An article from a Southern Utah news website highlights gaming addiction in kids and talks about how dangerous it can be.

The article, from The Spectrum, is titled “Combat gaming addiction in kids.” It references various experts that claim that excessive gaming is a behavioral addiction similar to addictions to pornography or gambling.

The article goes on to explain the danger of games like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty, where “players build make-believe worlds that can overshadow real life.” We’re all familiar with the the addictive quality of Warcraft, but the author clearly threw Call of Duty in there because of its immense popularity without actually knowing what the game entails.

One therapist is quoted as saying “If Mom is always nagging that games are a waste of time, they say: ‘S- you, my friends online love me, and I’ll hang out with them.’” I don’t even know what “S- you” means. Shit you? Is that how the kids talk these days?

Later in the article the writer says “A drug user trying to kick his or her habit knows that cutting down until the behavior is conquered doesn’t work,” and “Computer game addicts face the same problems,” jumping right from behavioral addiction to chemical addiction. So which is it?

While it’s somewhat refreshing to read a criticism of videogames that doesn’t completely revolve around violence (though it is talked about), this article felt more alarmist than informative. I encourage all of you to read it and tell us what you think.