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WoW to get in-game addiction therapists?
Author: Joe MartinPublished: 30th July 2009
London psychiatrists have proposed setting up in-game therapy for those addicted to World of Warcraft.
Dr. Richard Graham made the announcement to the Daily Telagraph recently, saying that he hoped to have the idea rolled out as a fully workable project by the end of the year. The project has come about over concerns that Dr. Graham has about gamers neglecting their social lives and real-life responsibilities in favour of the game.
Dr. Graham is currently chasing up Blizzard to get free access to the MMO apparently, reasoning that it's in the best interests of gamers if he can provide them with therapy in their preferred environment in an effort to fight their WoW addictions.
"I think it's already clear that psychiatrists will have to stay within the parameters of the game," said Dr. Graham. "They certainly wouldn't be wandering around the game in white coats and would have to use the same characters available to other players."
"Those affected don't exhibit the same outward warning signs as most teenage anti-social behaviour issues do because they're in their bedrooms most of the time, seemingly out of trouble," Dr. Graham said in response to nay-sayers. "[i]Because of this we can't get through to them in the traditional educational environment or intrude on their actual bedrooms, we need to turn to the internet itself to tackle these problems."
Gaming addiction has been increasingly thrust into the public eye with the continued success of World of Warcraft, but there's still some serious disagreement about whether or not gaming addiction really is a mental disorder or more of a larger, more widespread social problem.
While game addiction may sound like a non-problem in real-life, it's a phenomenon which still appears to be on the rise and can potentially be quite damaging both professionally and socially. Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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I`m dubious about what they mean though, most folk do things becuase they like them. Skiing, fitness, reading books, soap operas. I mean if some old dear REALY likes her gardening and gardens every day to keep it looking nice is that an addiction?
Because games are seen as cooler and more fun basically it`s going to appeal to a broader range of people so `im sure that at some level there will be dependancy issues with a small amount of people who can`t comprehend when enough is enough. It doesn`t actually mean that gaming is addictive.
When it comes down to a kids development, too much time at a pc ain`t gong to be good but then thats the job of the parents to help with the social development. I mean theres kids out there who eat nothing but rice crispies all day every day i somehow dont think they`re addictive.
How many people have you heard of that gardened for a few days straight with no breaks for food or rest and ended up dead?
I`m with you, the guy must surely be trying to rip a free account lol. You`ll see him in about a years time with 4 or 5 toons in a raiding guild beasting Arthas in some end game raid.
Damn it. I was going to post something similar, along the lines of "Sounds like counseling drug addicts at a crack den."
I don't see how giving therapy to addicts in game would do anything, anyway you also need to remember that stories get blown out of preportion (can't spell that damn word) like the chinese couple that were addicted didn't feed their kids for a week or something and died, I've heard similar stories involving the same people with different causes for their death, I think it's bull ^_^
Patient: "but... but.."
Doc: "No buts... just go... log off... i'll be waiting here for you... an hour... no less"
patient: "Ok.../click"
Doc: "I seee youuu... you're still online... are you doing the dishes???"
patient: "*sigh* why's it always have to get to this?"
Doc: "..."
Patient: "leeeeerooooooooooy jeeeenkiiins"
I know quite a few people with similar stories so I think that saying 'If they quit WoW they'll get a social life' is wrong it's more like 'If they get a social life they'll quit WoW'
That's essentially what I ended up doing too when both my brother and I (we shared accounts because I'm cheap) ended up losing interest because we found RL things that were more rewarding... That and after playing a lot, I soon realized that a good amount of the people on there are idiots.
i ****ing hate shrinks.
U B game adikt?? Gimme al U ownz & go N peec ma frend. U B heeled!!!
kek kek