WoW Obsessions Now Treated at Addiction Retreat
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pixiestixy on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 - 22 Comments Tags: RL, addiction, article, balancing act, crack cocaine, internet retreat, media, mmorpg, obsession, priorities, real life, real world, scapegoat, society, south park, study, the guild, the telegraph, youth care foundation
pixiestixy on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 - 22 Comments Tags: RL, addiction, article, balancing act, crack cocaine, internet retreat, media, mmorpg, obsession, priorities, real life, real world, scapegoat, society, south park, study, the guild, the telegraph, youth care foundation 
Sure, I've made plenty of jokes in the past about being addicted to WoW. Heck, I've even written a couple of blog posts on the topic, and we've seen the issue poked fun at in "South Park" and "The Guild." But I still was taken a bit by surprise when I recently learned that addiction therapists are making their way into WoW - actually creating characters themselves in an attempt to reach out to those who believe WoW is more than just a game.According to an article in the Telegraph, internet experts say that MMORPGs such as WoW are "are as addictive as crack cocaine." Really?
In the article, psychiatrist Dr. Richard Graham says that addicts play up to 16 hours a day, and in the process neglect their social lives and educational priorities. Something that I think many of us bloggers here at Project Lore promote is the fact that the real world always should have priority over WoW (even when we would rather be playing!). And I am certain that there are people, as there are in any sub-culture, who have trouble distinguishing between the real world and the game. And those people may need psychiatric help. Or they may just need to get off their asses.
Regardless, the majority of players do not have this issue. So being a gamer, I am troubled by the report quoted in the article, by Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation, which describes World of Warcraft as “more addictive than crack cocaine.”
The idea of helping those with addictions certainly is a noble one. I'm just not sure whether WoW should be a targeted demographic for this when the rate of those who actually are "addicted" has got to be incredibly low.
The Telegraph followed up their first article with another published last month stating that a 19-year-old man is the first to sign up for a 12-step treatment at the reStart Internet Addiction Recovery Program, in Washington state.
The cost for a typical 45-day residential stay? $14,500 (£8,800).
The retreat consists of activities such as camping and "wilderness adventures" - basically anything sans-technology. A psychotherapist said the institute was for quitting "cold turkey."
According to the article, "the retreat is also open to outpatients seeking respite from an overreliance on joysticks, internet pornography and spending days on end staring at a computer screen." Most clients are expected to be men between ages 18 and 28.
Here's one of my beefs: by comparing WoW's addictiveness to that of illegal drugs, it sounds a lot like the game is somewhat of a scapegoat for those who lose themselves in the game. Next thing we know, the game could be blamed for any violent act by some crazed person who happens to play the game. This is nothing new. In the past, the "evils" of Grand Theft Auto, FPS games, Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons were blamed for society's issues. Before that, it was Rock 'n' Roll. Let's hope that WoW isn't the next up to bat.Blizzard was "unavailable for comment" in both articles. But I bet they're keeping a close eye on whatever publicity comes along from these initiatives. Sounds like a PR nightmare.
As for me, I'll continue to post about those irresistible aspects of gameplay that make me "addicted." Not because I actually think I'm an addict. But instead, because I'll admit that WoW is a damn good game that makes people want to play - not need to play. It takes a certain disregard for society or RL socializing in the first place (not cyber-snorting lines) for it to go anywhere beyond that.
Reader Comments (22)
First!!!!!
Good post!It will inform those who haven't a life yet, to get one.
Yeah...I remember the time when CS: 1.6 and later CS:S were about to be forbiden here in Brazil.
The reason for all this is as simple as any other: the society needs something to put the blame on. Yep, kids that live in poor conditions don't kill because their future has nothing to offer, they have no life perspectives and objectives. They kill because they play a FPS game that simulates the action of an anti-terrorism team, and the terrorists themselves. And this allied to drugs is a freaking bomb...this is what they say.
I mean, c'mon! As you said, they tried to do it with GTA, FPS games (CS, Duke n' Nuke), Carmaggedon...there's always the excuse "games lead to addiction that leads to drugs that lead to deaths". There was an episode that I remember pretty well, when a rich guy entered a movie theater with a gun and shoot randomly. After that, what he said? That he was using drugs? That there was someone there that he disliked? That he had depression or any other emotional disorder? No, he said that he did that cuz' he was pleying Duke n' Nuke, and wanted it to be real. One stupid guy made the gaming scene in here become something like a "crazy killer factory".
That just makes me sad...and makes people who dislikes videogames to look at gamers as if we were nuts, even if you're the most casual player of your guild or else.
I would like to know if BLizzard even know they where being contacted. I have found some articles try to mislead you into thinking that a business was unavailable for an interview when they where never contacted.
Everone need a scapegoat, because in real life everyone is perfect and they never make mistakes.
For me, I can interchangibly be Hardcore//Casual.
Im still in school. When School starts up, I usually limit my playtime to about 20hrs a week.
During Summer, Im usually allowed to play as much as I want, as long as Im outside for an hour at least and remember to eat Breakfast//Lunch//Dinner, hehe
But, with the approaching Cataclysm, and the confirmation of Worgen, I am awaiting Faction Change to begin my 3 step transformation.
I've given up on gearing my toon, as I'll end up lvling a Worgen from lvl 1 and up. Im currently just stockpiling gold till the day comes. By then...Ill probably be at gold cap 0_o.
I have no intent on grinding for Heirlooms (therefore my playtime also goes down) Why? I really have no problem with them. But, Blizzard is revamping the World. I would feel as if Im cheating them if I decked out my Worgen with Heirlooms and lvld 20% faster through their revamps
I think the best thing we can do in these situations is take it in our stride; prove to the masses that, even for gamers, life goes on.
Find me a so-called addicted gamer who playes 16 hours a day, 7 days a week and I will show you someone in dire need of a bath, has no life, friend or family, and who will die along in his or her basement or room while being melded to their seat.
As with all demographics of society there will always be a faction that fits a certain pre-conceived notion of some "enlightened" few (I put in quotation since we all know they are really delusional with their own beliefs).
Does this mean that all 15 million of us gamers out there on WoW are addicted because a few people say so? Hardly. We are drawn into the game by the lore, the comraderie, the amazing graphics, the haunting music, the cracks at pop-culture.
The same can be said about any of the dozen or so well created and rendered games out there. There are no subliminal messages to keep us (that we know of), there are no real life consumables to hook us.
These games may alter our perceptions, mostly of time, but the brain chemistry remains largely the same. So-called recreational drugs alter the brain chemistry, replacing them so a person becomes dependant. No one has become dependant on WoW since it does not fulfill a human's basic needs of food or water.
This is a long rant, but it is to argue the point against being addicted to the game. Like pixie said, games and WoW have become the new "evil" to blame all of societies woes on. Rock'n Roll was said to destroy families and lead to delinquency. GTA was and still is being blamed for the violence in kids and teens.
Find me concrete, 100%, irrefutable proof that WoW is an addictive game that is detrimental to one's health, and I'll delete the game from my comp.
Why is it if you play WoW 16 hours a day you are addicted? But when you play the piano 16 hours a day you are gifted.
One person doesn't represent a demographic. Yes, maybe some WoW players can go for 5-6 hours a few nights out of the week in raid, but really, how is it different than watching TV all afternoon? More people lay on their asses watching TV then playing WoW. Who is to say that the people watching TV for more than 3 hours a day aren't "addicted"?
Secondly, World of Warcraft is a game. If someone becomes so sucked in that they can't perceive reality, than they most likely have their own issues even before they booted up their computers. If WoW becomes someone's reality, It's because they don't have one of their own.
On the same note as Jis, why is it that other "addictions" with similar hours and absorption are never considered BAD things? I have yet to hear of a SINGLE case where someone was called "addicted to sports" or a "sports addict" in a bad way. But as soon as it's a video game, "OH MAI GAWD ADDICTED YOU HAVE A PROBLEM"
i say take care of the distructiv addictions first
playing wow 16 hours a day doesnt kill IRL unlike cocaine heroine
wow= as bad as cocaine
vhs= the end of theater as we know it
dvd=another end to theater as we know it
cd's= an end to the radio
? did i miss anything...
the thing that is most retarted is people will sit infront of a T.V. for what? 12 fucking hours of the day..but if its on the computer there like "OH LOWDY LOWDY YOUR ADDICTED!"
No addiction here.
SNOOOOOOORT!!!
phew...
If you don't play wow 12 hours a day you watch tv 12 hours a day -.-
At least on Wow you talk with ppl :)
my life sucks, all i do is play wow, go to school, and get drunk on the weekends.... damn my life rocks!
Dont they have better things to do maybe try helping someone that might hurt someone else i realy cant see a wow crazy killing someone in real life apart if they see wayne rooney and think hes an orc apart from that they proably harmless
I have to agree, these psychologists and whatnot are totally off their rocker. I'll admit, I've been in situations where I'd rather be home playing, or I've signed up for a raid with my guild and I'm racing to finish things before the invite time, but I don't get the shakes or go crazy when I can't or don't play WoW, or any of my other favored games. There's plenty people can do, and do anyway, besides play on a computer/console for hours. Read a book, draw something, work out, go play with your pet or hang out with some friends! People who can't do even those things and sit in a corner while their internet is down or their server's down need to seriously GET A LIFE.
You say you are not adicted but I wonder how you measure your level of non-adictiveness. :)
I see my guild doing 6 raids / week + extra 10 men runs during late night. They are online in the morning, afternoon and evening. Most are over 20yo and some have kids. They live in high-end countries where governments pay lots of social help so you can stay at home. They rather do that than go to job or do other interesting outdoor activity.
Maybe it does not look like drogs adictivness but sure sunds like being insane.
Ok, somewhere in the posts above someone (Undone I think) metioned that preferring to play WoW over going to work or being outside sounds insane. Then count me in that group.... I would MUCH rather be playing WoW than go to work. Hell, there are times I play WoW instead of going to sleep. However I have no problem with dropping WoW for a week, a month, 3 months, or more. I have done it in the past and I guarantee it will happen in the future.
My point is, Just because some one would rather play WoW than do something else does not make them crazy. If I were to prefer to play sports than go to work or sleep everyone would see that as a gung-ho personality. I personally don't see the difference.
/end rant
I agree with the above poster. Just because you prefer to play WoW than work or go to school, doesn't make you an addict. Most people would rather have fun than work.
So can an Alchemist make me a vial of methadone?