In this video Dr. Phil treats video games as an addiction. Fair enough the guy was a bum, but to highlight this as a universal problem is pretty unfair. Apparently the second guest attempted suicide because his gaming addiction became too strong. Is gaming even an addiction? What is the point where it stops becoming just a bit of fun and turns in to something more sinister?
We all play games, but what if gaming takes control and we lose the ability to do anything but game? Has anyone got a gaming addiction or thinks they play too much?
The Videogame Debate 
I’ll get back to you on that, just trying to find these missing intel thingies. đŸ˜‰
Addiction to anything is only a problem if it’s harmful or gets in the way of your normal life, and you can get addicted to anything. Bookworms, chocolate, alcohol, drugs, Coronation Street, Big Brother, celebrities, writing out the decimal numbers of Pi by hand, growing your fingernails etc., etc.
Also, on a different angle, ever wondered why TV likes to attack videogaming so much? Because you’re not watching TV when you’re gaming, just think how much advertising revenue networks have lost as gaming has taken off big time and drawn audiences elsewhere?
Haha! Dr. Phil is just angry because no-one is watching his show and they are slaying elves in World of Warcraft. The thing is advertising is becoming more prevalent in games now but that’s a different topic.
I think we have an addiction-addiction. I think it is fair to say you can have a game addiction, but you can have a book addiction, television addiction, drug addiction, sex addiction, etc. too. Clearly they don’t all result in the same destructive results (though any addiction can ruin a life). Is it important to single out the object of addiction each time?
To me, this seems more sensational than anything. ‘Look impressionable housewives, your kids can ruin their lives on videogames too.’ Perhaps games are more addictive than other mediums, but it seems to me that addiction is more likely with certain genetic predispositions and an imbalanced lifestyle.
By focusing on the object of addiction, in many cases, I feel like we are casting more blame on the object rather than the person who is addicted.
I couldn’t take the video seriously and I actually felt sorry for the guys on there. Obviously they play too much and they have some kind of addiction but putting them on a pedestal and publicly humiliating them is not the way to deal with it. Getting told off by Dr. Phil must suck, we could easily say that he has a food addiction but that would be rude.
You’re right though, it was an attack on videogames in attempt to get parents to monitor the behavior/habits of their children. To be fair I’d be more worried if my child was addicted to something else, at least they’re under your roof, monitor-able and away from possible other potential addictions. We could all argue the case that most of us are addicted to television, but that isn’t seen as a problem as it’s enjoyed by the masses.
I imagine young impressionable English kids getting taken to task for their addictions to read the immoral new media, the novel.
Anything that you enjoy could potentially become addictive. Some people have lost friendships, performed worse at work etc due to gaming consuming their lives. That said there are far worse vices. In terms of addictions gaming is a drop in the ocean compared to tobacco, drugs, alcohol or watching bad TV programs… although it wouldn’t be in Dr Phil’s interest to attack that last one.