Anti-Depressants Used Against StarCraft Addiction

[drsanches]

anti-depressants can be used effectively to completely annihilate any persons interest in anything. Braindead. Zombie. Numb, that is what people on these things become, I should know, I have friends on this shit and they're not the same.

 

[pirateboy]

just put the gamers to work at a foxconn factory....there's only one way out...via the roof

 

[dEAne]

It's quite a discipline to do that, I have that addiction too when I was in high school but now I time myself when I play StarCraft.

 

[kingssman]

Addiction is just that, addiction, rather it be drugs, alcohol, smoking, playing games, or porn. Its addiction, it takes 2x the effort to turn it off and walk away. Being addicted is like having your favorite song in your head all day. You listen to it over and over, and when you shut it off you still play it in your head over and over.

A lot of times cutting cold turkey would leave someone in a starvation mode where their addiction is on their mind constantly, enticing them to give in.

 

[Vestin]

[citation][nom]drsanches[/nom]anti-depressants can be used effectively to completely annihilate any persons interest in anything.[/citation]
The article clearly states that decreased brain activity is the desired result of taking this stuff :3.

 

[kingnoobe]

What a bunch of pussies, and don't talk to me about addiction. If I can quit meth cold turkey I don't want to hear it. My only bad habbit now is smoking, and only reason I don't quit it is I don't want to.

Watch these kids start committing suicide because of these pills lol.

 

[megamanx00]

WTF?

 

[requiemsallure]

to be honest SC2 doesn't seem to be nearly as addictive as SC1, not that i'm saying it isn't a good game, as that would be an injustice, that is just how i see it.

 

[teodoreh]

And and was Tom's Hardware daily report on StarCraft II.
See ya, tomorrow!

 

[teodoreh]

And that was Tom's Hardware daily report on StarCraft II.
See ya, tomorrow!

 

[davidpenman]

I'm doing a Psychology and Psychophysiology undergrad (3rd year now). I've presented two seminars on gaming addiction studies now. My findings are that there is little or no evidence to support the idea that it is a real addiction. You can call anything an addiction if gaming addiction is real. Do people have chocolate addictions or do they just like chocolate? Nearly all studies that look at gaming addiction are just looking at what they call 'game craving', which could also be called 'game enjoyment'. For instance, if you see a picture from WoW or SC2 and you happen to like that game, certain areas of the brain will increase in their level of activity due to their role in the craving, enjoyment, and/or anticipation behaviours. Some of these areas have been associated with addiction, but if you do a literature review of those areas, they have also been associated with general enjoyment, motor control, and many other normal behaviours and cognitions that appear in other wholesome activities. Some of these so called 'addiction' areas include the dorsal prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens and the caudate nucleus. In most of the studies I've look at it is completely possible that these areas are only active because the subjects enjoys the game and/or are thinking about the game in general, it probably has nothing to do with addiction. These factors never seem to be controlled for in the literature. Medicating people for something that probably doesn't exist is sort of disturbing to me. Playing video games in access can ruin lives, but that should be treated through psychological methods such as counselling and not through the use of medication. That’s my opinion at least. I know I’m only an undergrad but that’s what I’ve found in my research so far.

 

[guitarpeggio]

[citation][nom]kingnoobe[/nom]What a bunch of pussies, and don't talk to me about addiction. If I can quit meth cold turkey I don't want to hear it. My only bad habbit now is smoking, and only reason I don't quit it is I don't want to.Watch these kids start committing suicide because of these pills lol.[/citation]

Wow, a meth addict is really someone to be talking smack about people on anti-depressants.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

I have a better idea. Instead of giving male gamers an anti-depressant, give them viagra. They'll get addicted to something else. Problem solved.

 

[mrmotion]

Thurgood: I'm here today because I'm addicted..to marijuana.
Rehab patient: You in here 'cuz of marijuana?! Man, this is some BULLSHIT!
Bob Saget/Cocaine addict: Marijuana is not a drug. I used to suck dick for coke.
Rehab patient: I seen him [do it]!
Bob Saget/Cocaine addict: Now that's an addiction, man. You ever suck some dick for marijuana?
Thurgood: No, I can't say I have.
Bob Saget/Cocaine addict: I didn't think so.
Rehab patient: Boo this man!

Just seemed so familiar....

 

[motamedn]

[citation][nom]davidpenman[/nom]I'm doing a Psychology and Psychophysiology undergrad (3rd year now). I've presented two seminars on gaming addiction studies now. My findings are that there is little or no evidence to support the idea that it is a real addiction. You can call anything an addiction if gaming addiction is real. Do people have chocolate addictions or do they just like chocolate? Nearly all studies that look at gaming addiction are just looking at what they call 'game craving', which could also be called 'game enjoyment'. For instance, if you see a picture from WoW or SC2 and you happen to like that game, certain areas of the brain will increase in their level of activity due to their role in the craving, enjoyment, and/or anticipation behaviours. Some of these areas have been associated with addiction, but if you do a literature review of those areas, they have also been associated with general enjoyment, motor control, and many other normal behaviours and cognitions that appear in other wholesome activities. Some of these so called 'addiction' areas include the dorsal prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens and the caudate nucleus. In most of the studies I've look at it is completely possible that these areas are only active because the subjects enjoys the game and/or are thinking about the game in general, it probably has nothing to do with addiction. These factors never seem to be controlled for in the literature. Medicating people for something that probably doesn't exist is sort of disturbing to me. Playing video games in access can ruin lives, but that should be treated through psychological methods such as counselling and not through the use of medication. That’s my opinion at least. I know I’m only an undergrad but that’s what I’ve found in my research so far.[/citation]

I'll ask you one simple question: Do you think gambling is an addiction?

 

[Reynod]

I have concerns over handing this stuff out like lollies, or treating the issue of addiction lightly.

I have four kids who, like me, are avid gamers.

Moderation (as in all things)is the key, and that responsibility falls to the parents or primary caregivers.

Personally, as a pychologist with some experience with addiction, I don't feel that any parent should just jump for the latest fad in pills as an effective response ... to me this is lazy, and an abrogation of the role of a parent.

First response should be to monitor your child's on-line and single player game time, and balance their activities to ensure they are getting enough exercise, and stimulation through real social activities ... not throwing them in front of a PC or TV for huge chunks of time just so you can have more "quality time" to yourself.

Looking up the adverse effects / contra-indications etc on a drug of this class should make any parent think twice about going down this path without significant forethough.

Seek advice from your paediatrician, psychiatrist, and psychologist first.

In saying that, pharmacology has come a long way as an effective treatment, but as always, you need to treat the issue wholistically, and that means helping the person on a range of fronts.

Thanks Jane.

/end rant

 

[eyemaster]

What the articles won't mention about those drugs, is that everything you do when you take those drugs, you don't really care anymore. You become emotionless. Everything is plain, nothing holds your interests.

Also, I wonder if Pot would have the same effect?

 

[saaiello]

[citation][nom]drsanches[/nom]anti-depressants can be used effectively to completely annihilate any persons interest in anything. Braindead. Zombie. Numb, that is what people on these things become, I should know, I have friends on this shit and they're not the same.[/citation]
Some doctors lol (shrinks) do not prescribe this medicine right. They think that a pill can fix everyones life. There are people out there that really benefit from these medications but this is just outrageous to have to give a pill to someone to stop playing a game.

 

[azcoyote]

A vast majority of problems being treated with drugs these days would be better treated with counselling. Starcraft 2 addiction? Get real losers. Instant gratification problem? Sure. Maturity problem? Sure. Entitlement problem? Sure. Addiction? I think not.....

Get a job.
Get a social life.
Get some counselling for whatever is stopping you from doing these things.
It isn't an addiction to a video game.

 

[azcoyote]

Time for a "Where Are They Now" exposé of all the people from the 80's who MUST have been fully addicted to PacMan, Qbert, and Centipede. Surely, they must all be living in boxes and scraping by on societies handouts. I myself barely recovered from the throws of my Gyrus and Tron addictions but somehow I managed to become a functioning member of society. But some just aren't so lucky to have my fortitude... *wink

 

[dark_lord69]

[citation][nom]kingnoobe[/nom]What a bunch of pussies, and don't talk to me about addiction. If I can quit meth cold turkey I don't want to hear it.[/citation]
I'll second that, I also quit meth cold turkey.

I only play StarCraft II on the weekend (about 1.5 - 2 hours each night after my wife goes to sleep) and maybe 1 or 2 hours during the week. I abolutely love it and don't want to stop playing it but some of us just have more self control and take responibilities more seriously. Don't get me wrong I love it so much I already plan on play through it a second time. But I have a real life that matter more than any video game.

 

[wishtar]

How is it that playing a video game for 4 hours is an addiction when many more people spend that much time watching mindless TV and it's considered normal. I'm sure noone would have an issue with someone reading 4 hours every day.

 

[Dirtman73]

[citation][nom]JOSHSKORN[/nom]I have a better idea. Instead of giving male gamers an anti-depressant, give them viagra. They'll get addicted to something else. Problem solved.[/citation]

Yeah, they'll get addicted to internet porn .

 

[Travis Beane]

I find games more fun than partying...
Call me an addict if you will, but I find IRL uninteresting. It's upgrade system is broke and the leader boards are messed.

Used to think I was always missing out. Then I tried living a little. Nope. Guess what, everybody else was also missing out on something. It's a simple case of to each their own. Just don't forget to get your exercise somehow.
Someone who parties, drinks and smokes whatever they can tells me to get a life, and I tell them the same thing. My friends just happen to live in different countries.

Drugs for people who play 4 hours a day? So if I tone it down some, I get free drugs?!
😀

 

[jrz895]

Ahh drugs and gaming.