Xbots

Hello again my fellow addicts! I return to you with another addiction that perhaps you haven't ever given any thought to. The video game addiction. Yes, as a matter of fact, you can become addicted to such a thing. I, for one don't play very many video games. In fact I've only ever finished two games in my entire life. So I don't really understand how you could become addicted to a video game, but I do agree that they can be very entertaining!

Time for the science behind this.
Clearly a video game is not any type of substance, meaning it isn't classified as a substance addiction, it's more of a behavioural addiction. Now because it is not substance related, it is difficult to pin-point the biological effects of the addiction, but assumptions can be made. According to webMD.com, it is a "clinical impulse control disorder". This classifies it under the same category as gambling addictions. The only biological effect known from gambling addictions is that it increases the amount of dopamine in the blood stream... That's about all they know. (webMD.com)

Withdrawal

On a less scientific scale, there are many things that they can point out about this specific addiction!
Video-game-addiction.org tells us that 10-15% of avid gamers show signs that meet the World Health Organization's criteria for addiction. Pretty obvious signs such as throwing fits when removed from the source. Or even using video games as a way to escape life and stress, much like why an alcoholic drinks (webMD.com). Research shows that this addiction is becoming more and more common amongst pre-teens and teenagers, due to the exposure to video games at such a young age (video-game-addiciton.org).

Now that you have the back ground information to this addiction, I'll give you my two cents on the matter. Now that I've read up on the matter, I agree 100% that it is a legitimate addiction. It makes sense that people would use video games to escape reality and stress. When you have 4 projects due in a week, what better to do than to procrastinate and play GTA V where you can do whatever you want, care-free, make millions of dollars and just spend it on whatever you desire. I just don't find that very amusing which is why I struggle to understand this addiction completely. I also think that living in a world where parents treat children as burdens and distract them with iPhones and iPads instead of playing with their kids doesn't help. The more you expose your kids to it, the more likely it is for them to become addicts them selves. In this type of situation, all I have to say is that ignorance is in fact bliss.

Put the controller down and go find a friend to hangout with!

Sources:
http://www.video-game-addiction.org
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun