Video Game Addiction

Addiction of video games or what may commonly be referred to as the over use of video games is described as the compulsive or excessive use of video and computer games that affects normal daily life (Cindy, 2008). There have been moments where the video games play in an exhaustive way in what can be seen as isolation from other people. Such people have also alienated themselves in other ways like having no social contact while focusing wholly on the achievements of in-game instead of the events in the broader life. In modern times, the addiction to video games cannot be diagnosed formally in psychological and medical literature. Propositions have been stated categorizing this kind of addiction as a psychological disorder although has been rejected by mental disorders diagnostic and statistical manual. The following research paper seeks to highlight the levels of video game addiction ranging from mild to extreme.

The effects of the addiction of video games are comparable to those of psychological addictions.  Initially, individuals start playing video and computer games as a fad. It is like a slippery slope. A person does not realize when they are doing it excessively and compulsively like any other addiction would. Mild addictions from video and computer games would show symptoms of not able to control time while playing.  It is somehow hard for the gamers to put down the game controller.  Addiction to computer and video games can be very dangerous at times. Violence could emerge from addiction to video games. This is when gaming goes to the extreme part of it.  

Addicts of video games can do anything to gratify their habits as much as alcohol, gambling or drug addicts would. Individuals extremely addicted to video games are greatly engrossed in online habitual gaming to the point of disregarding reality and common sense. This is a proven sad truth. Extreme addiction to video games can lead to absolute breakdown. Cases of murder have resulted from video game addictions. This is a very horrifying encounter. There is a very strong urge in some individuals to even kill when denied the chance to gratify their game desire. At this level, video game addiction becomes more and more mainstream and can often cling on a number of related deaths. It is uncertain for such people who are affected by addiction to video games to this degree to look for help completely. They may even not be in a position to realize that they are actually in a problem. Extreme cases of video game addiction can be very devastating and indeed a humiliating affair.

Out of a particular group of gamers, about 15% of them are addicts.  What has been defined as game overuse by the American Medical Association is gaming for a period not less than two hours in a day. The level of addiction however cannot be judged by considering time alone. The effects or the function attributed to video games in the life of an individual can really be important to determine the level to which a person is addicted. Playing a video game as a facility of recreation may not be dangerous or even have signs of addiction. Mild addiction would make someone lack sleep and may be that would be enough as far as this addiction is concerned. However, extreme addiction to video games controls and manages an individual (Cindy, 2008). Apparently, it becomes an individual's chief thing in coping well in life. Failure to this would be like losing breath.

Extreme level of addiction tends to disrupt other crucial areas in life. Addiction to video games is a common occurrence with Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG). The gamers under Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) are most likely to be highly addicted because the games happen in real time. There can be lousy effects of this kind of addiction: loneliness, social marginalization of individuals who normally face difficulties with interactions in real social life. Such people usually have the feeling that they possess a positive social encounter as well as a bigger control in virtual connections than the situation really is in reality.

To know the level at which an individual is addicted, the following factors count so much: length of playing time, the nature of attachment emotionally and the social hardship patterns that addicts experience. These factors are enough measures of the level of addiction in gamers. The level to which normal life activities are disrupted also can tell the addiction level; whether it is mild or extreme. There is an alarming feature which has been realized with the playing of video games that children are more likely to have dependence-like mannerisms depending on the age at which they began playing video games. The responses to gaming like any other addiction form a wider scope.  This is why we have extreme and mild addicts. It will become impossible for some of the gamers to reduce the playing duration while on the contrary; others will not have cravings if it becomes difficult for them to play (Cindy, 2008).

For instance, Farmville is a game that has been designed to keep the players get involved to the greatest level that is possible. It requires a lot of care and time from the players. People have been glued to computers just working seriously on their virtual fields. The results of such involvements are quite alarming. Some people find it enjoyable and can even do without although given the chance, they would simply play the game. However, the use of video games like the Farmville can lead to extreme cases where there would be high risk of seizures induced by light and anti-social behavior in real life situation. In conclusion, video games have different levels of addiction ranging from mild to extreme ones. Addiction to video games occurs gradually and if not controlled can turn out to be disastrous.