Are you a video game addict?
p2pnet.net news:- Do spend a lot of time playing video games? Does it bother you? In fact, do you think you’re a (shudder) GAME ADDICT !?!?!?
Not to worry, even considering a resolution from the American Medical Association House of Delegates, Maryland Delegation, “received 5/2/06″.
It says, in part:
Whereas, There are many reports of children and adults becoming addicted to video games; and
Whereas, It has been in the interest of the industry not to address this issue; and
Whereas, Not everyone exposed to an agent with addiction potential becomes addicted to that agent be it alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or gambling, but some do; and
Whereas, The marketing to children makes this a greater concern for families; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That our American Medical Association Council on Science and Public Health work in conjunction with all appropriate specialty societies to prepare a report reviewing and summarizing the research data on the emotional and behavioral effects, including addiction potential, of video games (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA develop recommendations for physicians, parents and legislators based on the findings of this report. (Directive to Take Action)
But, says Reuters:
Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.
Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association’s annual meeting.
They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games – a problem that affects about 10 percent of players – could be considered a mental illness.
“There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn’t get to have the word addiction attached to it,” said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
Stay tuned, all you non-addicts : )
Also See:
Reuters – Doctors Backpedal on Game Addiction, June 25, 2007
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Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local politicians. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance. Don’t just complain. Do something!
