Two Hours of Gaming is Equivalent to a Line of Cocaine

[Sledgstone 8,672]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179461

Two hours of video games is equivalent to a line of cocaine, UK conselor and therapist Steve Pope estimates in a breathless report on gaming addiction recently published by the Lancashire Evening Post (via GamePolitics).

"Spending two hours on a game station is equivalent to taking a line of cocaine in the high it produces," Pope says. "It is the fastest growing addiction in the country and this is affecting young people mentally, as well as leading to physical problems such as obesity."

Pope says he deals with teens who skip school and steal to play games, and that some play for as long as 24 hours straight. He also suggested that game addiction can "spiral into violence" when players "turn their fantasy games into reality."

He says ominously after noting that he is working with a grandmother who is reportedly addicted to online poker and a granddaughter who is addicted to Facebook, "The poisioned chalice is being handed down through the generations."

The article also holds up as an example Premier League soccer players who are reportedly banned from games 24 hours before a match because of the "natural high" leading to poor performances on the field, and quotes one mother who says buying her son Call of Duty was like buying him "his first shot of whiskey."

The article concludes by emphasizing the need for balance in one's life. Senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Central Lancashire Gayle Brewer says, "It is important to find a balance. It is easier for parents if they set ground rules from the start about how long their child is allowed to spend on these types of games."

Sound advice indeed. In the meantime, how many "lines of cocaine" did new releases like Red Dead Redemption provide for you over the weekend?

I haven't played a game in almost two days.. *twitch* I need my fix man! *twitch*

X'D

What do you think? Is gaming rushes equal to drug rushes?

[Ladywriter 7,783]

depends...........

[Khellendross 1,260]

I cried when Aeris died on FF7. That count?

Never gotten any kind of high from gaming o.0.

[Eli 474]

I cried when Aeris died on FF7. That count?

Never gotten any kind of high from gaming o.0.

We all did, Khell. We all did.

I do need my gaming fixes every day or I get really antsy and agitated, but its not a friggin "drug" by any literal means.

[HKofsesshoumaru 673]

I went through Zelda withdrawl when my son broke my wii. Lasted for a few days.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

We all did, Khell. We all did.

I do need my gaming fixes every day or I get really antsy and agitated, but its not a friggin "drug" by any literal means.

I didn't, I actually laughed at how corny it was. Then I got depressed when I realized she was my only healer >.<

I really wish 2 hours of gaming was like taking a line of cocaine, I could use a high right now. About all gaming does now is frustrate the hell out of me.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Kinda stupid. I love my video games... but if I don't have time to play.. I don't have time to play.... It doesn't take priority over my friends... unless we're playing COD together. X'D

[Kite 3,263]

I think they mean the serotonin levels

Ive gotten adrenaline surges from PvP on MMORPG's

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The biggest "rush" I've ever gotten from a game was a down to the wire domination match on COD4. It was on Ambush and we were holding on to the hardest flag to keep. Bullets were flying everywhere, I was on the verge of dying and I was able to take out the guy that was about to capture our flag... the match ended and we won by 10 points... Oh the celebration.

[Saiel 2,306]

Cocaine seems like an "obviously bad" drug to compare games to, but the "high" is probably more comparable to drinking a caffeinated soda. And anything can become an "addiction" that negatively affects a person because they pursue it to an unhealthy degree. Some people are addicted to sticking oddly-shaped vegetables in their orifices--oh no! Better keep the carrots locked up to protect the children!

A couple hours of video games can also: improve hand-eye coordination, logical reasoning abilities, reading comprehension, teach you something new (look at all the mythology and history cropping up in games), among other positive effects. But why delve into those when you can blame your personal problems on video games? I'm fat, lazy, and ignorant--what's an easy cop-out? All those drugs I did when I was younger! All those video games!

[Pchan 5,162]

*posts in the topic to send Saiel a wave*

[Eli 474]

Definitely Kite. For a long time I couldn't stop my hands from shaking when I was dueling/Arena'ing in WoW, knowing my skill and reputation were being observed and criticized. The adrenaline wouldn't stop! x_X;

[Eppy 3,446]

WHERE IS MY ROPE AND NEEDLES I NEED MY FIX DAH!...but yeah its just the blame game that will never stop going around till the next new thing crops up that they will just blame everything on then.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Before they had video games to blame for inadequate parenting there was rock n roll......

[Eli 474]

I still blame rock and roll.