Betty Ford Clinic for gamers opens

SUBMAN1 · 07-16-06, 01:51 PM

Sad!

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060714-7265.html

It may be fun to joke about addictions, but for those whose lives are affected by them it is no laughing matter. Rehab centers for those addicted to drugs and alcohol are old hat, and there are any number of 12-step and Rational Recovery programs available for those ensnared by everything from food to sexual addictions, but a new rehab center in Amsterdam is breaking new ground.

Addiction consultants Smith and Jones have opened up a treatment center for online gaming addicts. Those for whom Everquest really is "Evercrack" can check into the 16th-century townhouse, which while having many of the amenities of 21st-century life, is lacking in the computer and video game console departments.

So far, psychiatrists and researchers have yet to agree that "video game addiction" is a diagnosable condition. However, one of the hallmarks of an addiction is when a behavior becomes the focal point of one's life to the point that everything else gets put on hold—relationships, jobs, self-care—in order to slake that gaming, gambling, drug, or alcohol jones. Take Tim, a 21-year-old at the rehab center. He said that for five years, he rarely left his room due to his addiction to MMORPGs. "I couldn't go to the toilet because then I would have to leave ... I would take an empty bottle and pee in it."

The Smith and Jones WILD HORSES CENTER takes an approach similar to that used by residential drug and alcohol treatment centers. Gamers go through a "detox" period followed by a treatment regimen including group and individual therapy supervised by psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in addiction. The aim is to "replace the fantasy excitement with real excitement," enabling gamers to discover new, healthier ways to spend their time.

Gaming can be an escape from real-world problems, or just a way to blow off steam. One of the hallmarks of addiction is that it becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with life stressors. "It's easier to just escape into World of Warcraft than to deal with social challenges at school or work," says psychotherapist Kerry DeVries. "Instead of creating different strategies for dealing with a real-life problem, you make a beeline for your favorite video game. The more often you do it, the more that strategy is reinforced, and the harder it becomes to act differently."

Some Asian countries where online gaming is nearly endemic are beginning to recognize that problems can arise from excessive gaming. The governments of South Korea and China are working with some MMORPGs to encourage users to step away from the keyboard and mouse regularly, to the point where China has tested a system that degrades a character's performance after three straight hours of MMORPG playing.

With gaming become more popular and accepted as time goes by, don't be surprised to see other, similar treatment centers opening up around the world.

07-16-06, 01:51 PM	#1
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Betty Ford Clinic for gamers opens Sad! http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060714-7265.html It may be fun to joke about addictions, but for those whose lives are affected by them it is no laughing matter. Rehab centers for those addicted to drugs and alcohol are old hat, and there are any number of 12-step and Rational Recovery programs available for those ensnared by everything from food to sexual addictions, but a new rehab center in Amsterdam is breaking new ground. Addiction consultants Smith and Jones have opened up a treatment center for online gaming addicts. Those for whom Everquest really is "Evercrack" can check into the 16th-century townhouse, which while having many of the amenities of 21st-century life, is lacking in the computer and video game console departments. So far, psychiatrists and researchers have yet to agree that "video game addiction" is a diagnosable condition. However, one of the hallmarks of an addiction is when a behavior becomes the focal point of one's life to the point that everything else gets put on hold—relationships, jobs, self-care—in order to slake that gaming, gambling, drug, or alcohol jones. Take Tim, a 21-year-old at the rehab center. He said that for five years, he rarely left his room due to his addiction to MMORPGs. "I couldn't go to the toilet because then I would have to leave ... I would take an empty bottle and pee in it." The Smith and Jones WILD HORSES CENTER takes an approach similar to that used by residential drug and alcohol treatment centers. Gamers go through a "detox" period followed by a treatment regimen including group and individual therapy supervised by psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in addiction. The aim is to "replace the fantasy excitement with real excitement," enabling gamers to discover new, healthier ways to spend their time. Gaming can be an escape from real-world problems, or just a way to blow off steam. One of the hallmarks of addiction is that it becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with life stressors. "It's easier to just escape into World of Warcraft than to deal with social challenges at school or work," says psychotherapist Kerry DeVries. "Instead of creating different strategies for dealing with a real-life problem, you make a beeline for your favorite video game. The more often you do it, the more that strategy is reinforced, and the harder it becomes to act differently." Some Asian countries where online gaming is nearly endemic are beginning to recognize that problems can arise from excessive gaming. The governments of South Korea and China are working with some MMORPGs to encourage users to step away from the keyboard and mouse regularly, to the point where China has tested a system that degrades a character's performance after three straight hours of MMORPG playing. With gaming become more popular and accepted as time goes by, don't be surprised to see other, similar treatment centers opening up around the world. __________________