Currently video game addiction
does not have a universally recognized list of symptoms. However there are few
symptoms that seem to continually appear on experts list. Most experts point
the similarities between compulsive gambling and compulsive gaming when coming
up with lists of symptoms. These lists typically include
"-Significant negative
impact on work performance, school achievement, and or interpersonal
relationship.
-Spending most of one's free time
playing video games.
-Frequently playing video games
for six to eight hours non-stop, Loss of interest in social
activities.
-Avoidance of personal
responsibilities or commitments so that gaming can continue - Often staying up
very late to play video games which regularly leads to feeling very fatigued
the next day"( Video Game Addiction - Signs,
Problems, Risks, & Treatment - TechAddiction n.d.).
If you or someone you love shows some of theses the
symptoms please investigate more, gaming addiction, like most addiction are
slipper slopes and eventually will result in serious medical harm. There some
experts report more serious symptoms of addiction such as "difficulty
sleeping, migraines, back and neck aches, dry eyes, or carpal tunnel
syndrome." (Video Game Addiction n.d.). I have a family member who suffers from this addiction and I have
noticed many of theses symptoms, but I would also add symptoms such as loss of
weight from forgetting to eat, which Is an any easy symptom to notice.
The above list of symptoms are
hard to self identify so experts have created questionnaires. Dr. Kimberly
Young, a psychologist and world-renowned Internet addiction expert, created a
questionnaire to identify the intensity of an addiction. Rank the following on
a scale of 0-5, with 5 being very often and 0 being not at all.
"___How often do you find
that you stay online longer than you intended?
___How often do you neglect
household chores to spend more time online?
___How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your partner?
___How often do you form new relationships with fellow online users?
___How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend online?
___How often do your grades or schoolwork suffer because of the amount of time you spend online?
___How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
___How often does your job performance or productivity suffers because of the Internet?
___How often do you become defensive or secretive when anyone asks you what you do online?
___How often do you block out disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
___How often do you find yourself anticipating when you will go online again?
___How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
___How often do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are online?
___How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
___How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off-line, or fantasize about being online?
___How often do you find yourself saying “just a few more minutes” when online?
___How often do you try to cut down the amount of time you spend online and fail?
___How often do you try to hide how long you’ve been online?
___How often do you choose to spend more time online over going out with others?
___How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back online?"( A Screening Tool for Excessive Gamers n.d.).
___How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your partner?
___How often do you form new relationships with fellow online users?
___How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend online?
___How often do your grades or schoolwork suffer because of the amount of time you spend online?
___How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
___How often does your job performance or productivity suffers because of the Internet?
___How often do you become defensive or secretive when anyone asks you what you do online?
___How often do you block out disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
___How often do you find yourself anticipating when you will go online again?
___How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
___How often do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are online?
___How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
___How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off-line, or fantasize about being online?
___How often do you find yourself saying “just a few more minutes” when online?
___How often do you try to cut down the amount of time you spend online and fail?
___How often do you try to hide how long you’ve been online?
___How often do you choose to spend more time online over going out with others?
___How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back online?"( A Screening Tool for Excessive Gamers n.d.).
Add up your score, if your score is less then 50
you’re the average user, if you are between 50-79 you sometimes display
addictive traits. If you score equal to or greater then 80 you are addicted to
online gaming and/or the Internet.
If
you are concerned about a loved one, please follow the link and complete a
survey to better understand the depth of they addiction.
Citations
A
Screening Tool for Excessive Gamers. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from
http://www.olganon.org/self_tests_on_gaming_addiction
Video
Game Addiction. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from http://www.video-game-addiction.org/internet-addictions-adults.html).
Video
Game Addiction - Signs, Problems, Risks, & Treatment - TechAddiction.
(n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2016, from
http://www.techaddiction.ca/video-game-addiction.html
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