AMA: Video game addiction not clear yet

The American Medical Association on Wednesday said it is not yet ready to link heavy video game playing with addiction.

"Given that approximately 70 to 90 percent of U.S. youths play video games," the association said in a statement, "the AMA today called for more research on the long-term beneficial and detrimental effects of video game and Internet use."

AMA President Ronald Davis said the organization is still concerned about the effects of heavy play on kids, urging "parents to closely monitor their children's use of video games and the Internet."

The finding is a retreat from a recommendation from the AMA's Council on Science and Public Health, which earlier had suggested linking overly frequent play with addiction.

The thing is, there's no doubt that many kids play too many video games, but addiction is an awful strong word. And what would the treatment be? Locking them up and giving them a Tetris drip?

[ethana2]

That entire thing is crap.

I love video games, because I don't think anything else can pack as much neural stimulation in such a flexible manner. I think that to play with something is to experiment with the logic structures behind it, and video games are the purest form of that that exists.

If you play soccer, you're playing with advanced, adaptive intelligence and physics, with a high definition interface- but you have to have equipment and such, and there is potential for real injury. Over the next few years, as our interfaces become more and more advanced, I see a lot more people turning to this kind of thing.

I don't view it as a problem at all- as long as they have to go out and earn money to get their hardware, I think kids will be fine. The social aspect of things like that is still very important, and there are few things I find more enjoyable than a good game of tremulous with a bunch of friends on skype. As far as exercise goes, I'd have to say I can really work myself into a sweat with a good, intense game. I've not often been more pumped than when I was trying to get through Halo's Truth and Reconciliation on legendary. Nerdy? Yes. But I don't view that as a problem either.

If you don't like it, give them the source to the games and turn them into a programming exercise ;)

[drumby04]

Not all rectangles are squares.

First of all, let me say that I believe the majority of the points
you make are valid, ethena, and I agree with much of what you
say. I am just contributing my point of view and adding my own
two cents...

I am in fact a recovering gaming addict, as well as an ongoing
sufferer of depression, which I am now able to manage fairly
well via medication, counseling, and healthy emotional outlet.
However, I know for a fact that not all gamers are addicts. It
depends way more (in my opinion) on a person's mental
stability, history, childhood trama and/or abuse, and whether or
not gaming is used as an unhealthy coping mechanism, than it
does with the games themselves.

As far as futher research that needs to be conducted, the AMA
needs to look as much at "the long-term beneficial and
detrimental effects of video game and Internet use" as they do ?
as I mentioned earlier ? the aspect of an individual's "mental
stability, history, childhood trama and/or abuse, and whether or
not gaming is used as an unhealthy coping mechanism."

Also, I believe that one of the best stimulants for the mind is
playing music, especially with a group, producing a great
amount of brain activity. When you do so, you use more parts of
your brain and some that rarely are accessed than many other
forms of stimulation contributing to brain activity ? google it! I
am a percusionist/drummer and dabble in piano/keyboard. As
far as excercise, intense drumming can be quite physically
taxing ? plus, it's pretty fun! ;)

[dustoverroses]

Video Game Addiction

WOW! I will attest to video game addiction being a real issue, but I would not go so far as to call it a mental disorder. I think when kids start playing video games at a young age then they don't tend to develop many other hobbies that would substitute for playing video games. Whether this is good or bad is really a matter of opinion... if video games bring satisfaction, who is to say they are a waste of time? I recently read an interesting book about a mother who raised her kid without television or video games. It can be difficult either way really. If a kid does not play video games then he will have to find other things to do with his friends.. and if all his friends want to do is game... well then I guess he should find other friends. The book was called "The Big Turn-off: Confessions of TV addicted mom trying to raise a TV free kid" and it is by Ellen Currey-Wilson.