June 8th, 2006
Gamer Detox Center Opens in Europe
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
As long as we’re speaking about addicts, let not forget gaming addicts. Europe’s first gaming detox center is opening in Amsterdam. Keith Bakker is the director of Amsterdam-based Smith & Jones Addiction Consultants, and has opened the clinic.
Bakker already has treated 20 video game addicts, aged 13 to 30, since January. Some show withdrawal symptoms, such as shaking and sweating, when they look at a computer.
Like other addicts, Bakker said, gamers are often trying to escape personal problems. When they play, their brains produce endorphins, giving them a high similar to that experienced by gamblers or drug addicts. Gamers’ responses to questions even mirror those of alcoholics and gamblers when asked about use. Source: USA Today
We Say: It doesn’t take examples as extreme as those in Korea or other Asian countries to be an addict. My wife, a psychologist, agrees with Bakker, in that the reasons for any sort of addiction are often very similar, and that the method of escape, whether it be drugs, alcohol, or gaming, isn’t as important as the reasons for escape.
James says:
Sweet story, I love the post. But in the defense of video games, they do have potential benefits. I actually blogged about how video games can help calm patients and help surgeons warm up their hand eye coordination before going into surgery. You can read it if you want at http://secondepinion.blogspot.com
June 9th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
James says:
The actual story can be found at:
http://secondepinion.blogspot.com/2006/05/video-games-for-surgery-patients-and.html
June 9th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
thefinger says:
I’ve read some things by pro-gamers who wanted to somehow validate the use of video games in application to everyday life. Imo, this is an attempt on their part to justify their problem and pass the addiction around as much as possible. I.e. the gamer feels like less of a slacker and a loser if they can get others in on it. It reminds me of science fiction scenarios where no one is working, no one is outside doing anything… because they’re all glued to their games while the world comes down around them. I hope that doesn’t actually come true.
June 9th, 2006 at 6:15 pm
TangibleThoughts says:
Rehab for Gamers?
I first heard about this on Tim Absath’s blog (yeah hes the super duper cartoonist behind Ctrl+Alt+Del)….
June 11th, 2006 at 8:24 am
vicodin addiction says:
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July 28th, 2006 at 3:45 am
Gamer Detox Center Opens in Amsterdam | Etixet says:
[…] I wrote about this previously at RealTechNews, and now it’s open. A detox center for gamers. It’s not cheap, at 500 euros (or $640) a day, but it’s serious business. People have died from overplaying … an example is a South Korean who died last year after reportedly playing StarCraft at an Internet cafe for 50 hours. And he was 28 … can you imagine what it would do to me (and no, I’m not telling my age!). Addiction expert Keith Bakker hopes the serenity of a 16th century townhouse on one of Amsterdam’s canals will coax those snared in the fantasy world of online games back to reality. […]
January 7th, 2008 at 5:24 am