http://www.pcgamesn.com/article/deaths-during-gaming-why-and-how-extended-periods-play-can-be-dangerous

I don't really have anything to add here. If you're a gamer, hopefully gaming doesn't consume you. Sitting around most all day, most every day, is not healthy for you.

Any addiction is risky.

old news are so exciting!!

I never liked the word addiction when used for videogames. When I think of addiction I think of something that actually causes withdrawal symptoms if you stop doing it, which doesn't really happen with gaming AFAIK.

But sure, excessive gaming can be dangerous. Anything done excessively can.

If you have nothing meaningful to contribute, why waste your time typing anything?


Well, there is some debate as to what addiction exactly is. If you look at it from the perspective of it being a substitute for a full, satisfying life, then (excessive) gaming is an addiction.

the only video game addiction im against is WoW... dont get me wrong i love wow but some people literally crap in cups and has have ass turmors because of wow, its so sad i really dont think its funny. WoW addiction is horrible.

also i think kids below the age of 15 shouldn't be allowed to play hardcoe RPG's

I like playing video games, but who are these people who play crazy amount of hours non stop? Do they have a life? Frankly, these people have other serious issues, and playing excessively is just a symptom of it. It's known that people with personal issues tend to develop addictions. For parents who want to point fingers at video games for the "destruction" of their children, they better look harder than that.

Gaming + Addiction = Media Made Talking Head Issue

That's what I think as well. I don't think videogames have this dangerously addictive quality to them that causes people to do 20 hour runs without standing up, it's underlying issues that those people have which cause them to do that.

I don't know how accurate the article is, but if this guy sat playing games for 20 hours without getting up at all then I'd say there was something wrong with him, unless he was just terribly irresponsible.I wouldn't even make it 20 hours straight even if I wanted to. That would make me very uncomfortable, thirsty and hungry. Ignoring all those things isn't healthy, and everyone knows that.

I think the article is pretty fair. It doesn't start a whole sensationalist GAMING IS DANGEROUS AND ADDICTIVE argument with no evidence whatsoever (It is a gaming site so that's not really a surprise), it just warns of the dangers of gaming for extended periods of time without taking a break. Which is good. In fact, the word addiction isn't even used.

It isn't a medical/chemical addiction, it's a psychological reliance, like gambling addiction but not smoking addiction.

Whether or not it is an addiction is debateable, but obviously the dangers of excessive gaming (or anything else) are very real. Although the actual amount of people who are addicted to gaming is miniscule compared to the amount of people who are gamers.

I think gaming can be a psychological addiction that does produce some withdrawal. It's just not physical symptoms like bad shakes or sweats or muscle pain. More like increased crankiness, restlessness, depression, etc.

Anyway....yes, at least take breaks and get up for a few minutes every hour or two, whether watching TV, reading, working at a desk, playing games, and so on.

Perhaps addiction is not the right word. Psychological dependency sounds more like it.