Many people abuse games, but it seems Men are the biggest culprits. Some even ignore their families for days.
There are online support groups for this addiction. But from a gamers prospective the game is as real as everything else. Hard core gamers replace the real world with a virtual world.
Sound Familiar? Do you know of someone addicted to gaming? Are you a "Gaming Widow" or a Mom with a gaming addiction? What are your thoughts?
Excerpts taken from this link
I game, but there is no addiction there. I barely get to game these days. My little boy likes to watch me play Guitar Hero, and likes to watch his Daddy play Ratatouille on the XBOX 360. It's cute to hear him ask. I think I'm raising a gamer...*lol*
Both hubby and I are lifelong gamers so I'm probably biased. There is obsession with EVERYTHING - sports, etc. I'm a hard core gamer, but I don't replace the real world with anything. That is the biggest misconception about gamers. Kinda like this post. It takes stereotypes and blankets it over gamers as a whole.
I've had every Nintendo system since it first came out and have played every Mario and Zelda game til I've beaten them. Some take more time than others, but I always did my "chores" first before I'd play. Right now I'm playing Rock Band 2.
Le sigh.
My guy has been gaming for years. He has a "klan" - a group of guys all over the world and they've been gaming together for about 5 years now.
Each night after dinner, we hang out a bit and then he says, "Is it ok if I go play my game now?" (he's so cute - he knows I'd rather have him up here, but his job is very stressful and he really needs this "me" time) and then off he goes to the basement.
My husband is a hard core gamer... it took me a long time to adjust to this. My oldest son loves to game and loves to watch hubby play games. I play sometimes but usually I have to be in the mood to do it. I dont mind watching him play sgames but it does not inderfer with normal life. My mother in law (his mom) hates gaming!!! She doesnt like that my son plays because he is 5 now she thinks he is too young to play. I dont mind it one bit, its a treat for him.
I do completely see how someone could become addicted to gaming. Playing games could be used as an escape from reality, the rush from beating levels and so on. I would hate to be married to someone who let other things suffer over gaming. I am glad I am enjoy an occasional game with my husband. lol.
Quoting lilhottmomma:
My husband is a hard core gamer... it took me a long time to adjust to this. My oldest son loves to game and loves to watch hubby play games. I play sometimes but usually I have to be in the mood to do it. I dont mind watching him play sgames but it does not inderfer with normal life. My mother in law (his mom) hates gaming!!! She doesnt like that my son plays because he is 5 now she thinks he is too young to play. I dont mind it one bit, its a treat for him.
I do completely see how someone could become addicted to gaming. Playing games could be used as an escape from reality, the rush from beating levels and so on. I would hate to be married to someone who let other things suffer over gaming. I am glad I am enjoy an occasional game with my husband. lol.
I thought my mom would be the same way with all my lil ones playing but she thought it was a great tool to teach eye/hand co-ordination. Plus she and my dad got their own when they were in their 50's lol.
Gaming is really easy to get hooked on.. You get into a game, and you just want to make it to the next level, or beat that one boss, or something else always comes up. Like so many things in life, some people take it to an extreme and focus on nothing else in their life.. Other's are able to play for awhile, and put the controller down.
My hubby is a gamer. I'm usually cool with his gaming because, I like to game at times myself. So with both game at times.. I don't get as caught up as he does ( in my mind lol) but I do know how easy it is to get caught up.
This happened last night.. I've laughed my butt off at him all day long.. Here you go:
I went to bed around 1am..... He started gaming, since I was going to sleep.. I woke up at around 3:30am to go to the bathroom.. My hubby was asleep on the couch, controller in hand (you know how they hold them ladies with the thumbs at the ready) and he was sound asleep. I swear.. I woke him up.. Went back to bed.. He stayed up playing for another hour or so.. He's already agreed no games tonight.. LOL
I own World of Warcraft and even have found myself "losing" track of time playing (BTW I'm a 54 year old grandmother so you would think I would know better)
When my grandchildren started playing I quickly discovered that it was a constant arguement over time so I had to implement time limits.
An hour on Sat and Sun then they have to do something active for an hour. By active this does NOT mean setting on the couch with a remote or game play control. They have to either do chores or find a physical sport to do. I set a timer so they know when 45 min has expired and they get a 15 min log off warning, then I resset the timer for that 15 min.
If they want to play the game for 2-3 hours straight to complete something with a group of friends in the game then they have to earn that time by doing something active before they get the 2-3 hours. Even then if they chose to play for 2-3 hours in one day then they forfeit playing for one entire day the following week end.
Summer and vacation time is limited to 1 hour a day, no exceptions.
School days, Sun-Fri there is no gaming, and week end play is dependant upon grades and attitudes.
So far it seems to work.
And yes I have the same 1 hour daily limit for myself.
I should mention that this 1 hour rule applies to using the internet and TV game systems overall. If they want to do something electronic other than WoW then that constitutes their time as well as my own.
Neither my husband or I play games so I can't relate to this. But one of DH's friends has stayed up until 4 in the morning playing games when he has to be at work at 6. I know him and his long term girlfriend get along good but they do argue about gaming.
*Happily married momma of 2*
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on Aug. 23, 2009 at 12:02 AM