http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=187030
Dr. Tanya Byron's brief dalliance with the games industry appears to have ended, with her branding World of Warcraft a "childish fantasy game" and comparing videogames to crack.
In last night's BBC show 'Am I Normal?', Dr. Byron asked a variety of 'experts' and 'victims' as to whether games could comparable to drugs.
Unfortunately, all traces of the rational psychologist show in The Byron Report appeared to vanish.
In an introduction to a segment regarding an intensive World of Warcraft player, Byron said: "Michelle Hart is not what you would imagine as a dedicated gamer. She's an intelligent, 39-year old woman with a decent job and no history of psychological problems.
"It might seem ludicrous to compare a childish computer fantasy game with hard drug addiction. But addiction counsellors offering treatment to gamers argue that there are key similarities in the way that the consumer gets hooked into coming back for more."
Byron went on to interview Michelle, who apparently spends most of her time playing World of Warcraft when she's not working. She's even been known to decline offers of going down the pub!
"Other than work, Michelle rarely leaves the house," Byron said. "Her devotion to the online game World of Warcraft has come to dominate her life. Sometimes she plays for over 12 hours without a break." Which, incidentally, is tame by some of our WoW marathons.
When questioned, Michelle said that: "People have said to me come out for drink or something and there's always that questions: do I want to go out and drink or stay in and play?"
You know what that's called, Michelle? That's called enjoying yourself. You wouldn't think it was strange that a football fan wouldn't want to go out in the middle of a match, now would you?
Also in the program, Byron interviews the chaps behind the gaming addiction in Amsterdam, who label gaming "the addiction for the 21st Century." Though considering they make money off of 'helping' the 'addicted', we're not entirely sure they're the most unbiased source for the program.
For more excerpts from the TV show, check out the transcript on MCV.
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As addictive as anything that stimulates the mind. Seriously aren't things that make you feel good potentially addictive LOL. Is so simple yet we need experts to tell us the obvious.
