Expert: 40 Percent of World of Warcraft Players Addicted

Iria · Aug 9, 2006, 11:35 PM

Source: TwitchGuru
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If you're suffering from dry eyes, headaches, back aches, erratic sleep patterns, it may be more than just your average hangover: according to Dr. Maressa Orzack, you could be suffering from video and computer game addiction. A clinical psychologist, Orzack is founder and coordinator of Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital in Newton, Mass., and is also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Computer Addiction Services is one of the few outpatient clinics in the U.S. that provides specific treatment for game addiction.

While many people dispute the notion, Orzack believes that game addiction is a true mental disorder. As a result, she has worked with numerous gamers over the years to help them break the hold that games have on them.

Shaga · Aug 10, 2006, 01:14 AM

Mental or physical addction, it's addiction anyway. It's possible to have mental addiction with anything, so why not by playing wow which requires lots of devotion. Some just try to make noise of it to have their analysis(and to make some name) well known. It's pretty easy with a game this popular.

SFOSOK · Aug 10, 2006, 01:50 AM

Mental adiction is a lot easier to over come than a physical need.

***craig5320*** · Aug 10, 2006, 01:53 AM

Why did it take an expert to state that? nothing new there.

kn0w1 · Aug 10, 2006, 03:40 AM

I think these quotes speak for themselves:
"Orzack: Well, let's take World of Warcraft as an example. Let's say there are around 6 million subscribers for the game. I'd say that 40 percent of the players are addicted."

translation: let me pull a number out of my ass w/o any data to back this up; after all.. i AM an expert ...

and

"... This individual came from a family that was unfortunately breaking up, and World of Warcraft was his way to escape that. This 18-year-old individual was miserable. He didn't get along with any of his family members and kept withdrawing into the game.

RW: Then aren't the issues at home more of a problem than the actual games themselves?

Dr. Orzack: No, I disagree. You can't say that about Blizzard, which structures the games like World of Warcraft to be addictive."

The_Neon_Cowboy · Aug 10, 2006, 04:39 AM

try 90%

Shaga · Aug 10, 2006, 08:02 AM

Aug 9, 2006, 11:35 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Expert: 40 Percent of World of Warcraft Players Addicted Source: TwitchGuru ________ If you're suffering from dry eyes, headaches, back aches, erratic sleep patterns, it may be more than just your average hangover: according to Dr. Maressa Orzack, you could be suffering from video and computer game addiction. A clinical psychologist, Orzack is founder and coordinator of Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital in Newton, Mass., and is also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Computer Addiction Services is one of the few outpatient clinics in the U.S. that provides specific treatment for game addiction. While many people dispute the notion, Orzack believes that game addiction is a true mental disorder. As a result, she has worked with numerous gamers over the years to help them break the hold that games have on them.

Aug 10, 2006, 01:14 AM	#2
Shaga Intelligent Life Form Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Nordic Region Posts: 383 Rep Power: 48 System Specs	Mental or physical addction, it's addiction anyway. It's possible to have mental addiction with anything, so why not by playing wow which requires lots of devotion. Some just try to make noise of it to have their analysis(and to make some name) well known. It's pretty easy with a game this popular. __________________ Server: Currently Offline Last edited by Shaga; Aug 10, 2006 at 01:19 AM.

Aug 10, 2006, 01:50 AM	#3
SFOSOK 939 Goin Strong Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 7,033 Rep Power: 90 System Specs	Mental adiction is a lot easier to over come than a physical need. __________________ Warning - Explicit Content Preceeding METAL!!

Aug 10, 2006, 01:53 AM	#4
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,577 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	Why did it take an expert to state that? nothing new there. __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Aug 10, 2006, 03:40 AM	#5
kn0w1 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 16 Rep Power: 0	what a bunch of hooey I think these quotes speak for themselves: "Orzack: Well, let's take World of Warcraft as an example. Let's say there are around 6 million subscribers for the game. I'd say that 40 percent of the players are addicted." translation: let me pull a number out of my ass w/o any data to back this up; after all.. i AM an expert ... and "... This individual came from a family that was unfortunately breaking up, and World of Warcraft was his way to escape that. This 18-year-old individual was miserable. He didn't get along with any of his family members and kept withdrawing into the game. RW: Then aren't the issues at home more of a problem than the actual games themselves? Dr. Orzack: No, I disagree. You can't say that about Blizzard, which structures the games like World of Warcraft to be addictive."

Aug 10, 2006, 04:39 AM	#6
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	try 90% __________________

Aug 10, 2006, 08:02 AM	#7
Shaga Intelligent Life Form Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Nordic Region Posts: 383 Rep Power: 48 System Specs	__________________ Server: Currently Offline