by Andrew Carmichael
Addiction can take many forms. Substances, alcohol and gambling are all taken seriously, and there are increasing opportunities for those facing such addictions to get the help needed to stop. An addiction that is more recent and becoming more serious is gaming addiction. Known as Internet Gaming Disorder, this is an addiction that can affect between about one percent and ten percent of the U.S. population and can occur for several reasons. It is not about gambling within games such as loot box elements which can mimic real life gambling, but more about playing the game and having a dopamine rush for success. But this does not just affect children and teens, but also adults.
Addiction can be caused by different things depending on what type of addiction you have, but for gaming it is primarily caused by outside factors such as genetics. People play games to have fun, as a form of escapism, but primarily to have dopamine released. They want to succeed at something and it is a good way to have it. When someone plays a game, it can very often become difficult for them to stop and take a break from it. This can have an effect on people’s day to day lives such as socially, personally, educationally and occupationally because of their inability to stop and take a break. There is no one type of game that leans more towards addiction, it primarily on the player personal choice.
If you are having trouble with gaming addiction, there are resources you can use. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357 and there are several clubs to look out for. You can also check out books such as “Hooked On Games” by Andrew P. Doan who writes about his addiction on gaming and overcoming it. Gaming addiction is like gambling, those who have it should not be made fun of. Gaming addiction needs to become more recognized and become more treatable like a gambling addiction, Like just about any addiction, fighting it is a work in progress.
The Collegian 