During the study, researchers examined nearly 400 gamers (most of whom were male). The subjects were questioned about how much they played video games (researchers did not specifically test people with Aspergers during the study). The research revealed that the higher the time the participants spent playing video games, the more likely they were to show 3 specific traits usually associated with Aspergers: (1) neuroticism, (2) lack of extraversion, and (3) lack of agreeableness.
This outcome suggests that people with Aspergers may have a higher likelihood of becoming video game addicts, because it allows them to escape into a world where they can avoid face-to-face interactions. People with Aspergers may be prone to addiction to MMORPGs (massive multi-player online role playing games).
People with Aspergers often can’t make eye contact and fail to pick up social cues (e.g., boredom in others). The researchers say that Aspergers tends to isolate kids and can trigger depression, which video games may encourage.
Treatment for Aspergers usually consists of improving social skills and breaking repetitive behavior, the very things video games discourage. Video games don’t prepare Aspergers kids for interacting with real people. Also, as an older teen or young adult, video game addiction is known to cause problems with motivation, going to college, and finding employment (you can’t walk into a college or job interview and say that you are really good at playing Xbox).
While most people associate addiction with substances (e.g., drugs or alcohol) therapists recognize addictive behaviors as well:
1. If the person does not get more of the substance or behavior, he becomes irritable and miserable.
2. The person needs more and more of a substance or behavior to keep him going.
Compulsive gaming meets these criteria, and many therapists have reported seeing severe withdrawal symptoms in game addicts. They become angry, violent, or depressed. If moms and dads take away the computer, their Aspergers youngster may sit in the corner and cry, refuse to eat, sleep, or do anything else.
Unlike substance abuse, the biological aspect of video game addiction is uncertain. Research suggests gambling elevates dopamine, and gaming is in the same category. But there's more to addiction than brain chemistry. Even with alcohol, it's not just physical. There's a psychological component to the addiction (e.g., knowing you can escape or feel good about your life). The addict is trying to change the way he feels by taking something outside of himself. The cocaine addict, for example, learns, 'I don't like the way I feel, I take a line of cocaine.' For gamers, it's the fantasy world that makes them feel better.
The lure of a fantasy world is especially pertinent to online role-playing games. These are games in which a player assumes the role of a fictional character and interacts with other players in a virtual world. An intelligent youngster who is unpopular at school can become dominant in the game. The virtual life becomes more appealing than real life.
Too much gaming may seem relatively harmless compared with the dangers of a drug overdose, but video game addiction can ruin lives. Kids who play 4 - 5 hours per day have no time for socializing, doing homework, or playing sports. That takes away from normal social development (e.g., you can have a 20-year-old Aspie still living at home with the emotional intelligence of a 12-year-old … he's never learned to talk to girls …never learned to play a sport ...never learned to hold down a job).
Spending a lot of time gaming doesn't necessarily qualify as an addiction. Most people play games safely. The question is: Can you always control your gaming activity? According to the Center for On-Line Addiction, warning signs for video game addiction include:
• Feeling irritable when trying to cut down on gaming
• Gaming to escape from real-life problems, anxiety, or depression
• Lying to friends and family to conceal gaming
• Playing for increasing amounts of time
• Thinking about gaming during other activities
In addition, video game addicts tend to become isolated, dropping out of their social networks and giving up other hobbies. It's about somebody who has completely withdrawn from other activities.
The overwhelming majority of video game addicts are males under 30. It's usually kids with poor self-esteem and social problems. They're intelligent and imaginative, but don't have many friends at school. A family history of addiction may also be a factor.
The toughest part of treating video game addicts is that it's a little bit more difficult to show somebody they're in trouble. Nobody's ever been put in jail for being under the influence of a game. The key is to show gamers they are powerless over their addiction, and then teach them real-life excitement as opposed to online excitement.
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