Clinic Opens for Online Gaming Addiction

July 4, 2005 7:33 AM

In China, the first officially licensed clinic for Internet addiction has opened its doors and the majority of its patients are suffering from addiction to MMOGs. Most of the patients are youths between the ages of 14 and 24. Their obsessive habit would cause them to quit school, lose an abnormal amount of weight, and keep them awake and playing for over 12 hours a day.

"I wasn't normal," said a 20-year-old man from Beijing who used to spend at least 10 hours a day in front of the screen playing hack-and-slash games like Diablo. "In school I didn't pay attention when teachers were talking," he said. "All I could do was think about playing the next game. Playing made me happy, I forgot my problems."

While you would initially think this isn't a big problem, there's been a handful of gamers that have either killed themselves or murdered others because of situations that arose from the games they played. Treatment at the clinic is extremely expensive, two and half times the average weekly income of a city dweller, but there have been positive results.

Alec Matias

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Gandaman

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July 4, 2005 7:41 AM

This is so true. Everquest was like that for me. I would not pay attention at work, I would neglect my wife and children all in the name of getting respect and better gear. Very sad.
- Faluzure
  
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  July 4, 2005 8:36 AM
  
  That's why I don't want to play WoW. Because I saw how I was with FFXI. I did have a taste of WoW for the first time last night, I got to level 8. I am aching to go to the store to buy it. I think I'll try to hold off as much as I can.
  - Gandaman
    
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    July 4, 2005 8:59 AM
    
    I quit EQ cold turkey. I thought I could control my habit in EQ2, but I ended up quitting that in a few months after release for fear of restarting the cycle all over again. I play BF2 now. Not sure that's any better...
    - stycks
      
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      July 4, 2005 9:46 AM
      
      I played 6 months and suddenly said to myself "this game sucks" and just quit. it was wierd
      - pillzer
        
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        July 4, 2005 11:19 AM
        
        Same happen for me at DAOC. Except it lasted only six hours.
    - Wombat Woo
      
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      July 4, 2005 9:57 AM
      
      Hey, everybody needs a hobby. Just do what you enjoy. I hate how addictions to certain hobbies are "OK", like sports.
      
      Listening to the radio at work, watching TV at the bar, going home and watching more sports on TV and then going to games whenever possible. God forbid though that somebody plays video games during their free time.
      - yourGarbageMan
        
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        July 4, 2005 1:58 PM
        
        Addiction is now narrowly defined as "uncontrolled, compulsive use despite harm"; if there is no harm to the patient or another party, there is no addiction. <- from Wikipedia. So, if you're regularly skipping meals, not getting enough sleep etc. due to gaming, then you are treading in addiction territory, however, if you are taking care of yourself and your family otherwise then it's just a hobby.
      - starless
        
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        July 4, 2005 1:58 PM
        
        well put wombat
      - brewsterdog
        
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        July 4, 2005 4:06 PM
        
        denial is the first sign of addiction!
        
        starless
        
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        July 4, 2005 4:50 PM
        
        i thought that was a river in egypt!
        
        Ride-My-Rocket
        
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        July 4, 2005 5:22 PM
        
        I thought it was a stripper at Scores!
    - Barbarian
      
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      July 4, 2005 6:33 PM
      
      With the rank system, it is kind of like an MMORPG, except when you die you don't lose all your stuff.