Health warnings on game packages?

[Nynaeve]

Scientists study the video game habit

Can players become addicts? Health implications debated

UTRECHT, Netherlands, Nov. 4 — Computer game fanatics should not be labeled addicts, although many players say they are hooked on a hobby that is affecting their social lives, scientists said Tuesday.

Full story here:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/989387.asp

I heard this on my local news this morning, except they headlined it as "are games equal to alcohol for your kids?", or something along those lines. I missed the story, so I went to look for it online and found the story above.

The games conference mentioned is this: http://www.gamesconference.org/2003/index.php

I like that at least this study also mentioned, near the end, the POSITIVE *gasp* effects that games can have, especially the online games. I mean, come on, that's how I met you guys! *grin*

[Darth Sensei]

When I saw this title I immediately thought the topic was about the seizure hazards of some games. LOL

D

[Bratwurst]

Nothing like a good old case of the twitchy twitch during the flashy light jitters first thing in the morning.

[chadtower]

It's like that morning jolt of coffee... wake up, put in a game, seize up and work out the kinks in your neck... get up and go take a shower. @_@

[lendelin]

Videogame addiction is already the next big topic of the game-concerned and game-challenged.

Researchers and politicians ran against a wall with the "violent games causes violent behavior"-topic, so the focus shifts now to addiction; and with it comes also a convenient shift of the research emphasis from actual behavior to brainwaves, chemical imbalances etc.; it's convenient because you can mix anecdotal evidence of horror stories about game online addiction with reasearch which doesn't actually analyze behavior. The improper link can then be drawn by biased researchers and politicians. Nice strategy, isn't it?

1) Addictive personalities look for an addiction, they find the addiction, the addiction doesn't find them.
2) Why don't these studies look at actual behavior, or better, if playing these games result in chemical imbalances and an increase/decrease of activities in certain parts of our brain, why doesn't it then translate into behavior?

But that's probably too much common sense. :)

[Gamereviewgod]

http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6078216.html

Well, now were all screwed..... :angry: Hey people, maybe your kids addicted because your a sh*tty parent...boy, there's a new idea.

[Sotenga]

I'll just hide everything if Oprah comes to my house and I'd say, "Every day I watch Dr. Phil whenever it's on. I do absolutely nothing else all day." We'll see what David Letterman has to say to THAT! LOL

But I am addicted to games. However, I don't play them as much as I used to nowadays.

[gamegirl79]

I'll just hide everything if Oprah comes to my house and I'd say, "Every day I watch Dr. Phil whenever it's on. I do absolutely nothing else all day." We'll see what David Letterman has to say to THAT! LOL

But I am addicted to games. However, I don't play them as much as I used to nowadays.

If Oprah came to my house and asked me if I was addicted to video games, I'd happily say yes! :) Hell, I'd love to be on that show!! I'd show them that video game addiction isn't necessarily a one way ticket to lonliness and violent behavior. People who exhibit behaviors like that already have some kind of underlying problem. So then the politicians, so-called 'experts', and the media want to blame it on video games rather than a person or environment. It's ridiculous.

I think Oprah and company would have a VERY hard time finding something 'wrong' with me. I have a college degree, a full time job, my own place, my own vehicle, a social life, etc. I know there's tons of people out there who are in the same boat I am, so it makes me angry that this continues to be an ongoing issue.