It seems fitting that the first detox center for gamers would open in Amsterdam, the most understanding city in the world for many with other addictions.
Those who can't leave their computers for days and weeks at a time can go to the Smith and Jones "Wild Horses Center" for detox, followed by group and individual therapy by psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in addiction.
Smith and Jones, addiction counselors, claim that up to 20% of gamers can develop dependency. They have seen it in players as young as 8 years old.
Addiction occurs when everything else in life, like relationships, jobs and self care, in order to satisfy the alcohol, drug, gambling, or gaming drive. While experts debate whether this is a real addiction, there is no doubt that thousands of gamers do it at every opportunity, and to many it is all they do with any free time, and what they live for. And die for...as reports start to come in of dedicated gamers dropping dead, probably as deep vein thromboses in their legs travel to their lungs as pulmonary emboli.
It seems that gaming , like others addictions, is an escape from the stresses of everyday life, and becomes a coping mechanism--a flawed one--for surviving in the world.
If you can't send your gamer to Amsterday, you can contact the On-Line Gamers Anonymous (OLGA and OLG-Anon for help.
Here's a story about software to help the user step away from the computer.
I wonder if they'll open a detox center for bloggers.
[Story via Ars Technica, Smith and Jones and Fark.com.]
[Illustration from OLGA]
Me: "Hello, my name is Fragile Industries and I'm a blogoholic." Chorus: "Hello, Fragile."
Anything, ANYTHING, can become dangerous if carried to extremes. Check this out:
http://games.slashdot.org/games/05/08/09/1628216.shtml?tid=10"
But really, I could stop any time I wanted to . . .
Posted by: fragile industries | July 19, 2006 at 03:04 PM
It's part of their job mostly, i guess it is still acceptable.
Posted by: krk realty | April 22, 2011 at 01:48 AM