Kick your WoW habit with ReSTART clinic
by Justin McElroy 
{ Sep 7th 2009 at 9:35AM } 
"We've been doing this for years on an outpatient basis," Hilarie Cash, the center's director, told the AP. "Up until now, we had no place to send them."
Of course, if you want to kick your WoW addiction for just a little bit less cash, the serious professionals of the Joystiq Internet Rehabilitation Clinic Staffed By Serious Professionals have some fine replacement therapies to recommend.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Clinton @ Sep 7th 2009 9:41AM
yea switch wow for crack and your life will get THAT much better
fiendishdrwu @ Sep 7th 2009 9:42AM
Vendoring all your items and deleting the character is alot cheaper.
Juande [Xylon Uxkid] @ Sep 7th 2009 9:42AM
ReSTART...I see what you did there...But now seriously, 14k to help someones addiction, thats kind of expensive, with those 14k you can buy years and years of WoW subscriptions and be the happiest person on Earth.
redlinkj @ Sep 7th 2009 1:12PM
Doing the math, you'd break even if you played Wow for 78 years. Hum...
Ghen @ Sep 7th 2009 9:47AM
Chemistry, so you can start your own meth lab ROFL.
Rock Fistpump @ Sep 7th 2009 9:51AM
I can honestly see how this can be a problem for people, and I'm happy it's becoming a bit more of a serious topic- but the price isn't going to entice anyone to enroll I think.
Sometimes though... I wonder how messed up a person has to be to become addicted to a game. There has to be more factors than just it being fun- there's probably a history of parental neglect, abuse, what have you, and I actually think some organizations like these will help.
Video games: serious business.
Hydrophobicfish (PSN: HydrophobicFish) @ Sep 7th 2009 10:01AM
Yeah, often times there's more at play with addiction than just the "victim" and the addictive entity.
However, sometimes people just simply don't want to face reality. Honestly, my opinion is that addictions start because people are bored with the world, and then it snowballs way out of control.
The Dark Wayne @ Sep 7th 2009 11:10AM
i dont know, if those are the underlying causes, it seems to me like it would be more cost effective and just plain effective to get a one on one therapist. These sorts of clinics sound like they treat game addiction like a physical addiction but even if it's not quite that way, i doubt they treat the underlying causes
tannerdanger @ Sep 7th 2009 7:13PM
They do actually address the underlying issue that causes the problem. And they try to get the patients life back to the way it was...for example a patient that is currently enrolled there used to really enjoy cross country running and the coach takes him running through the tons of trails they have near by. I personally know theyre doing a really good thing and are doing it will. This is a problem that is alot worse then people realize. There are literally kids who havent left their home in a year. I was speaking with one of the coaches before she got the idea to start this clinic, when she was just a "life coach" and she worked with a kid who literally hadn't left home in 2 years and just played wow. He had a nervous breakdown when he had to leave finally. Its alot bigger of an issue then people realize
Triscuit @ Sep 7th 2009 10:08AM
The ironic part: this place is located right next to Microsoft HQ. Talk about serious competition.
silverwolf761 @ Sep 7th 2009 10:12AM
The easiest way to quit WoW is to log into each of your characters, type '/played' and add up the time displayed for each character. This is how much time you've wasted playing WoW. This doesn't factor in any characters you may have deleted, but for someone who might consider themselves addicted, it might be enough of a perspective to say "maybe I should stop this. At least for a while"
Help me! @ Sep 8th 2009 12:44PM
The easiest way to quit WoW is to log on, play it for an hour, realize you've played the crap out of all the content in the game, and take a break until they release some more
Ethan @ Sep 7th 2009 10:14AM
Move to China and make a political blog. That's pretty effective Internet rehab.
Misfit Toy @ Sep 7th 2009 10:17AM
I can't imagine being addicted to a game so bad that I'd consider laying down $14k.
WoW is fun and all...but there are other things in life. What these people need is a distraction from their online virtual lives. There's only so much of the same game that can be enjoyed before it becomes a duty or an obligation.
MechaGamerX @ Sep 7th 2009 10:20AM
Tried to me me go to rehab, I say no, no no.
Besides, I have a raid tonight.
epsilon343 @ Sep 7th 2009 10:40AM
Easiest way to quit is to just sell your character. Basically you lose access to the entire account so if you ever get the urge to come back and play you have to start from scratch *and* buy all the expansions.
I occasionally get the urge to play whenever I'm bored but I'm not going to drop all that cash just to get on for a few hours. Problem solved!
Ashkental @ Sep 7th 2009 10:46AM
I've kicked my own addiction to this game by myself...
You just have to realize how dull, stupid, waste of time and money it is...
I've never played an MMO since... fuck MMOs, i've discovered Console Gaming...
Much better, you don't get addicted, the game ends, the multiplayer is not addicting (cuse it's the same thing over and over, not saying it's not fun and all) AND you can play with your friends too...
MRLN the Amazing @ Sep 7th 2009 1:22PM
If I could +100 you, I would.
Saihna @ Sep 7th 2009 5:57PM
Actually there are a few addictive console games, my (younger) brother is addicted to Halo 3, he plays usually 6 hours a day and NEVER shuts up. He's been doing for about a year now. -__-''
Ethan @ Sep 7th 2009 10:55AM
I've started using WoW patches, but they didn't stop me playing, but I am more balanced and stable when playing now.
The Dark Wayne @ Sep 7th 2009 11:10AM
http://instantrimshot.com/
The Dark Wayne @ Sep 7th 2009 11:07AM
Oh my God, that cocaine energy drink is the most vile, acidic and awful tasting thing ive ever drank. Id rather get nasal reconstruction surgery as a result of years of cocaine use than drink that shit again
Thief @ Sep 7th 2009 11:09AM
I'd rather get addicted to a videogame than spend $14,000 for some old bag to nag at me to stop.
Stevetrop @ Sep 7th 2009 12:41PM
Seriously. Shit for 14k you'd mind as well keep playing the game and having a good time. I could understand if this clinic would help you stop your WoW addiction for maybe 200 at the most but 14,000 is some serious cash right there.
Enosoma @ Sep 7th 2009 11:25AM
I enjoyed WoW, but I don't understand how one could be addicted.
I played on and off for a few years, and haven't played in like... a year or so.
I realized that I was doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, so I got another game that I could do that with, that didn't cost $15 a month. Tetris.
Sidebuster @ Sep 7th 2009 11:27AM
with $14,000 I can build a fucking recording studio and a sweet custom shop amp/ guitar.
Rhamsey @ Sep 7th 2009 11:28AM
With $14,000 dollars I could get a whole lot of hookers. The good ones too.
Sidebuster @ Sep 7th 2009 11:30AM
Hey, bring'em down the the recording studio and we can have ourselves a time and maybe even resurrect Jimi from the grave and make him fight Nickleback in a cage match to the death! All with 14,000 dollars.
Kinsey @ Sep 7th 2009 11:43AM
It's cheaper just to play WoW for the rest of your life!
Andrew @ Sep 7th 2009 12:49PM
From an ex-Wow player:
I'll help you quit for $10: I'll come to your house, wipe the game from your HD, break your discs, and install parental controls on your computer that will stop you from visiting WoW sites. For $20 more, I'll install Team Fortress 2 on your computer. Problem solved.
Me @ Sep 7th 2009 1:15PM
Blizzard recently made it so you can change your the faction of ONE character for $30. They're not charging that much because it's a reasonable price for one virtual character. They're charging that much because they can and people will buy it. Just like how drug dealer charge high prices for drugs because they can and people will buy it. Blizzard is looking more like a drug dealer everyday. XD
Lurkero @ Sep 7th 2009 1:23PM
That's over $311 a day!
How about you uninstall and get a job. That'd be much more useful, especially for parents to do.
yaja @ Sep 7th 2009 1:27PM
I'm not going to get into the "can a game be addictive" argument. People on either side of the argument need to do some research before spouting their misguided opinion.
The simple fact is if ANY activity in your life (gaming or whatever) comes to the point where it's negatively affecting your health, your family, your work or school life, then it might be time to rethink that activity. If it doesn't negatively affect other areas of your life, a 5hr (or whatever) a day "habit" that only costs $15/month, trust me, there are MANY MANY MANY worse things you could be doing with your time and money.
People that actually want to quit, deleting your characters, selling your account, destroying your disks, all that will do SQUAT. It takes one phonecall to get back deleted characters. It takes about 3 clicks to redownload the game. It takes about 3 clicks to reset a "sold" account (even if the info has been changed).
If you want to quit, find something else to do with the time where you normally would be playing. There, I just saved you $14k and told you a method that is almost 100% effective. Almost everyone I've ever talked to who quit and then went back went back because they were simply bored during the time when they would normally be playing. It can be a lot harder than it sounds to find something else to do, but yeah, $14k saved.
Markers1713 @ Sep 7th 2009 1:42PM
Pretty sad this sort of thing happens, don't you think?
Anarchistpuppy @ Sep 7th 2009 2:19PM
If you really want to kick your WOW habit try Aion! Way better! More fun! You'll leave WOW behind in no time!
Rastley @ Sep 7th 2009 2:42PM
If you want to kick a habit, man the F*** UP. Why, I managed to quit wow THREE times already! How's that for... erm...
Deterrence @ Sep 7th 2009 2:52PM
Yea I think this is my fourth time trying to quit. I've been clean since April and I get urges once in a while, but I'm feeling really good about this time. All you really need is self-control. Don't pay 14k for something as absurd as quitting a game.
Arkanaloth @ Sep 8th 2009 10:09AM
well the easiest way to kick a "wow habit" is to just stop playing... Online gaming is fun since you know the friends you make online have at least one common interest. My MMO gaming certainly didn't start with WoW and it's not ending with it either (come on FF14 and GuildWars2), however, nothing makes me want to fire up my game of choice more than wandering about in the real world hearing people talk about how gamers have no life, then these same people go home and sit down in front of a TV for 3+ hours on end. At least games are interactive.
Bugaloo @ Oct 3rd 2009 1:37AM
I won't have to pay $14,000 for World of Warcraft rehab because of the price just purchasing the game and the expansion packs are too expensive to start with then add in the monthly fee LOL just no thank you.