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Computer games causing addiction?, the shocking truth revealed! (ya right)

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Deepone

Nov 17 2005, 09:15 PM

Post #1

The One Deep Down

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Posts: 1137
Joined: 12-May 04
From: Masala / Kirkkonummi / Finland
Member No.: 101

full story: here

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Excessive computer gaming has the hallmarks of addiction, suggests new experiments on "drug memory". The researchers argue it should be classified as such, enabling “addicts” to start seeking help.

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Grüsser and her colleague Ralf Thalemann wanted to see if computer game cues could also trigger similar “drug memories” in excessive computer gamers.

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They showed them a variety of visual cues and asked the volunteers to rate how they felt about the images. All had normal reactions to neutral images, such as chairs, and even to alcohol-related images, despite the fact that all the participants drank alcohol.

But excessive computer game players showed classic signs of craving when they were presented with freeze-frames from some of their favourite games – they desperately wanted to play, expected to feel better once they did, and fully intended to indulge again as soon as possible.

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"Computer games have a reinforcing quality, for sure," agrees John Westland, a social worker at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. "I don't think the comparison [to a drug of abuse] is a bad one," he says.

And while not everyone agrees that computer games have the addictive potential of drugs, or even gambling, groups such as Online Gamers Anonymous and EverQuest Widows are overflowing with stories of people so wrapped up in slaying monsters that for days they neglect to eat, wash or sleep.

The research was presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, in Washington DC, US.

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