Over on Gamecritics.com, Brandon Erickson wrote a commentary about a new article posted in The International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction that probed the idea of video game addiction and whether it actual exists and/or whether the measurements used to diagnosis the addiction are flawed.



Overwhelmingly I found this article to be extremely refreshing. Not only did it bring an actual objective eye to the whole debate and focused more on a central route processing of the evidence rather than the source, it also pointedly recognized how much media hype has affected the view of video games (see Sterling's Rant). The article highlights the obvious flaws in the diagnosis of video game addiction by using a changed version of gambling addiction keys.

Probably the two strongest argument of the article is how it should be parents' responsibilities to teach their children the time management skills to handle video games and that the media has created a huge hype surrounding the idea of “video game addiction” that is far from founded in actually scientific research.


1)"For parents, it is arguably their responsibility to ensure that their children do not play video games excessively, in the same way that they should ensure that their children do not watch television excessively, or that they do not play football excessively etc. One might even say that it is the parents’ duty to teach their child how to manage their time effectively. This is not an easy task and some parents may find it easier to sometimes let their children carry on playing games longer than they should, or may not to even attempt to limit their play at all.
For some parents the fact that video games keep their children entertained may lead to an over reliance on the game as a “digital babysitter.” If the child has a computer or game console in their bedroom then it will be practically impossible to limit their play. Under these circumstances, it is no surprise that some parents may find it difficult to break their child’s habits when they eventually decide that enough is enough."


This sheds light on a major problem in our society. With the resurgence of women's rights and women returning to the workplace, many families are trying to juggle having kids with two careers and other commitments. Because there is less oversight by one or two of the parents, parents look for other avenues to entertain and watch their kids when both parents are busy with other commitments. Originally this was through child day care services or television shows on PBS or like "Sesame Street", but because of the time constraints associated with each option (Child Care usually operate only during normal business hours and television shows suitable for children are not on all the time) video games have become a great outlet to have kids use because it can be used at anytime within the confines of the house. I am not trying to say that ever 20 year old should blame their parents for their 4AM video game playing and missing their English Lit class, but parents are taking a backseat to their child's learning, letting teachers only teach them book smarts, and hoping their children learn street smarts on their own. The author does a great job of pointing to the parents and saying “These are your kids and it is your job to raise them.”



It has been such a surprise to me as I have grown up to watch the way parenting changes around me. Luckily most of it seemed to miss me by a few years but the changes are astounding. There are larger sections in book stores for parenting then philosophy or do it yourself manuals. I am only 20, but I remember when I was young and would go walk the mile down to my local school to play Power Rangers with my friends on the jungle gym when I was 12. Now kids can barely go anywhere without having to constantly check in. Even toddlers now have leashes to keep them in check. And yet with this obsession in fear and safety also comes with a lack of caring in learning and growth. I am not sure when parents stopped teaching their kids how to be working adults, but I think it was somewhere between my best friend not knowing how to write a check last year and an ex-girlfriend in high school who was in the top of our class but didn’t know how to wash her own clothes. Hopefully soon parents take the reigns again and actually teach and focus on their kids, or we are going to have a lot of really dumb people in really powerful positions.


2)“This fits with a growing body of evidence that
suggests addiction is the manifestation of poor coping abilities, either for dealing with
traumatic events (e.g., abuse) or in coping with the stress of everyday life…”


Bravo! It seems each week a new disorder or problem comes out that the American public has to be aware of. I remember when Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) (I thought PMS was a natural thing). We seem to become increasingly medicated in this country, even though those same medications seem to carry worse side effects (Coma, Death, Increase Gambling urges FTW).



Instead of society dealing with its problems by looking for the root of it, whether that be an event or just stress, we just pop pills in the vain hope that fixing our symptoms fixes the problem. I know personally I have retreated to GTA3 when my physics homework seemed so damn hard I wanted to give up. Video games as a coping mechanism should be celebrated rather than demonized. Instead of the world looking at video games and saying “It’s your fault that kids are overworked, overtired, lazy, unfit for society, and you are just another black addiction on our children”, it should instead look at itself and ask “Why do so many people retreat to video games to find relieve from the everyday world?”

In the end, a think a response article from another researcher sums up the argument well.


"We have a firmly held belief that excessive activity and addictive activity are two very different things (although admittedly they do overlap on occasions). The difference between healthy excessive enthusiasms and addictions are that healthy excessive enthusiasms add to life whereas addictions take away from it."