Today's Dr. Phil tackles the 'virtual chaos' of game addiction

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 20th 2008 at 1:58PM }

Today's episode of Dr. Phil (check your local listings) will deal with game addiction. GamePolitics notes that guests on the show will include Liz Woolley, founder of Online Gamers Anonymous, whose son killed himself playing Everquest; Wendy Kaye, wife of SOCOM's lead designer; and several others.

Some of the people covered in today's show include a husband who ignores his whole family and a guy who is $24,000 in debt due to his addiction. Check out some clips of the show at the Dr. Phil website.

[Via GamePolitics]

Tags: dr-phil, drphil, game-addiction

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

KeenCommander @ Oct 20th 2008 2:03PM

Yeah, because in that case there's absolutely nothing wrong beyond the videogame...sure...

Mentally ill people are mentally ill. Picking out a target to place the blame on isn't going to help anyone.

offday @ Oct 20th 2008 2:35PM

Exactly. It's no different than what politicians do (republican or democrat, both sides do it). They blame these horrible, violent video games on school shootings. They can't blame crappy parents, because those crappy parents are electing them. So let's blame video games. Why? Because they can't vote.

Angel @ Oct 20th 2008 3:03PM

Im not happy that u got a new avatar :((!

Shagittarius @ Oct 20th 2008 3:08PM

Maybe that guy who ignores his family has a really boring family?

Maybe its his families fault for being so lame?

Arnie @ Oct 20th 2008 3:21PM

I am thinking the way it is different that the addiction is not entirely visible till it's too late. I mean the line between an addict and a hardcore gamer is pretty blurry.
I have never seen this show but if it does recognize the fact that it's different and help people recognize that they are addicted then it would be worth it.

Anticrawl @ Oct 20th 2008 4:19PM

Once upon a time there was this thing in the US called personal responsibility where people were responsible for their own actions alone. Sadly those days have passed thanks to excessively liberal government controlling our personal lives. You limit freedom then you limit responsiblity. If I kill someone while driving drunk they better treat me the same as some thug that stabs some poor bastard to death on a streeth corner.

gamabunta @ Oct 20th 2008 4:40PM

I'm sure they all ate food as well. Let's go after those grocery store bastards!

Ninja @ Oct 20th 2008 5:03PM

“The games were actually created for healthy individuals,” Wendy confirms. “The game designers who make them are healthy, and so they imagine that the players who are playing them have the same amount of self-control that they do.”

Did you guys even read the site? They weren't blaming the games, they were blaming the people who get obsessed. I'm always the first to jump on the media for being biased, but if they are actually being fair then it's completely uncalled for to start complaining about something you didn't even read.

BananaBoat @ Oct 20th 2008 5:13PM

People need to learn the difference between physical addiction and mental addiction. Physical addiction (for our purposes, we'll call it a "real addiction") is when you can't quit something without horrible vomiting, and other sickness. Mental addiction is when you are too big of a twat to just STOP DOING IT. For instance...Gambling. If you are losing your ass gambling, anyone in their right mind would STOP DOING IT. Unfortunately, there exists people without the mental fortitude to STOP DOING IT and thus we have highly paid uber twats trying to make it seem as if it were a real addiction.

If you are a kid, and you can't stop playing games (in excess) then your parents are responsible for taking the freaking games away. If you are an adult and you can't stop, then it is your own freaking responsibility to quit. You aren't addicted, you just don't really want to freaking stop.

People with mental health problems could get addicted to anything. Specifically focusing on video games, which are pretty harmless by themselves (add gambling, or sleep deprivation, and they get worse, but still they aren't lethal in 99.999999999% of situations) is pointless.

Alright, back to rocking back in forth in the corner until Little Big Planet finally comes out. I'm safe in the corner. You should join me.

Lars @ Oct 20th 2008 6:33PM

There is something that I do constantly, which is detrimental to my health and I don't like doing it. Yet I spend the majority of my waking hours at it because I need my fix. Some might say it's an addiction, others might say it's accepted practice because "everybody's doing it." I don't like it, I feel like I'm wasting my life away, it keeps me from my family, yet I keep doing it day after day, month after month, year after year.

So what is it? A job.

Phil @ Oct 21st 2008 6:45AM

@Ninja: You didn't see the episode, there were quite a few stabs at 'gamers' so to speak.

They had that one brief little inclusion of the guest at the end, pointing out it was people who have problems get addicted to the game and that the game is not addictive all its own.

But for the rest of the show, it was kinda mockery... And I qoute:

Dr.P: What is your in game avatar?
Guy: An elemental Shaman
Dr.P: That sounds about right
Audience: HA HA HA

(30 seconds later)

Dr.P: And your avatar is a female?
Guy: Yes
Dr.P: Why?
Guy: I just dislike the goofy appearance of the male toons, they look stupid
Dr.P: Right, let's not be stupid here
Audience: HAHAHA, LOL

They took one shmuck and a few other people who had addictions to online gaming and used it as a way to say video games were bad in general and covered there asses by having the guest who commented about the whole overall addiction issue at the end.

On top of that, he said that it was bad people were even playing more than 14 hours of video games a week. 14 hours... a week... That's 2 hours a day. omg, call the rehab clinic.

OH RIGHT, THEY CAN'T, IT'S NOT ACCEPTED AS AN ACTUAL ADDICTION!

This episode was just further proof of how much this show exploits people just as badly as crappy reality TV on any other network. And everyone here knows that a real gamer, eventually strives for something fresh in his gaming. These people addicted to these MMO's fail to see the similarity or get bored. It's more of an escape from problems for them, whereas it's either our job/hobby/interest/free time killer for us.

Vegnagun bwf @ Oct 20th 2008 2:06PM

Like most gamers, I'm a husband who ignores his family, while in 25,000 dollars debt (due to games), and my son killed himself because of Everquest. This show relates to me.

VicViper09 @ Oct 20th 2008 7:52PM

I hear ya bro.

Chin-Poh @ Oct 20th 2008 2:06PM

You had to pick an especially creepy picture of him didn't ya Joystiq, eeeep.

Obviously, it looks as though its mostly MMO RPGs that cause addiction, not really the other genres.

Vegnagun bwf @ Oct 20th 2008 2:35PM

I know! Every time I scroll past him I hear that "Eh-HeHeHe" laugh from "and pretty much everywhere, it's goin' to be hot" youtube video.

chispito @ Oct 20th 2008 9:26PM

My sister when to a taping and said that he's incredibly creepy in person because of all the makeup he wears. That picture is actually quite flattering, in comparison.

Justin @ Oct 20th 2008 2:09PM

Nobody said Dr. Phil was blaming the GAMES. Video game addiction is a problem. It's true that people who are addicted to games have an addictive personality, and might very well be easily addicted to other things, but because video games aren't dangerous, tackling video game addiction requires different tactics...

You can't deny that someone who is in $24k debt because of video games has a problem, and I am curious to see if anyone on the show BLAMES the games, but this article doesn't seem to make me think so.

Zertoss @ Oct 20th 2008 2:10PM

What, no chronic masturbation caused by video games?

Hyams @ Oct 20th 2008 2:15PM

The only Dr. Phil thing I've ever seen is when he treated a teenage girl for her addiction to Second Life. If memory serves, he treated her addiction as the cause of her problems, rather than as a symptom of other underlying problems.

He almost seemed to be under the impression that if she stopped playing Second Life, she'd suddenly become a regular socialite.

The entire thing struck me as stupid as ripping a walking-stick away from a cripple, and then telling them that they're cured.

Hyams @ Oct 20th 2008 2:16PM

Hmm, that wasn't meant to be a reply.

Silly me.

To make up for it:

your avatar causes chronic masturbation.

Mike @ Oct 20th 2008 2:18PM

I'm sure it would warrant more coverage if more people had avatar icons like yours. Creep.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Oct 20th 2008 2:37PM

I wonder if they're going to blame premature ejaculation on gaming.

Shagittarius @ Oct 20th 2008 3:10PM

"I think I hear some chronic masturbators coming.

*fap fap fap fap fap FAP FAP FAP FAP*"

Thats just Dr. Phils private helicopter coming in for a landing thanks to everyone being outraged and tuning in.

StrangeBum @ Oct 20th 2008 3:21PM

"Thats just Dr. Phils private helicopter"

Dude..Shaggi, you're a helicopter too?

Shagittarius @ Oct 20th 2008 3:25PM

Dr. Phil offered to pay me for my "helicopter" services but I declined and continue to do them for free because the sound it makes glancing off his bald head always cracks me up.

kaneda @ Oct 20th 2008 3:33PM

@ ThornedVenom

Are you referring to this?

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/premature-ejaculatures-might-be-better-at-games/

JCD @ Oct 20th 2008 4:39PM

Ironically, Zertoss, video game addiction is similar in cause and function as sexual addictions (including masturbating too much).

Its cold, but to understand you need to think about people as nothing more than DNA strands whose sole purpose is to reproduce. Sex = reproduction = win, so your brain is programmed to release endorphins at orgasm. Enter sexual addiction. As far as games go, your brain is programmed to reward winning at anything, because in a primal society the strongest get the most sexual access to those of the opposite gender. So beating people in halo (to your brain) = reproduction = endorphin time!

Unfortunately, those base portions of your brain can't be reprogrammed with the cold hard reality that you ain't gettin' laid because you have halo skillz. . .

Nate @ Oct 20th 2008 2:16PM

Video Game addiction is very real, as Justin pointed out. The APA is currently trying to define the exact definition of Video game addiction so that it may be added to the latest DSM and psychologist/psychiatrist can begin diagnosing and treating it while insurance companies can be billed for it. You can be addicted to anything and we all know that video game addiction is very real and very dangerous.

Kevin949 @ Oct 20th 2008 2:17PM

Games will get blamed, they always do for everything. ANY addiction is a problem, it doesn't matter what the content of the addiction is (unless it's rainbows). Plenty of people kill themselves (or get killed) over numerous other addictions, I don't see why this one is such a big topic. People have killed themselves over far less.

Obie @ Oct 20th 2008 2:17PM

I hate that guy, he is so self-righteous and pedantic.
And I heard he is not even a real doctor, I guess he got lucky with a cracker-jack box. ;)

DiggyStyle @ Oct 20th 2008 2:31PM

I agree; shallow and pedantic

Vegnagun bwf @ Oct 20th 2008 2:38PM

Mmm yes, shallow and pedantic.

Obie @ Oct 20th 2008 2:38PM

Oh and condescending too!

Twitch131 @ Oct 21st 2008 7:45AM

Indeed shallow and pedantic.

Jim Halpert DM @ Oct 20th 2008 2:19PM

I'm waiting for the episode where they tackle the problems associated with pretending to be an actual Dr.

Dr. @ Oct 20th 2008 2:41PM

Courtney @ Oct 21st 2008 12:41AM

I'm waiting for the episode where the address people who are addicted to watching crappy, pointless daytime tv programming.

Squeek @ Oct 20th 2008 2:22PM

Hey look!

Another reason to not watch Dr. Phil!

Erluti @ Oct 20th 2008 2:22PM

LOL @ the "uncensored" clip on his web page.
He says he can't figure out how to jump through fruit!

tpof78 @ Oct 20th 2008 2:27PM

Its real. do some research and check the symptoms. Then take a minute and check to see which ones you can relate to. Playstation nation is also a good book to check out. Very informative !! MMORPGs arent the only type, not even close. Take a look at COD4 or in the earlier days, socom (when it was good, not this new crap)lol. Don't be so narrow minded and take a step back and reflect. You'd be amazed in what you find out.