The show depicted World of Warcraft as some horrible game which destroys lives. Really? I have read through many of these posts/replies. It seems as if many of the "gamers" are affected by some type of mental disorder or depression. In my opinion (I am no expert) these people who let this game ruin their lives are going to have their lives ruined no matter what unless they have received some type of assistance in dealing with what is really wrong with them. These are the ones who need mental/emotional help for some problem(s) that they are burying and not dealing with. Certain people get obsessed with a variety of things to keep their minds off of other things that are bothering them. I just don't see how people are blaming World of Warcraft/EQ or any other game. There are people who knit all day, people who make crafts all day, people who read all day. Why aren't these people being targeted? These people have the same problem. From my point of view, many of the gamers you guys are talking about seem to be lacking self-esteem and confidence. They play the game to gain this from people whom they don't know in "real life". If the time played is causing marital problems, then look and see what problems existed in the marriage before the game. I am sure that you will find some for no marriage can exist without some problems, whether they be major or minor.
I personally love World of Warcraft. I met my boyfriend playing it. He is a teacher who gets up every morning and goes to work as do I. We spend $15 a month each to play. The game is a huge part of our social life. We could spend easily spend over $50 a night going out to a movie and to dinner or going out to a club. We prefer to stay home and play the game. We do go to see movies, plays, etc. I feel as if my guildies are like a second family and many have grown to become really close friends of mine. I talk to them throughout the day and many know more about me than people I know in "real life". There is a difference between a hardcore raider and a casual player. A hardcore player/raider plays the game competitively to see what content can be conquered preferably before anyone else. A casual player logs on when he/she wants and plays for awhile and then logs off not worried about beating others to the punch if you will. The hardcore raiders are the ones who will play the game everyday for hours on end. The reason they do this is because they have joined a guild who expects them to be on so many days/hours a week in order to raid. If they do not, then they usually are removed from the guild and join a casual guild.
My guild is a mix of both. We do not punish people for not being online, but we do expect them to be on as much as possible during raid times. If we have kids in the guild, we encourage them to do their homework and keep up their grades. I always tell them school before raids. "Real life before WOW". My guildies know they can go out with their spouse and kids and not get chastised over it. I guess what I am trying to get across is that the people who play wow need to know how much time they are going to spend on the game and join a guild that matches their playing schedule. This will make spouses, friends, etc. happy due to the fact that you can set aside days for family days, etc.
I have met many people who have met online playing WOW. They have gotten married and have had kids. Most of the time, these people reduce the amount of time they play, but they do still play when they can. Now, don't get me wrong, I have also seen people get divorced over the game. It does consume a huge part of your life and time. I always tell people to get their spouse to play and when they do, they usually like it. I think as in anything in life people need to be in the right state of mind in order to control their gaming. If they aren't, then they will fall down that slippery slope of depression no matter if it's gaming or any other obsession.
Many people have had their confidence built by playing the game. The game is not "evil" by any means. I have guildies who are ADD, Agoraphobic, who have Turrets. We treat them no differently because of these handicaps. We all have handicaps in my opinion. I have not met anyone who is perfect. WoW is a place to escape and not be judged because of imperfections. It is a place to make friends and possibly build relationships that last a long time. It is a place that can be calming. You can just sit around and fish if you want to. You can run around and pick herbs (flowers/plants). You can just fly around looking at scenery. You can just stand in the middle of town and talk to people. You can ....have fun!
(Original Air Date: 10/20/08) Sixty-five percent of American households report playing computer and video games, and surprisingly, the average player is 35 years old. Computer games are supposed to be fun, but when a hobby turns into an obsession, virtual fantasy worlds can ruin lives and wreck marriages. Juli says her 34-year-old husband, Fred, plays computer games all day and ignores his entire family. Fred admits to spending up 10 hours a day in a cyber world, but will he call it an addiction? Fred’s stepson, Brandon, thinks Fred is lazy and that his mom can do better. Then, Brad, 40, was so addicted to games that he spent up to 80 hours a week locked in the basement with his computer. Not only did he accumulate close to $24,000 of debt, his addiction nearly cost him his marriage and his life! Next, Liz found her 21-year-old son, Shawn, dead at his computer from a self-inflicted gun shot. She says that a role-playing game in the virtual world transformed her son from a vibrant young adult into a depressed introvert, which ultimately led to his suicide. Liz founded Online Gamers Anonymous to educate others about the potential dangers of obsessive gaming. Then, when Wendy married a video game designer, she literally took matters into her own hands and started playing herself. Are you or is someone you love at risk for video game addiction? Log on to DrPhil.com for a checklist of signs!
