you can be addicted to anything

@xabrias

Жыл бұрын

Facts

@quatreraberbawinner2628

Жыл бұрын

Yes I have an addictive personality, but most people can properly balance their video game consumption

@jackwatson4659

Жыл бұрын

Video is more about why and if it should be classified as its own separate disorder (Internet Gaming Disorder) rather than placing it under the umbrella of addiction.

@axkevin

Жыл бұрын

Was going to comment the same thing 😅

@SunIsLost

Жыл бұрын

We all have addictions to certain things.

Once it starts negatively affect your life like skipping work, skipping sleep which makes you miss school/work and other important activities and negatively affect your social life, it’s considered an addiction that should be taken seriously medically

@seanjw12345

Жыл бұрын

Yes

@Brekner

Жыл бұрын

Well I do skip on sleep to play games and watch anime, because I'm conscious that life is short, and more importantly, things on the planet are going badly. Soon enough they're gonna regulate the use of electricity, probably shutting it down during the nights and then even worse. That's what's happening in the EU right now...so yeah, it's one of the hobbies that isn't going to be available forever, so anyone with a brain should enjoy their lives as much as possible while they still can.

@gurukutungumokotochongo8057

Жыл бұрын

@@Brekner very well said

@tonito_el_tigre

Жыл бұрын

Medically? No. What brekner said..

@thedreflacko

Жыл бұрын

I'm addicted to working 80hrs a week and making $

Fun fact - you can be addicted to almost anything, and addiction is usually an indicator of deeper problems.

@michael2592

Жыл бұрын

Yep gaming for addicts fulfills a certain thing and if you identify it you can quit easier

Gaming "addiction" is a symptom and not a disease in itself. I'd be curious to see the percentage of gaming "addicts" who also suffers from depression and/or anxiety as well, I'd wager the number is pretty staggering. Certainly how it was for me during my "addiction" days a decade ago. It went away as soon as a got help for these other problems.

@ytm23ak

Жыл бұрын

This is a misconception actually. There is a high correlation of depression and unhealthy coping with trauma that leads to addiction (the dopamine response being one piece of that). but there are also a high number of people that are perfectly normal that fall into addiction due to genetic predispositions or simply the high addictive power of the drug/game/activity. This isn’t to discredit your own or other depressed peoples experience but it is not just a ‘symptom’, it can and does exist outside of people suffering from depression.

@bingbashbosh1

Жыл бұрын

As someone who has a traumatic past and emotional issues, I agree entirely. Videogames were my escape; a save room in a sense. Life couldn't hurt me anymore if I glued myself to the TV for hours.

@PLAYER_42069

Жыл бұрын

This is false. An addiction is and can be a disease without any other external emotional or psychological factors. Someone being genetically predisposed to a gambling addiction can become addicted without being depressed, or suffer from anxiety, etc. In fact, it's the high of winning that often triggers the addictive behavior they can't control... The exact opposite of being depressed (it's technically a state of mania).

@jonathanabgrall6075

Жыл бұрын

@@PLAYER_42069 One of the psychologist in the video literally touches on how equating video game addiction to gambling addiction is the wrong way to go about it. Besides i never said its true for all gaming addicts. I'm just theorizing that its very likely that there's a heavy correlation for a lot of these cases.

@michael2592

Жыл бұрын

@@jonathanabgrall6075 for me personally I'm happy in all aspects of life but I have trouble with video games so all aspects but 1

It's not a disorder, it's a hobby. Can people go too far with it and have it detrimentally impact their life? Yes, but that's the same with every hobby. I have a friend who's really into astronomy. She got fired from 2 separate jobs because she called in sick multiple times so she could go camping outside of the city to get a better view of the sky. She had to borrow money from her parents just to pay rent and buy groceries because she spent all of her money buying a ludicrously expensive telescope that she didn't need. Should we make a separate category for "star-gazing disorder"? My uncles marriage fell apart and he lost custody of his kids because he'd spend all day fishing instead of working and spending time with his family. Should "fishing disorder" be a thing? This is ridiculous.

@culombia1363

Жыл бұрын

I play the games all the time and I feel fine

@Arowana95

Жыл бұрын

I completely agree with you..

I’d like this addiction back. Recently there haven’t been a lot of games I’d actually want to play. Hideki Kamiya is not putting those out fast enough, sadly.

@xXRealXx

Жыл бұрын

but there are games that are infinitely replayable (Minecraft, modded Minecraft, Modded S.T.A.L.K.E.R., multiplayer games and a whole lot of others). Oh and just looking at my steam library I have so many video games that I would probably need multiple lifetimes to just play through them once. Does this apply to you? Maybe check out your unplayed games. Or replay your old favorites

It’s only addicting if you don’t know the word “moderation”. I’m a gamer, but it’s not my whole life. I’ve got a job, I pay bills, and I exercise

@michael2592

Жыл бұрын

For you moderation is possible but there are others who can't. Take drinking and gambling as an example

You can also be addicted to Netflix or any other forms of entertainment. The only thing that makes games “different” is that is still stigmatized as a super lazy activity

I would say any hobby ever has people who are addicted to it. Only reason gaming is being spot lighted is cuz there's a lot of people who hate it for no good reasons or dont understand games

The addiction wears out as you grow older. By the age of 30, it is paramount to stay physically active even if it is for simpler walks. Yes, you will feel tired but it improves your state of mind. You might not want to jump back right in after, you can do it at your own pace. There was a time I could do 8 hours in a gaming session, but now, that has been reduced to 3-5 hours because of other life commitments.

@Arowana95

Жыл бұрын

I disagree. It completely depends on your personality and living conditions.

I was addicted to gaming when I was young. I'd go out with my grandparents they would take me on steam trains and all I'd say is "can I go home and play PlayStation now", my grandad has passed away since then although I do have other grandparents. that was the only thing I thought about when I was young. I'm 22 now and I still game but no where near as much, now it's not an addiction for me because I can sit down and look out the window and see what I'm missing so I turn it off and go for a walk. I've discovered so much more as an adult but I think I can now admit that growing up I most certainly was addicted to video games. I'd game till my eyes were red it was that bad. I actually love exploring forests, creepy looking places or just going for a nice walk. Yes my future children can play video games but I don't want them to be addicted like I was

@nykreturns3216

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your story! I love gaming but there is definitely a balance that we should be aware of so we don’t miss out on a lot of opportunities that life brings whether it’s relationships with family and friends or other hobbies that we can ultimately fall in love with as well. Hopefully you share your wisdom on to your future kids because unfortunately I think it’s going to be even worse for them as gaming is becoming more advanced in bringing that real-life experience and the type of marketing strategy they’ll be using to exploit young kids (cough cough fortnite)

@jackhicks1765

Жыл бұрын

Calling bs

@haunteddreams7856

Жыл бұрын

@@jackhicks1765 how is it bs that a child can get addicted to video games I "call" BS that you can't actually be that dumb to think something so simple can happen

@tonito_el_tigre

Жыл бұрын

That’s not addicted, that’s called being a kid and wanting to do what’s fun. If it wasn’t games and it was skateboarding you’d be saying the same thing right now… “wish I stayed up with the family instead of always spending time at the park with friends”

@haunteddreams7856

Жыл бұрын

@@tonito_el_tigre no I was genuinely addicted.

Love this video. Intriguing topic, great interviews, and some really well researched points. Can't wait for more!

Great video ! I'm a video gamer and I still have my theses to finish so I can graduate with a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, and I can say that this video was really helpful !

Game addiction is definitely a thing. I’ve spent so many hours of my life playing video games , it started with street fighter 2 on the mega drive. I remember being at school , looking out the window & thinking I can’t wait to get home & play. I got such a rush when I would finish a game , thinking that it was a massive achievement. Which is a good & bad thing as it gave me confidence in myself but took over my life. I would lie to my friends telling them I was busy or had something going on so I could play. I still play games to this day & have learnt moderation . I do have a healthy relationship & work full time. I also suffer from depression & anxiety which I have to take medication for to function. Not saying this comes from gaming because playing games made me forget about all the crap I was thinking about , but also made me unsociable & disconnected from the real world. I still get the same buzz when I finish a game but it’s now a controllable hobbie & not something I have to do everyday.

@ghoulishgoober3122

Жыл бұрын

So when you were a kid you played games like a kid would, and then when you grew up you started playing them like an adult would. Nearly burrito

Wow, actual video game journalism. Certainly a rare sight nowadays.

Everything in moderation. Gaming is a double edged sword, You can have some of the most fun and memorable moments when playing games with a bunch of friends but it can also take away the most valuable thing your time. Try to find a balance and avoid grinding solo for hours. If your going to play for hours rather play with friends instead of solo.

It is an addiction, there's no doubt that. Most gamers like myself who are mentally mature enough will freely admit that. But a sickness? No. Because then you'd have call every hobby people love to do on a frequent basis a sickness. That includes things like watching tv, playing sports, drawing/painting, making music, etc. The only time hobbies become negative is when it's stopping a person from handling more important responsibilities or altering their behavior in negative, very concerning ways.

*Oh, PLEASE consider this a disorder. So I can collect a social security check for gaming disorder.*

The problem is no the "video game addiction" but is the "one more match" addiction.

Yes it is....because anything can be an addiction. I go to the gym for 4 hours everyday because I'm addicted haha.

Addiction is easy to throw around because it's so misunderstood. Something becomes an addiction when it interferes with "normal" daily activities. For example, if you lose your job because you stay on your game rather than go to work, or if you just soil yourself instead of getting up to use the restroom while playing games, or you starve yourself because you're not eating while playing games. In all of these situations, normal function is disrupted by the thing the person is addicted to. If someone spends all day playing games but still manages to contribute to society, eat, and use the toilet, it's not an addiction, just a hobby.

Anything can potentially be an addiction. The key is learning to find balance in life.

That was an excellent video, great idea to have this series. I hope it gets deeper in all that.

Fantastic video! Excited for the rest of the series!

GS: Discussing real problems Other Game Journs: This is game is too hard. 1 out of 10

One important factor that seems to be getting overlooked is the time-investment required by different games. Playing round after round after round of Fortnite for hours at a time is much closer to compulsive behavior compared to playing an RPG that requires over 100+ hours to finish. The latter is more akin to a jigsaw puzzle, you're continuing not because you're compelled to, but because there's still a lot more that needs to be done for you to finish it. Hating leaving things half-compete is very normal human behavior.

It is not rocket league science to grasp that some games will be more addictive than others. I think we can look at the Freemium model as playing a huge role in this - a core objective to continually keep the player playing every day, spend money and with no end in sight. Perhaps then we have some of the old school MMORPG games too, WoW used to be the main one didn't it? Be great to find out more about this.

Game addiction, I would relate it to excessive playing. I believe I was addicted. Since I skipped sleep, meal, last minute study, didn't help my parents when they asked for immediate help, got extremely annoyed for any kind of interruption, etc. I didn't feel sick, nor spent excessive money, I had few friends, but.. I think when someone puts more attention to the fantasy (virtual) world rather than the real world (physical, social), it becomes a problem.

Add iction exists in nearly anything so of course it can exist in gaming. But that doesn't give leadership the right to penalize regular players in this hobby

"media has a responsibility to be proportional in it's discussions" Can't speak for the UK, but in the US that's never going to happen. Sensationalism sells! Anything can be addicting. How it plays out can vary greatly. The point where it goes from being a hobby to a problem is the crux. When I was in college a guy played a video game for a 24 hours straight. Didn't eat or sleep. On the one hand that certainly isn't healthy physically, but on the other hand it was on break between semesters so if that's how he wanted to spend his time, ok then. If he continued that habit and lost his job, failed his classes and shut out humanity then in my mind it's crossed a line into being a problem for him. The media screaming about Fortnite and various games and parents fears is a far more severe indictment of poor parenting than it is about gaming in general. If your kid is playing Fortnite/games all day and you think its excessive and potentially dangerous behavior, then as the ADULT step in and tell them its time to do something else. They may whine and throw a fit, but they are a child and probably haven't reached a maturity level to self regulate that sort of behavior or understand the potential negative effects. So be the parent and do it for them. This also requires you to possess a certain maturity level as well. Hard to tell your kids to quit playing games if your phone is in your face 24/7.

For me, gaming is a mean to an addictive end. Not just because I enjoy video games. I enjoy meeting various people with similar passion inside of it. Without it, I wouldn't even have chance to meet from different people and countries..

whoa, is this series new?! I've never seen it before, but I find it very interesting. Keep the great content coming Gamespot

World of Warcraft always had addictive qualities since 20+ years ago

ADHD got mentioned in the video, the thing video games are offering is "always is something happening and you have something to do" which people with that disorder need.

You can be addicted to almost everything that brings you joy or in some cases even pain.

Some people have addictive personalities and will, quite literally, become 'addicted' to certain faculties of their own lives. I have family that are workaholics - because they find self worth and value in working, and work hard to accomplish that feeling. Some people achieve that feeling from travel, and become absorbed in the idea of seeing the world or going for hikes in increasingly expotic locations - which is something that society often finds admirable, even when the relationship with this is unhealthy. Everything in life is unhealthy in excess. Games themselves are not intrinsically unhealthy as a form of addiction, just the same as children play in the sand with their friends. The child may become 'addicted' to playing in the sand, with legos, dolls, or whatever they fancy - but that does not mean that the toys and mediums of play themselves are addictive. "Are games addictive" is akin to saying "Can we clinically diagnose 'fun' as an addiction" Fun is not an addiction, but people can become absorbed with the notion of having fun and allow it to ruin their lives in the pursuit thereof.

this was a fantastic video, truly well made in every way

You can be addicted to anything, that being said, not everything is inherently addictive. Our brains make it addictive. Videogames aren't physically addictive, but they can be addictive for people who are using videogames for underlying reasons. I had a rough childhood and was bullied harshly in school, so videogames were a safe haven for me and still are to this day. However, I've been becoming increasingly guilty of diving into videogames and using them as a coping mechanism for avoiding the difficulties of life. So, they can be addictive but in that the addiction is the escapism rather than the gameplay mechanics themselves.

You can get addicted but it's harder in my opinion unless someone is enabling it one hundred percent. Otherwise you have to at minimum have a job to support it meaning you get away from the screen some lol. And truthfully with all the obesity from eating addictions, homelessness from drug addiction, etc, someone wanting to play a game a bit too much seems very tame and not an issue in comparison.

Imagine becoming obsessed with Space Invaders. Life was much simpler in the '80s.

I'm glad they are doing this research. It's only going to get worse when technology advances so far that we can mimic the head gear in Sword Art Online. Now that's gonna be an even more serious problem. But it's like with everything, you need moderation.

Been playing since I was 8 now am in my 40's, still love gaming

It is not just gaming disorder. The same people with gaming addiction may also be addicted to social media, TV series, movies, or wikis such as Wikipedia.

as long as you still conciously doing routine like eating, showering, etc...it is okay, the problem is when people just forgets to do those simple task in real life thus making them losing their "humanity"

I know people who dropped out of school because of video games. People who spend 10 hours a day playing League. Yes it's addictive for sure. More so then most hobbies

@Brekner

Жыл бұрын

Calling something "addictive" is weird when only an extremely small percentage of people playing games actually suffer from it. Most drugs are addictive because of their chemical composition and stuff, but when 99/100 gamers don't develop an addiction for games, can it really be considered addictive? By that logic food is addictive because there are morbidly obese people out there, and that is just as ridiculous as it sounds.

@halstonconnally1367

Жыл бұрын

@@Brekner Only a small percentage of people who gamble are what we would call "Gambling Addicts" But we call them addicts all the same

Yes, it can. My step-son had it bad when he was younger. We had to intervene to stop it negatively affecting his life in general. The real problem comes when adults are affected, since then there are no parents to force the issue by pulling the plug or confiscating the console.

Just my own slice of addiction. Was engaged she had 3 kids was feeling depressed due to work and her family so I started playing ark so I could talk to other ppl and enjoy myself. I noticed I wasn't cooking dinner for the family I was ignoring them staying up all night playing ark. It became a real problem within weeks I would yell at my x for being to loud it got to the point where I put a TV and system in there own room and would be in there for hours. After she called off the engagement I saw what the problem was I quit ark and stepped back from my games. After we broke up I did the same thing and even now in my current relationship I ignore her and rather be on my PS4 than around her or anyone outside I'm in therapy but it's not looked at as high priority.

My parents loved to throw this at me, until I pointed out there was worse, like the fact the state we live in has a method problem. Never heard it since.

Still waiting for the day we recognize earning more power and money when you already have them a clear adiction Compare with other adictions this its old as mankind itself and equally if not worst consequences compared with other adictions

Purpose, competition, accomplishment, comradeship. Void to be filled

Irony... a video about video game addiction... with commercials about video games.

I can't stop playing apex legends so i always play when i have free time and only play up to i get atleast a single good game, that can be an hour or 2 but that's it. Anything is poisonous when it is too much

Is everyone in society good?? Every month I swear, I feel like I see a whole new addiction in the news.

I used to think that games weren't addicting by themselves, and they aren't....but Fortnite's FOMO has a way of getting in your head

Addiction cuts across everywhere in our lives. Just know how to control it.

Surely just having the TV should of been an issue way before gaming became a thing . seeing as I bet more people just watch TV in general

Lots of kids in these comments that felt this post a little too personally

@Helloim_anthony

Жыл бұрын

I used to be addicted to video games for awhile too… but then i grew up and had a family and responsibilities

YES, but that matters on how your mind works. For someone like me who is clinically diagnosed with adult ADHD, video games can be an addiction because an ADHD brain locks on hyper focused to attractive, fun gameplay, especially with rewarding factors. With that being said, I set an alarm for a max amount of play time. For those that are not ADHD, depression, anxiety, feeling low can alter our minds to loose our selves into whatever makes our minds feel at ease as well the dopamine from our brain is constantly being hit from all the rewards you receive in game and dopamine makes you feel happy. With an overwhelming population of NA being depressed due to low income, job loss, crime, etc, video games ARE addictive that fall under that category. Now if you are a person who is affluent, striving for success, feel content on how your life is going, then video games wont be nearly as addictive because the level of dopamine your mind is more attractive to, video game dopamine just won't compare. Therefore, it entirely depends on your internal and external environment (mind/living conditions/socio economic well being) to say how addictive video games are to you.

What is the lifestyle/upbringing of an individual missing that gaming fulfils or reminds a person of? Gabor Mate did lots of research into addiction and how tendencies develop based on childhood experiences.

Anything can be a addiction...

I honestly beleive that gaming addiction is just a sympton/an effect, but not the cause. Funnily enough streaming services took more time from my life, than gaming ever did. Services like youtube, netflix, hbo max. Should we instead talk about streaming addiction then?

I no longer play online competitive games because I know I get addicted

If you want my 2 bucks on this, a most of the time developers of AAA games deliberately try to make games addictive, but it isn't an issue with the medium itself

@maddworld3317

Жыл бұрын

Addictive or fun? MSG & sugar in food is purposely to make it more addictive. They just look like they're singling out gaming to punish & I'd love to know why

This feels like am old school gamespot video

For me, with singleplayer games i'm fine but with online MP games that i don't play with friends,can be dangerous....no matter what (even splatoon), it keeps you in an endless loop to make you feel good about a win, to unlock that new item, to get that limited skin, etc. No friends to say "let's end it for today" can also be unhealthy.....set time limits if you recognize this, Online matchmaking are designed to work the same way as casinos....Also really don't bother talking about this online on reddit or twitter, people will say things like "it's fine to take a break, no need to quit" , that's never a good answer, addiction is personal, listen to yourself or ask for help from close ones or therapists

@machintrucGaming

Жыл бұрын

Hum, Idk, without friends I find Fall guys rather bland. Like what's the point of doing another match ?

Gaming is an "addiction" cause some games just have bad days (school, isolation etc.)

Don't ever see people talking about Football, or Basketball addictions. People literally say "Ball is life". Leave me alone 🤬😡

Game addiction is like any other addiction.

Anything you like can be addictive because you like it. What about smokers? Isn't it addictive?? Of course gaming is addictive. The thing is that some people can't really control this addiction and skip necessary stuff but usually adults don't have this problem. This is common on young children and teenagers.

YES,IT CAN BE AN ADDICTION,BUT NOT IN THE WAY AS DRUGS

@cinystarr4657

Жыл бұрын

How about food addictions they're ignoring to pick on the gaming world instead. They seem to want to blame everything on this hobby and it's bye isst

Okay so apparently people confuse addiction with impulse control and that’s seen clear as day in the comment section here. Gaming addiction dose not exist however poor impulse control dose. Feeling like you have to play a video game isn’t a addition in itself, to find out what it is exactly you have to find out the reason at which the person feels they need to play a video game. Is it the feeling of missing out, maybe time, or the impulse of its the only thing that helps me calm down so thats what im going to do. It can be a number of things but addiction is not one of them.

Does anyone know the name of the game at 8:44

Amazing video

Integration of education in gaming should be sought more into

im addicted to breathing to

Been having a hard time stopping my runs in Hades. Does that count?

Love it ❤

Really interesting video. Thanks GameSpot Team.

I always tell myself that gaming is a “healthy hobby” lol

Because MMOs needed another nail in their coffin... I kid.... kind of. Great video! Well done.

I would say it’s definitely a thing for some ppl who have addictive personalities.. but the general public is probably okay

It is definitely real but I don't think it's common or permanent. When I was a kid there would be certain games I would be addicted to. Especially if it was an open world game, it would have me hooked. I had a younger cousin who once he got on the game he would just sit there for hours never letting anyone else play. He probably had it worse than I ever did. Overall it doesn't seem very common. It's just a thing some kids go through and most likely eventually grow out of

Wow what a good day today

Of course a phycologist who makes money out of a issue will promote that issue. Gaming is taking the blame for something else that is the real issue here "Human Self Control!"

Well, i think who said "cough is also disease"

Anything that acts as an unhealthy coping mechanism or negatively impacts your life’s balance is obviously a harmful addiction. You can be addicted to anything.

what about the games like instagram or facebook , it's an app can it be considered game because you look at other and write to other via a phone , I think it's more like electronic dependencies more than addiction ? sorry if I write with a lot of errors I'm french and don't use a translator cordially a 20 old buddy

Without wathing the video I can confirm yes videogaming addiction exists. I can give me as an example. I entered in an Excel sheet for a week what I would do. What I am suposed to do + what I actually do. My Excel sheet looked roughly like this (sleep 7-12 hrs) gaming (rest of the hours) in a 24 hrs day

Yes it does! Let me tell you how. Recently i sold my nintendo switch coz i thought gaming is not worth my time, but suddenly now iam going thru gaming withdrawals which is raging like crazy, so iam again thinking of buying a gaming laptop, as steam deck is not available here! So "game addiction is real" !

People can get addicted to many things, especially interesting things. If you have kids addictied to video games so much, maybe you should question yourself, how to make your school/family life more interesting? seriously, I've been playing video games for over 30 years constantly, but coffee has been giving me more addiction than video games. As long as there are more interesting things happening, I drop the game I'm playing - but I can't live a single day without coffee - maybe I have a coffee disorder or something?? I also wanna ask - If you can make money out of video games and make a living out of it and not affecting our lives as much, is it still a disorder?? I'm living a pretty decent life now by working in a game company btw.

How about 'escape-from-reality-addiction'? I find audiobooks to be more ethralling than video games.

wonderfull video

It depends on the person and I play but not addicted to it just a hobby.

what about all the people who are addicted too sitting on the couch watching horrible cable tv shows all day and eating junk food ? THATS WORSE

I dont know if such addiction is real, but I AM sure that parents shouting at their kids who are just trying to cope with the world will not do anything good.

Psychological fact; You can get addicted to anything that causes pleasure.

Watching just TV uses beta waves in the brain inactivate thinking, gaming has been proven to use alpha wave thinking, the kind of thinking that takes thoght process, working out the brain keeping you smart

Yes it does, as does everything you can get into.

Based on the logic of making video game adiction a thing, you could argue that other mundane entertainment activities should be included. Board games, books, movies, etc. This denomination is just dumb and reeks of people not understanding or being biased about video games. It's the "video games will turn you into a mass shooter" thing with a new coat of paint. Everything can be detrimental if used too much without care for one's well being, but as per usual video games get targeted because they are the "new thing"

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