://www.babyart.org/school-age/video-game-addiction.html
*image courtesy of http://mmorpg.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/53114/game-addict_qjgenth.jpg