Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.

Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting.

They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games--a problem that affects about 10 percent of players--could be considered a mental illness.

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Geekitis

Yep - and shopping is a serious addiction too - plueeze!!

While I can empathize with video game "addicts", having been one, I have to say that classifying this as an addiction is completely and totally ridiculous.

If you're going to claim computer gaming is a disorder akin to alcoholism, then you have to classify exercise, eating, etc. as disorders too. Why? Because it isn't an addiction, it is a lifestyle and a habit.

I heard about this a couple of days ago. I have to agree with BF completely.

Brings to mind the old saying...

I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings.

There is a difference between being a drunk and being an alcoholic. There is a physical component to alcoholism that isn't present in video game "addiction".

When I was in college, I was a drunk. However, I am not an alcoholic.

I'm not an addict, I can stop anytime I want I swear. See I just stopped, I dont want no pills, I'm fine. The voices in my head say that you should leave me to my quite humm and the glow of dual LCDs.

::fidgets a little:: I'm not an addict...

But the light from the screen is soooo pretty...

I beg to differ. I think it is an addiction...I know of two individuals that have called into work several times because they were either up all night playing video games or continued playing them for hours and hours...into the next day. I also have a friend that is completely addicted to Halo on XBox. He has not worked since November of last year, his unemployment has run out and he just sits in his room and plays that game.

It's a problem.

playing WoW from 7-11 every night is not an addiction, it just gives my adhd mind something else to focus on besides the phillies game in the background. i like to think of it as adhd therapy.

but if i have dreams of dominance in bg's is that a sign of addiction? Does fantasy sports count? Speaking of addicting, Starcraft 2 is coming soon. I have a friend who ruined is life up to age 26 because of Starcraft 1. He is finally getting straightened out and here comes the next dose....

Hey Jenny you should get your friend to look into getting paid to play halo. There are sponsorships if you are good enough and you can make good money on it.

I so want SC2, the first was liquid crack.

And people are saying games aren't addicting....hmmmm....

[censored] I would be happy with just touching up the graphics of SC1. We would play in college back before the proliferation of voice chat programs and just leave our doors open and yell at each other. Good times.

Yep, we had floor wide LAN parties, Cat 5 cable streched all through the halls.

I love my computer games, and usually play for an hour or two everyday. It's almost therapy for me after a hard day at work, and I think it's perfectly fine as long as you keep it under control.

If you start calling in sick to play games or something like that, then I'd see that as a serious problem or addiction.

No, it's an excuse to call it an addiction. What it is, frankly, is a lack of priorities, most likely depression, and a hope to fill his time with a game that is fun.