Replies to '06/03 Virtual Chaos'

You are correct about the dates for addiction to WoW.  My son was still functioning in his job and marriage but was playing Everquest.  Just as he became bored with Everquest and Wow came olong it attracted him so he switched to Wow and  that is when the trouble started.  Sorry if I left the impression he has been on Wow for "over four years."  I should have said he has been addicted to "online gaming" for over four years now.  The point I was trying to make is how excessive gaming has ruined his life.  I am not trying to blame the gaming as my son has always been a gamer and yet was able to function very well in rl.   For some reason Wow is the game that hooked him and his life is destroyed right now because he chose that particular game.  Once he started playing WoW he lost interest in rl and his vitual world was all that mattered.  He continues to deny he has a problem and yet his whole life revolves around WoW.  Unfortunately, he is not the only one trapped in a virtual world and these people desparately need help.  The problem is... where can twe go to get the necessary help?  We as parents, spouses, siblings, friends of addicted gamers are desperate because we are trying to deal with this problem ourselves.  Who would have thought online gaming would turn into an addiction?  Certainly not us!!!  And that is exactly what we are facing because people don't believe it is possible.  Groups like Olganon are our only source at this time and we would sink under the strain if it wasn't for them, but we need more.  That is what we are trying to achieve... professional help that can concentrate on helping our loved ones break free of their addictions.