Student newspaper raises concerns about WoW addiction
by Samuel Axon 
Jan 11th 2008 at 6:00PM
A boy skipped his senior prom because he was busy playing WoW. A woman divorced her husband because he was more interested in WoW than in her. We've heard these kinds of stories many times before; the media runs them all the time. And while it's frustrating that the games we play are often seen only in that light by the public at large, there's no denying that some people have a problem with unhealthy addiction to WoW and games like it.The student newspaper of Northeastern University ran yet another piece lamenting the negative effects of World of Warcraft on some people. At this point, all these addiction articles are becoming white noise to me, but this one had a couple notable contributions to the discussion.
An expert was quoted within, saying that video game addiction is mostly a problem for young males of high school or college age. Imagine that! Also, the article featured a not-new quote from Liz Woolley (founder of On-Line Gamers Anonymous and the mother of that boy who committed suicide while playing EverQuest way back when); she said that MMO developers know that players can become addicted, and that those devs are therefore "no better than drug pushers." I think that's a bit harsh, but it's understandable that she'd come to that, given what she's gone through.
You can still achieve many of your in-game goals on limited playtime. Our weekly WoW, Casually column has the hints, tips and tricks for those with 2 hours or less to play.Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Zali Jan 14th 2008 10:28AM
I worked a 12 hour shift yesterday, got home at about 9:00 PM, hit the power button on my home PC which seems to automatically hearth me to Outland just to finish the two Daily Quests that I didn't have time to do before work... you know the ones... banishing more demons and bombing more flak cannonballs... or whatever they are called. Shouldn't take more than hour...
Wooops... 3:00 AM, alarm clock. Where DOES the time fly? Well, what is one more day without sleep? After all, I've had so many.
But addicted? Surely you jest.
Mirina Jan 11th 2008 6:16PM
Epic fail...when I was in Journalism, we actually researched what we wrote on...so we wouldn't look like idiots with gems like "Zuil-Aman" and "Walorakk."
Mirina Jan 11th 2008 6:17PM
"Zuli-Aman" is what I was meaning to type there -.-
Sanol Jan 11th 2008 6:18PM
Real Life should allways have a first place in your life. If you ignore your relatives and friends for playing a game you an addict in my opinion and should look for help. Everybody can play hardcore and still have a life in my opinion.
Matt Jan 11th 2008 7:19PM
in my opinion you have an addiciton with saying in my opinion...lol
Jubjub Jan 11th 2008 6:32PM
When will you guys ban dANNIX for constantly linking his stupid my mini city?
Suzaku Jan 11th 2008 6:35PM
It's funny that they think pointing at 5, 50, or even 500 WoW players who neglect other aspects of their lives in favor of the game actually means ANYTHING. 500 players would still be less than .01% of all people who play or have played the game, if Blizzard's subscription rates are about accurate.
I wonder how many marriages break up over spouses spending more time shopping, or watching sports, or spending time with friends, or any of thousands of possible reasons. Why the hell does an MMO stand out from the crowd and take so much flack in comparison?
Jp Jan 11th 2008 6:37PM
"A boy skipped his senior prom because he was busy playing WoW."
This seems a bit wrongly worded. Surely, what really happened, is the boy didn't get a date to his senior prom, and so played WoW instead?
I didn't get a date to my prom, so I didn't go. And yes, I played video games that night instead. Of course, this was long before WoW was around.
Rich Jan 11th 2008 6:50PM
I skipped my senior prom and got high at the local comic book store. I had zero interest in going at all. I would have played a video game that night I had already beaten Death Knights of Krynn. I don't see why the WoW player got singled out. I wasn't the only senior at the comic book store that night. Yes I was a nerd. lol
homeworkfilms Jan 11th 2008 6:41PM
I recall looking into the statistics of suicide rates when the EQ suicide controversy first appeared and found that (reported) MMO related suicides were in fact lower than suicides in the general public. That is not to say that suicides are unrelated to games but that the rates in MMO's are not any greater than those in the wider community.
On a second point, I was addicted to WOW in the spring of 2005. I was also finishing my last year of Honors University. I passed with excellent grades. What I did sacrifice was my family and my sleep. Life is about priorities. WOW is still part of my life but it is now lower on the priority list.
Rob Jan 11th 2008 6:41PM
The reason this raises eyebrows is that MMOs are a new area of addiction. You can be addicted to almost *anything*. Sex, work, caffeine, sports, etc. It's completely the mindset. Knowing you have an addictive personality is the first step in realizing that you need to order your life to have many components, not just one which be potentially addicting.
So when you see those types of articles, just change WoW to booze, pot, crack, (whatever), and its no different than any other addiction story.
Mat James Jan 11th 2008 7:48PM
@ 9 and 10: I really couldn't agree with both of you more. I feel like people understand and accept addictions to the more 'run of the mill' fixes than they do MMO's or video games in general. As someone with a highly addictive personality with several fixes in tow, WoW is the only one I'm truly happy about. It doesn't change the color of my teeth, burn my brain cells, allow me to make stupid decisions (anyone seen my keys?) or destroy my body. Granted that if you sit in a chair all day it's not good for you, but doing push ups or sit ups while flying somewhere helps out. Smoking while doing push ups does not help. Shopping and burying yourself in debt to cover your unhappiness is much worse in my opinion. Hell! Peoples obsessions with professional scary is a little scary, too. No ones writing articles in their school newspapers about that though.
Suffice to say, I think this has been blown way out of proportion and that there are bigger addiction problems than a damn video game.
And if you a good (mean) laugh, check out the Online Gamers Anonymous Site.
DavidC Jan 11th 2008 7:02PM
Most of these articles are nothing more then sensationalism shrouded in the guise of "news". As a previous posted stated, anitdotal numbers don't serve the public if you don't have comparisons.
Look at the divorce rate in the US. Now look at the causes of the divorce rate. Now look at where "wow" falls into that category.
Look at additions in the US. Now look at the causes of those addiction. Now look at where "wow" falls into that category.
Best yet ... determine whether "wow" was a need add to the category or a shift.
ie: Did somebody addicted to say "porn" switch over and become addicted to "wow"? and if so, would not the general populas see that as a "good thing"?
And visa versa ... are people that are addicted to "wow" actually benefiting because the alternative addictions are worse?
WeirdoKitty Jan 11th 2008 7:09PM
People, in general, tend to make poor judgements from time to time. For examples of this, go to the library and read anything from the sections History or Current Events and try to identify who is making a mistake. Hint: All of them.
The problem isn't the activity, it's a person repeatedly making a bad choice. The answer isn't to take away that one activity, unless the activity includes ingesting tobacco, alcohol, opium, crystal meth and the like. Those things have chemicals that change the body's chemistry to feel a need for more of those chemicals.
What to do in the case of someone who does do an activity too much, so much that they or others are hurt by it? The answer is to break the pattern of bad decision making, understand why they take things to an unhealthy exreme. Of course, that would take a lot of effort and it's easier to focus on the activity instead. Which is another mistake people often make. Choosing the easier path, that is, even when the easier path doesn't yeild the results you want.
dominic Jan 12th 2008 1:13AM
Hey peewee, that's what the whole INTERNET is about really. All you have is who you are. No age, sex, location, looks, etc for people to judge and bias on.
Vizzad Jan 11th 2008 7:20PM
Does anyone report on how hard it is to set up a "good"
raiding guild (pvp isnt my thing so I wont talk about it)
remember 40 man raids?
even the current 25?
if you are actively counting all the bells and whistles looking at how you can improve your guild, that my friends is close to genius.
Add recount to your raid and look over some of those graphs, about which healers over-heal
which dps stustains dps the longest, and be most effective?
which tank is grabbing agro te most in different situations..
based off that you research, maybe help your guildie change a spec,
decide if someone needs certain gear more then someone else?
this is f***ing hard work.
you learn to be responsible.. (alots of examples)
you learn to be on-time (showing up to raids)
you learn to be patient (there are idiots to deal with)
you learn when something is not worth it. (11 wipes.. )
you learn teamwork. (figure this one out.)
you learn to set goals (if you are good)
you learn math.. (ever tried to calculate which items better?)
you learn leadership skills.. (even in a 5 man pug.)
you learn loyalty.. and friendship...
you learn to judge people by who they are.. not what they look like.
I could think of more. I am tired, Keep it up guild masters! and everyone else..
Amanda Jan 11th 2008 9:06PM
People only ever see the bad.
They only look at the cases where some bad mother let her kid kill himself and play too much WoW.
They don't look at the bigger picture.
The fact that this is an online comunity and we're not spending time here vegging on killing mobs.
We're making friends, learning important life skills, and much more.
People may not see it that way, but that's their ignorance.
People will always focus on the bad things.
And the sole fact that we play WoW also makes them think we're being affected by the WoW 'mind control' so our opionoons and thoughts are null and void.
Then they go and make things like Mother's against video games.
Do you know what the kids are doing while you're out protesting? Playing the video game.
Do you know how stupid you look when asked about your child, you say you had no idea he was playing so much? It makes you look like a total fucktard.
But they get awwwws and pats on the back while they attempt to sue the companys and anything in their power because basically, what they thought was a babysitter, turned out to be too much for their 10 year old.
PeeWee Jan 11th 2008 9:26PM
"you learn to judge people by who they are.. not what they look like."
That line has Epic Win written all over it. That is the single one absolutely best advantage MMOG's has over the "real world".
jshtan77 Jan 11th 2008 7:21PM
When I was growing up they didn't have wow, but I got addicted to my nintendo and playstation. What's the difference other then wow is cheaper?
Wansinoo Jan 11th 2008 7:32PM
Unfortunately I am going through a divorce right now that has a lot to do with my wife's addiction to this game. I play the game as well and originally we got the game to spend time doing something different together after the kids went to bed.
Now she stays up until 2 or 3 in the morning every night playing the game. She then has to get up with the kids around 6 and routinely is only getting 3 hours sleep. She then wakes up and sits them in front of the tv for hours while she plays. Later she's too tired to do stuff with the kids and falls asleep on the couch while the kids watch tv. She has also now met a special "friend" through the game.
At least in my case, this is an all to fresh reality for my family.