THE CICAK.com

For the love of the game

By SAMIR HARITH

You haven’t eaten for 12 hours, yet you aren’t hungry. You haven’t bathed in two days but don’t smell it. You haven’t talked to anyone in a week but don’t feel lonely… and during those infrequent toilet breaks images of your avatar, Lord Macgraeon, pass through your mind whilst you pass motion.

Sound familiar?

If it does you may be suffering from what experts call “Game-o-holicism.�

Ok, so I made that up.

However, it’s true that game addiction has become somewhat of an issue ever since a Korean dude keeled over his PC after spending some 50 straight hours playing games (a veritable world record!)

It has been amplified by another case in China where one player actually stabbed another player in real life because the latter screwed him over in an online game. Even in Malaysia, we had a case of a boy who supposedly killed himself because his dad refused to upgrade his PC.

Let’s face it: games are addictive. Games have been designed to engage and challenge our minds, and in today’s world where intellectual stimulation is hard to find, gaming appears to be a convenient form of mental challenge. It allows us to explore, interact, and immerse ourselves in a virtual world.

Games of all genres, from violent bloodfests like Doom to nation-building simulator games like Civilization, have a huge fan base and countless addicts. They all share one thing in common: the ability to allow the gamer to assume a different role, to be someone else. People are drawn to games because they allow us the freedom to be whoever we want to be.

Even early games such as Pong, Galaxian and Pac-Man had huge followings. Despite the lame graphics and linear gameplay, they captured the attention of many because they were new, fun, and gave players a sense of accomplishment after successfully working their way through varying levels of difficulty.

These factors have proven to provide some people with a better high than cocaine or nicotine.

So, what is game addiction?

Game addiction can be defined as the uncontrollable urge to spend one’s time constantly engaged in game playing, to the extent that not being able to get one’s daily “fix� might result in outbursts of rage, depression or antisocial behaviour.

Many people, especially parents, have ranked game addiction up there with drug and alcohol addictions, with some parents going to the lengths of sending their addicted children to treatment centres where drug addictions are also treated.

There have even been cases where children have tried to bully their parents into buying the latest consoles or the latest upgrades in order to keep up with their gaming needs.

Like all addictions, it is dangerous, but it can be treated.

Some symptoms of game addiction include:

A craving for more gaming time
Irritation towards family members who disrupt your gaming
Losing track of time whilst gaming
Inability to stop playing

Game addiction, if left unchecked, may manifest in physical problems, such as:

Dry eyes
Backaches
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Migraines

(Source: http://www.computeraddiction.com/)

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, beware, as you may actually be a game addict.

However, fear not, for here are some easy steps you can follow to ensure you do not end up an antisocial, red-eyed gaming Gollum drooling over his console mumbling “preciousssss� and spouting profanity at those who dare to approach:

(Note: These tips are based on my experience as a gamer who used to spend six straight hours staring at an electronic screen. Back then, I’d much rather have suffered an aching back and a bursting bladder than abandon my gaming.)

• Wear a watch. A watch can help you keep track of time. Try to limit your gaming time to about three hours a stretch. Any longer and you may end up seeing demons and dragons in your bedroom.

• Tell your parents or anyone who can help to control you and put some sense into you. Make sure they are well aware of your gaming activities, and agree on a time limit for your gaming.

• Read a book. Read a novel or some comics to take your mind off gaming. Books also tend to be a bit gentler on the eyes, and they offer an alternative reality to jump into. Try to avoid gaming novels though….

• Take a break. After every session of gaming, go outside, take a deep breath, look around and stretch a bit. This helps to refresh your body.

• Eat/drink more. Eating distracts the mind from gaming for the simple reason that you can’t eat while you game and if you drink, you run the risk of spilling your drink on your console, thus destroying it and preventing further use (wait, that may be a good idea…). Furthermore, it may “encourage” you to increase the frequency (and maybe duration) of your toilet breaks.

• Keep busy. Keep yourself occupied with other activities. Write, sing, draw, read, volunteer, start a business, whatever… as long as it takes your mind off gaming. Make sure it’s productive too; don’t swap a game addiction for a drug, sex or alcohol addiction!

I don’t claim these tips are foolproof, and they probably won’t cure chronic addiction (that requires psychiatric help). But following these tips have allowed me to pursue other activities and set new priorities. So if you feel gaming has taking a substantial amount of your time, these tips are for you.

If all else fails, there are online support groups which let you share your problems with other fellow addicts.

Game addiction, like every other addiction, can be managed. All it takes is a little effort. Rehabilitation is a long quest with many difficult battles, but as you gain experience you can level yourself up and claim victory over the odds.

Wait, don’t go thinking that gaming is evil; it isn’t. Heck, I still play games every now and then. But like all things, it should be done in moderation.

Now then, I have to excuse myself and go to the aid of Lord Macgraeon, as he has apparently been ambushed by a patrol of marauder Orcs…

–
SAMIR HARITH is a contributing writer for theCICAK.

Samir is a quasi-idealistic, semi-religious and somewhat liberal person who enjoys the company of cats and those who can tolerate him.