Can someone be addicted to computer games? If yes, to what extend? This is the most important question nowadays, because today children play more with such games.

As computer games and computer itself became entertainment tools, they brought some problems on our agendas. In this article we aim to inform the EBIKO readers about the addiction to computer games.

1 The addiction to computer games: Where are the limits?
2 What if we do not sleep, but just play?
3 Do games kill us?
4 Is the addiction to computer games something similar like the addiction to chemical substances?
5 What are the reasons of the addiction to computer games?

6 Are you an addicted? Do you worry about that?

7 Are all people, who play with such games, addicted people?
8 What are the mental effects of such games?

The addiction to computer games: Where are the limits?

We know that you are curious about the answers of the questions that are enlisted above. Do not worry, we’ll explain all the things you want to know about computer games. To what extend do people become addicted to computer games? This is an important question nowadays, because today there are more people that enjoy playing with computer games. As computer games and computer itself became entertainment tools, they brought some problems on our agendas. In this article we aim to inform the EBIKO readers about the addiction to computer games. Computer games are really enjoyable tools and once you sit to play a game, it is nearly impossible for you to look at your watch and see what time it is. You are in a mood like “just one more hour” and than comes the next hour, than the next…Namely, you cannot give up playing without extending the intended play time. However, there are also some players, who can say “enough”. These players give up playing when they say enough and than they return to their lives in the real world. On the other hand, for some players it is even more difficult to give up playing. At this point they become addicted to computer games.

What if we do not sleep, but just play?

Playing with computer games is something that satisfies the player. It is scientifically proved that computer games make people happy and the players feel the emotion of being successful and being awarded. With this satisfaction, people do not sleep, but they just play. Within this concept, it can be said that physical disorders occur, as the players do not sleep. Players, who are satisfied with their games, begin to play longer. Namely, this means they begin to sleep less. In this situation the brain releases fewer hormones to protect the functionality of the body.

People than begin to forget their daily responsibilities day by day due to those games. As they extend the game period, they turn into asocial people. Namely, this is the point in which they no more do care about their friends and families. And this is a real problem. Because people, who are so heavily addicted to computer games, cannot be successful at school and in life. Because they are always tired due to their complicated daily lives.

Do games kill us?

Playing with computer games without stopping and forgetting the responsibilities that are waiting for you is called as addiction to computer games. If a person plays with such games for 20 hours in a day, and does nothing apart from playing, this is a bad signal. There are also people, who do rarely extend their play times and who do just play at their free times. This situation is not as bad as the one I mentioned before. However, this one is also considered as a bad signal according to the news that occurs throughout the press world. One of those news stated that a Korean passed away after having played Starcraft for 50 hours. These kinds of events do not occur so often, but they are important and they capture the attention of many people. They remain under the title of current issues on our agendas for a long period. Moreover, we can read the same news on another source after a while. Finally, people who do not know much about computer games begin to be afraid of them.

Prejudgments occur than as a result of this fear. A player who just spends a few hours in front of the computer games can be exposed to heavy pressures. He/ she gets demoralized and thinks like “am I a computer game addicted?”

Is the addiction to computer games something similar like the addiction to chemical substances?
The prejudgments about the computer games are more dangerous than the computer game itself. People are in the habit to forbid the things of which they are afraid. In such cases, they do not evaluate the advantages and the disadvantages of computer games, but they just forbid them. At this point, forbidding them is much more dangerous, because such preventions do lack of required knowledge and awareness. However, there are even scientists who do not make enough research about this issue before categorizing such addictions among the addictions to chemical substances like alcohol and drugs. This kind of categorizations burgeon the occurrence of ignorance. Because some scientists do not carry out researches, whether such categorizations are right or wrong.
Addiction to computer games is sometimes considered as similar to the addiction to chemical substances, because both of them provide the release of dopamine in the brain. However, there is one aspect that we forget: There are many activities such as eating and sleeping that do provide the release of dopamine in the brain.

What are the reasons of the addiction to computer games?

Some of the attitudes used in order to explain the addiction to computer games are wrong attitudes. It is a fact that playing with computer games turn into a habit after a while and children do than become addicted. However, it is absolutely wrong to form a relation between the addiction to computer games and the addiction to chemical substances such as cigarette, alcohol, and drugs. Because once you take in a chemical substance, it continues to remain in your body for a while. But for the addiction to computer games, it is not the same. You just want to play, but there is nothing in your body about those computer games.

Those addicted to chemical substances have to experience a painstaking process in order to give them up. It is necessary for them to clean their bodies up. However, this is not the case for addiction to computer games. Cigarettes include nicotine, coffee includes caffeine…etc. And what do the computer games include? Nothing. The released dopamine while playing just arises the feeling of being successful, nothing more.
Namely, it is easier to give up playing with computer games and this depends just upon the will of the player. Such addictions occur as a result of bad incidences such as unemployment and aimlessness. If a person receives a job or an aim, you will see that he/she will give up playing. See how simple it is!

Are you an addicted? Do you worry about that?

Nearly all of those, who think that they are addicted, worry about their situation. As I mentioned before, the prejudgments about the fear towards this addiction are more alarming than the addiction itself. Therefore, the fear disseminates more often than the addiction.

A person, who thinks that she/ he has problems concerning this issue, gets really in trouble. The desire for playing and the habit of playing are not considered as diseases. For instance, a person who eats a pie in midnight is not addicted to the habit of eating. However, we should not forget that excessive amounts are always dangerous. Namely, a person has to know to what extend he/she can play and to what extend not. This is the basic point in this issue. Excessive amounts lead to dangerous results under all circumstances.  

Another factor that leads to fear is related with the unawareness and the ignorance of the society. Reasons such as unemployment, poverty, family conflicts…etc are considered as excuses for such habits. If you do not have enough money to participate in a social activity, playing computer games cannot be considered as an addiction. Namely, this means that if you have had enough money, you would have the chance to give up playing and participate in some social activities.

Are all people, who play with such games, addicted people? 
People do not try to understand those, who play computer games. Therefore, they are afraid of the players and they behave in a biased manner towards them. Players are easily labeled as “addicted people” and this manner has a negative impact on them.
Real addicted ones are those, who do not care for their jobs, families and lives. They destroy the bridges, which constitute connections with their real lives. These people do not have the desire to attend crowded areas, because they enjoy being alone in front of the computer screen. This is a great problem, as in such cases players do not want to undertake their responsibilities and they behave in a manner that does not care the values of the society in which they live. As a result, there occur conflicts within the society.

Finally, I would like to state that addiction to computer games is a real problem, but this is an issue, which needs more research. Namely, we still do not know the characteristics of game addicted people. This is a result of the inconsistency among the so-called “experts”, who make researches and announce their ideas lacking of scientific truths.  Excessive reactions and ignorance are basic threats in this new area. It is recommended to behave in a manner that is cool and controlled.

What are the mental effects of such games?
It is known that computer games are helpful devices to improve ones brain capacity and flexibility. For instance, when an 80 year-old person learns a language and stands against the challenges during this process, his mental age will get 20 years younger than before.

If you use your brain like any one of your muscles, you will see that your brain gets stronger day by day. Therefore, computer games can be considered as beneficial devices, which activate your brain muscles. On the other hand, it is useless to play the same game over and over. In such cases people just play the game not because it is useful and enjoyable, but because of their addictions. This is the initial part of being a game addicted person.

Games are only helpful if they are integrated into real life situations. Life does not only mean working, eating and studying, nor does it mean playing. Diversification is a basic tenet for life. A rich life means a diverse life.  

Consequently, do not worry about the addiction concept. Instead try to take up a new hobby for your spare time and forget about that addiction madness.