Game over for addicts
By Amber McBride, Staff Writer
On Sept. 25 lots of “Halo 3” fans waited eagerly for the ‘Halo 3’ game release. Millions went online and pre-ordered and thousands more stood in line at midnight for the game.
So, if this game is drawing millions of gamers to play it, how is it affecting our student body?
There are a lot of ways that individuals choose to unwind at the end of the day. ‘Halo 3’ is just another one of those outlets. So, when does it become unhealthy play?
A couple hours a day is healthy, preferably if you’re doing it after homework; yet as an average student it’s easy to get sidetracked.
“I played until five in the morning, the night it came out,” said Joe Cutburth, an OCCC student.
Cutburth is not alone.
Many students played the same video game for hours on end. Some only did it the night it came out.
Yet, others are still playing for hours at a time on a daily basis. What does it mean for these students who do not put the controllers away?
When playing a game for hours, you take time away from other things, such as social interactions. You can end up with a 21-year-old that has an emotional intelligence of a 12-year-old, according to CBS news.
It’s enough to ruin a college career, and many future possibilities that would result. It’s enough for most of us to see this problem as an addiction.
So, if this is the case how do you recognize the signs of video game addiction? For one, the amount of gaming time seems to increase.
Other signs are constant thoughts of gaming even when doing other activities are there, using games as a way to escape from real life problems and of course, lying to conceal gaming, said CBS experts.
Yet, even with ‘Halo 3’ circulating around us, most of us can avoid the temptation to sit down and play all night.
“I only play for an hour a day now,” said Cutburth. Many people agree that it’s the amount of time that is needed for them. For an addict, it’s never enough. What do you do about it then?
Treatment for gaming addiction is about the same as detox for other addictions, with one difference. Since computers have become an important part of life, compulsive gamers can’t look the other way. Because there is no way to avoid computers, video game addicts have to learn to use them responsibly. This means there can be no gaming, said CBS.
The real key is to show that video game addicts are powerless to their addictions and then teach them that real life can be just as exciting as online entertainment, if not more so.
