European game addiction clinic opens next month
by Jennie Lees 
{ Jun 1st 2006 at 7:55AM }
Smith & Jones, addiction consultants, have latched on to a goldmine -- an obsessive type of behaviour that has few treatment options, save their soon-to-be-opened treatment centre in the Netherlands. The behaviour? Gaming, of course.Their target is the gamer stereotype -- a socially awkward adolescent boy who spends 18 hours a day locked in his room pretending to shoot people. Their treatment? Get out more.
"You can't do a urine test to see that they're not still gaming. And 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."
Whether there are sufficient game addicts in Europe with the funds for expensive private treatment, we don't know. However, for those who are addicted to games, in whatever form, a new form of treatment may well be welcomed.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GunForHire @ Jun 1st 2006 8:10AM
Nothing like playing to stereotypes, huh?
Am I the only one who finds gamers being portrayed as sweaty little nerds offensive? I'm a gamer but I sure as hell don't spend all day playing games and I go out plenty too.
Then again, we all know that the average gamer is now in the their mid 20's, so this is just the usual stereotyping, as I said.
quezcatol @ Jun 1st 2006 8:42AM
I think many people exaggerate the dangerous of gaming and just want attention.
However before i trash this clinic i knew a guy who basically had his legs almost broken,cause they was so weak,he basically went from the bed to the computer each summer,now that's a guy who need this help,so we shouldn't bash it.
Scooby Doo @ Jun 1st 2006 9:05AM
I was once an 18-hour a day player back in the NES/SNES days. Then I moved out of the house and got a full time job. My gaming life has never been the same since.
Point being: Real Life+Work = Video Game Addiction Cure
nootau @ Jun 1st 2006 9:15AM
There are people who just have addictive personallities. Doesnt matter what they get into; sex, porn, drugs, internet or even video games. I am sure there are some people out there addicted to bowling. Children get introduced to gaming pretty early (as well as the internet) so those addictions could manifest quicker now adays...probably for the best. I'd rather find out my child had an addictive personallity through obsessive game playing than say....drugs.
The flip side is some people are just passionate about things they like (Their hobby). If a person likes to run, they join track, and run. They train and change their lives around the prospect of running. Music is another, Cars, Sports, Guns, Women...the list could go on.
Robert @ Jun 1st 2006 9:31AM
While this may seem a bit extreme for most of us, some people probably have enough of an "addiction" to warrant some intervention. Although I'm sure more than a few parents will think their children have a damaging addiction when it's just a healthy interest in the glory that is video games.
And the solution may be to educate the parents of chidren who are "at risk" so they can help their children instead of telling the children they have a problem.
Jonn @ Jun 1st 2006 9:36AM
I can quit any time I want to.
Doug the Aquacell Guy @ Jun 1st 2006 9:37AM
I'm not technically addicted yet but I'm hoping Xbox Live Arcade changes all that. I can spend a while on Pac-Man, Galaga, and Sonic. All in one place with persistent They Might Be Giants? Screw the clinic ;)
32_Footsteps @ Jun 1st 2006 9:46AM
I dunno, I think a spike in caffeine levels in the urine (since some of it does just pass through your system) along with a general increase in urination (mmm... diuretics) might be a sign of excessive gaming.
Of course, it's kind of humorous that after all this time, the proposed solution is still just echoing William Shatner's classic performance on Saturday Night Live.
J B Cougar @ Jun 1st 2006 9:49AM
As the former roommmate of someone who played WoW about 12 hours a day on average (after working as a teacher's assistant at a local high scool from 3 p.m. to past whenever I went to bed around 11), this is real. The kid literally wouldn't go out unless we (other roommate and I) cornered him. It was never "hang out with friends" it was more like "the server is being updated, so I have some time to kill"
It's really kind of pathetic. Virtual friends have replaced real ones, but he doesn't really care. That's too bad, because you could end the entire thing by cutting power to the apartment. Those aren't real friends or experiences by any stretch of the imagination. Jealous? Bitter I am? Talking like Yoda I might be? Not really, I manage to work a full time job, have flesh and blood friends and live with my girlfriend all in the same week. I'm not bragging, I'm just normal.
TeddyN @ Jun 1st 2006 10:15AM
To say I find that obnoxious is an understatement. I see this as an insult by some tycoon who has never played games himself; he merely hears of the stereotype and thinks 'hey! I could make money off of this!'.
I think what really puts this case into perspective is if we replace 'video game' with 'movie', 'book' or 'art'. People would be pretty incredulous if someone opened a clinic for those who 'read too many books' or just spend 'too much' time using their imaginations, and it should be no different for games.
I just can't get over the naivity of the assumptions being made; I'm an avid gamer, but I don't think that has any connection to whether I'm a big social networker. Even when away from my PC for long periods of time, I keep to a fairly small group of friends. This 'cure' abides by a strict definition of 'normality' as someone who goes out on saturday night to party and who engages in 'typical' activities with 'friends' (who, apparently, can only exist if you talk to them face to face).
If people are neglecting responsiblities, such as to their children, then I can concede that there is a problem. The Korean couple whos baby died in their absence during an extended WoW session provide an example. But can we not look beyond simple blame of computer games as some kind of infectious disease? Children sometimes, tragically, die due to the groce negligence of the parents; but there is a wide variety of causes which can precipitate terrible errors on the part of people who may not be ready for the task they are faced with; parenting is an excellent example.
I'm sadened when something like this shows up, as it reminds me just how far away we are from mainstream understanding of the cultural phenomenon that is gaming.
bladestar @ Jun 1st 2006 10:40AM
I will enroll to this clinic with only one condition.
That I'm allowed to bring my XBox 360, PSP, PS2, GC, GB DS and my laptop (I need my daily joystiq.com dose).
benjamin @ Jun 1st 2006 10:49AM
There is no need for clinics like these, whatsoever. Outpatient psychiatric clinics treat all kinds of psychiatric disorders including addictions of every type. Videogame addictions are no different from any other type of obsession and would be treated in the same way.
This clinic is trying to create a market where there is no need. It would be tantamount to having a special Alcoholics Anonymous group dedicated to only those addicted to vodka or Samuel Adams.
Moogle @ Jun 1st 2006 11:05AM
I don't see this as necessarily being insulting to gamers. I guess (hope) it just caters to a specific market of people who have trouble getting out and might need some help.
I personally don't have a handle on initiating socializing behavior with friends in the working world. I'm still used to college where it didn't take any effort. I don't need a clinic, but I can imagine there are a lot of people with a more serious case, who would like to do something other than gaming but just don't know where to start, so they just follow their habits and start up WoW again.
Of course, everyone's worst fears might be true and it's a stereotype camp for parents to send to because they don't understand them. It just isn't the only possibility. I'm an optimist, so I'm assuming it's a good thing. :)
Moogle @ Jun 1st 2006 11:26AM
benjamin - Good post.
I think I see an advantage in the game clinic however where there wouldn't be for other addicts. If you throw a bunch of alcoholics together and tell them to socialize without supervision, they'll just go drinking.
If you throw a bunch of gamers together, they have something in common that they can talk about. If they can have a face to face conversation and enjoy it, they can get accustomed to talking to people and become more comfortable with people in general.
I don't think the danger of them regressing is nearly as great as an alcoholic, so the clinic might be just what some people need.
martin @ Jun 1st 2006 12:02PM
I don't have a game addiction. I do have a gaming news addiction, especially a joystiq addiction. Ever since the star system it has gotten worse!
benjamin @ Jun 1st 2006 12:45PM
Moogle,
I see what you're getting at, however, the underlying cause is what has to be treated. Treating game addiction as a separate disorder addresses the symptoms but not the cause of the symptoms.
One point I'd like to make: alcoholism is not a fair comparison because the ETOH becomes a physiological dependency. When you take it away suddenly the withdrawl symptoms can cause convulsions and even more serious, even life-threatening problems. That makes admission as an in-patient necessary for anyone in acute withdrawl. That's not the case with a gaming addiction. Someone with a dramatic obsessive-compulsive disorder addicted to gaming might present with real, physical symptoms but in that case they'd be admitted to a psychiatry unit, in a hospital or other mental facility anyway. The OCD would be treated there, not the gaming, which is simply a symptom of the OCD.
What you're talking about, Moogle, sounds more like a support group. I agree fully with the benefit of something like that. Somewhere where an addicted gamer could meet people in real life, etc. However, what this clinic is trying to do is establish an INPATIENT CLINIC where you'd be admitted to a room and medicated, etc.
That, to me, (as one with some degree of experience working in inpatient psychiatry hospitals), sounds like they are either trying to play off recent media coverage to create a fad or to scare parents by drawing unfair comparisons in an attempt to create a new market.
Austin @ Jun 1st 2006 1:09PM
Scooby I might have to disagree with your math there, as any addict in there 20's can tell you.
Real Life+Work=financing of your addiction.
There is nothing like the look of a $4,000 worth of electronics siting on an entertainment center made of cinder blocks and 2X4's
kyou @ Jun 1st 2006 1:57PM
I've been a gamer all my life. Since I was about 4 I guess. Anyways, in junior high school I was very sociable. I still did game a lot but I went out almost every day with my friends. Though, something was not quite right. I was BORED. People bored me, parties bored me, getting high or drunk bored me. Finally in high school I understood; gaming, anime, movies, reading and my girlfriend are the only things that keep me entertained. I don't need to go out more. There's nothing for me to gain there. What I need is more videogames and more gamer friends.
And well... about the WoW addiction. That's a completely different story. Gaming in general does not require you to play at a certain already scheduled time. And once you've gathered all your gear and friends it's really hard to let go. I'm proud to say I'm a clean man. After one year of WoW my roomie and I decided to quit to play other games. WoW was even taking my gaming time from other games.
Sadly my other roomie is still a WoWaddict. No matter how much I try to introduce him to new games or get him to do other things... he just can't. After one year of gaming, trust me, WoW feels like work. It's more about responsibilities and obsession than fun. So yeah... maybe a WoWaddict (or other mmo) clinic would be cool.
Scooby Doo @ Jun 1st 2006 2:33PM
Austin...well I was trying to be a little facetious with that remark, but Blogs don't emote very well. However I'm not talking about the money aspect, it's the dwindling of free time that seems to kill most of us older folks from gaming like we used to.
I spend lots and LOTS of money on my video games. I even bought a $1500 PC in February just so I could play TES:Oblivion. I've purchased over 150 new games in the span of a year. However 90% of those games were played for about 5 minutes and never touched again. A couple were purchased and still sit in their shrinkwrap. (It doesn't help that my favorite genre is RPG's).
So I still stick by my statement. If the majority of the patients at this clinic are the stereo-typical, young teenage gamers spending 18 hours playing video games...a job, a girlfriend/boyfriend, and a money pit(read: house or car), would cure 99% of them without forcing some poor kid to go through 'therapy'.
Whatever happened to the good ol' days where we were all expected to just suck it up and behave like normal people or get shunned as some freak? I swear the Psychiatric community must come up with a new disorder daily.
Andir @ Jun 1st 2006 5:26PM
"You can't do a urine test to see that they're not still gaming."
But couldn't you check for excessive amounts of Mountain Dew and Cheetos?
N @ Jun 1st 2006 6:32PM
Austin Austin Austin.... you got it all wrong, man. I got the 4000 dollars worth of electronics sitting on the desk made of LEGOS. Not Cinderblocks! I'm a geek, not a carpenter. sheesh!
alex @ Aug 9th 2006 1:39AM
I personaly have been a gamer since i was about 5.... and well i do depend on it alot to get me through a bad day or even a week but i dont sit on them all day.
if i sit down and play x box its only for 4-6 hoiurs and usualy its with friend.
i can tell you through personaly feelings that i am seeing an addiction and that i need some of your opinions on how to cure my self of it
i fear that i keep sliping into depression and may become suisidal... searously
plz i need some ways on how to quit
email me and giveme ur honest opinion
my e-mail is: asulaima1839@oakton.edu
thank you very much.