I play regularly during the week but I'm able to quit for days if I must or I don't have time to spend playing games. It is part however of my lifestyle, so I won't quit playing games (does it make me an addict? idk and idc).

Well, it's not like I have to leave an important place every so often just to play a game outside.

Or it's not like I try to steal games just to get addicted.

I dunno, trying to compare video games with drugs just seems silly.

Calling video games an addiction is like calling obesity a disease.. So easy to put responsibility on something else these days.

yes they are different

Are you addicted to making posts like this? Making a post like this releases dopamine because you think you've made a point, someone points out there isn't a connection between the two things you've listed in the OP beyond very very thin reaching and the chemicals go down, repeat another stretch post, more dopamin, so it's a posting addiction right?

If you didn't get it, no they aren't the same thing.

Work for govt and still play! And do upload gameplay videos mostly boss battles.

Video gaming can be a real addiction. A close friend of mine had a friend who struggled with Everquest addiction. Over time he lost his job, friends, ignored his family, all to get another fix from playing the game all day long. His family had to intervene at some point and keep computers out of his apartment. He did give me some nice gear early in the game though :/
Everquest widows is a real thing https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/EverQuest-Widows/info

I've had more addiction like symptoms from video games than I had when I was using drugs regularly. Actually video game addiction won it out over drug use. Ironically Everquest addiction 'saved' me from getting physically addicted to worse drugs.

Yet although there are no physical withdrawal symptoms to video game addiction, the mental symptoms are very much there. The 'itch' to play can be very strong. Only as recent as Mario maker did I have it again. The urge to finish creating a level was a bit overwhelming at times, closing myself off from everything around me while perfecting a stage. You can't even use the 'can't pause' / 'just one more quest' excuse with that.

Now Fallout 4 is testing me again. Gaming past 3 am at night, most through the day on Saturday. It's not that bad yet as the urge isn't there (yet) For now it's still a 'just one more thing' kinda addiction.

I'm not too worried about it though. All video games become boring after a while, even Everquest did. Then I wonder what was so great about that last open world game I played that I had to lose sleep over it. And happily start the next game :) It's a manageable addiction, and no hang overs or feeling slow in the morning is a big bonus. Sleep deprivation is sometimes still a problem though.

Sounds to me like you just called work an addiction. I'll slomp over a keyboard for what feels like days at a time (some people at my office will push 75 hours a week during busy season), basically fall asleep at my keyboard (after working on my bed to end the night), and I get paid to do it. And yes, I do enjoy it.

So why do we call it a "job" in my instance but an "addiction" when we are talking about video games?

While i agree it's still an addiction, it the not the same. I don't steal shit to support my habit and it's unlikely i'd OD from too much gaming.

The people that died at their PC, playing a MMO are something. Addiction is probably not the best word to use though, for majority of what people do with their gaming habbits.