MMORPGs: Digital Drug?

If you’re reading this, then you’ve likely played on of them yourself. MMORPGs. As in the South Park episode of of World of Warcraft, causes people to have no life. And you cannot kill that which has no life. Haha. That aside, let’s get down to the issue here. For those of you who don’t know, MMORPG’s are online video games where you play live with thousands upon millions of other players through the internet. You can chat with them, or complete in game tasks called quests, or simply roam the world in search of monsters to train upon to buff your character up. It is, sadly, these simple and repetitive tasks that cause MMORPG’s to be so addictive and time consuming. We’ve all probably met at least one person in our life that is the type to sit behind the computer for as long as humanly possible day in and day out. You may be asking “Why is it these guys have no life? Do they really enjoy playing video games THAT much? Or do they have a phobia of other people?” It is a bizarre phenemenon that is occurring more and more frequently, and, frankly, it worries me. What would the country be if we elected a president that was a game-aholic? At the rate video game addictions in America are rising, it could be merely a decade or two before the odds of that happening would be 50/50, meaning half of every single person that resides in America would be a video junkie. While on some occasions, the latter of the question I asked myself and others above may be the reality, but in most cases it is simply an overwhelming addiction that they are incapable of neglecting to feed, much like heroin addicts helpless to it’s might. I’ve experienced it myself, and I also must say I am a recovering video game addict half a year in running. The concept of living in another, digital reality where the creators will attempt to simulate life in as many ways possible is too much for some minds, like myself, to handle. Fabricated realities, where you can trade, earn money, start organizations, and work towards an in-game goal, and all the other possiblilities in MMORPG’s can be a very mind stimulating concept. Simulation causes stimulation, if you will. Such a unique stimulation of the brain could cause a psychological relapse process that could take place on a regular basis, in most cases a process that drags out daily. While the relapse process would be without an actual physical withdrawal if ended, one still feels in the back of their had the craving and the angst to play again, much like a craving for a cigarette to one who has quit smoking cold turkey. On that note, I recently quit smoking myself, I I’ve found it much easier than it is led on to be. You see, not just MMORPG’s, but video games entirely is causes a certain stimulation of the brain that can be highly addictive to some people. Once addicted, the best course of action is to have the addict slowly wened off of it, like rehab patients would slowly have their daily dose of their drug substitute lowered over time until it is unneeded. Quitting video games cold turkey can be damaging to one’s mental state of health on many more levels that being an addict can, especially to those who play every day all day. It could cause a state of depression in which the victim loses sight of meaning in life, where they feel like a waste of space and have no reason to be alive. It is like a built up shellshock where they realize just how unproductive and wasteful their lives have been until the moment of quitting. Trust in my experience, it can be tremendous. In case of this happening, the victim will need emotional comfort, followed most likely by help rebuilding his life’s routine, such as a proper sleep cycle, importance of eating meals when they’re supposed to be eaten, and in some severe cases, hygiene may need to be reviewed thoroughly. You have to understand, this person has known nothing but video games for the last however long it was they were addicted to them, and, like in rehab, they must be re-taught the basics in life. Many people intend to insult people who have fallen to the might of World of Warcraft od Runescape out of a sense of disturbing justice that somehow makes them feel as if they’ve righted a wrong. The basis of almost any insult is either misunderstanding, or a lack of understanding. In many ways, video junkies can be thought of and treated as drug addicts. It’s certainly what it feels like.