Video games are not additcive I play all the time and all I think it is would be is a fun thing to do when i'm bored. I like to play them but i don't feel the need to, like i'd die with out them! Playing them is fun but I have other fun things to do like play with my friends, or practice my fencing stratagies.

-aaron wise =)

It's very true that video games, especially online ones are very addicting. I know friends that spend 9-11 hours a day on World of Warcraft, and he's also spent 64 days in his total time on the game, just on that one character.

Instead of divorce, I would recommend either councelling, or as seen on TV, intervention.
Extreme solutions for an extreme case.

If your child is yearning for Daddy's attention now, imagine what it would be like with him totally out of the picture... Eek.

Best of luck to you! ^_^

Video games are killing the imagination of those who are young and are taking experience away from life by sucking the time out of a day because you want to beat a level. Kids in this day and age are DUMB. The school systems keep revising the curriculum to accomodate the ever growing need for special attention brought on by not devoting enough time to education while young. I believe if the curriculum was kept the same, textbooks remaining unrevised to match new said curriculum, there may still be a chance for the children of the future. Otherwise, our world is going to end up just like how everyone fears in bad movies: controlled and run by machines, and humans will no longer be the driving force of intelligence, innovation and of moving forward.

Married for 5 years.
It's bee almost 3 years since THAT video game has arrived into my hubbys life. He does't even leave it to buy me a birthday present or to go to family events that don't have an XBOX on location. If there is power he takes it with him.He has played sick from work to get more play time.Work, sex, our house and our life together suffers. The video game and everything that goes with it are first.I come in dead last.He says sorry again and again, but always starts it again within the hour.
Would love a divorce but he still wants his laundry done so he won't sign any papers.

There seems to be a lot of heat in this forum about game addictions-- and in particular online game addictions.

I would just like to say my opinion somewhat directed at the frustrated and disgruntled wives, mothers and girlfriends to these game-users.

I, myself, got into gaming when I was young. To be honest, I was bullied a lot at school and had issues with my parents so being able to immerse myself in a world free of verbal and physical abuse was wonderful-- almost like heaven.

When I got older and got into college all of a sudden a new world appeared before me where I could speak my mind and do anything that I dreamed of. I pursued every activity I could and excelled in my major and ended up going to a really good university. I made plans for my life and was determined to follow them.

After that I got a really wonderful girlfriend. She made (and even now makes) me happier than anyone in the world. But unfortunately she is not from my country and she had to go back home... well I brought her back to my country again and we are going to school together now and, contrary to what I planned in the beginning of college, I realized that I need to start spending money to support her.

Nowadays I work every day at a job, and go to school at the same time and I still can't make enough money to support her and my dreams. At this point I have started going back to playing some games. Not too often but still to an extent that it is adversely affecting my life. Feeling that all of a sudden my life isn't in my control, I find a peaceful place within these addicting games. And to be honest I hate it, I hate it so much. It's 2am, I have class early tomorrow, I have homework to do, but I am running away inside some game in the early morning.

Your sons, boyfriends, husbands... I don't know what their history or situation is... but I am sure that just like me know that they have wonderful women and family in their lives but they just can't stop running away into their games for that small sense of protection and satisfaction that they can actually ACHIEVE something-- even if it is something as stupid as gaining 1 level and getting some newbie to say "wow you are really strong". Or passing some level in a silly music game like "guitar hero" and knowing that you can get to the highest level.

I have to believe that there is hope for all of these people addicted to these games, because I want to believe that one day I can move beyond this and get back on track to my dreams.

If I could give one piece of advice that can at least push games away for people who are addicted it would be: "Just take a step back, breath, relax... don't go back to your normal life, go much further back, take a big step back, and just figure it all out from the beginning. I know it's hard, I know its so ridiculously difficult to just continue life where you left it. It's impossible. So just take a step back, and figure it all out, little by little. Noone else can do this for you, only you can."

-Been through it, and still going through it

I have only been married a couple of weeks too. I knew my husband was a video game fanatic but it did not bother me until he recently got the headset and started playing on-line with his "friends" who are people he does not even know. Now I feel rejected and lost. I feel jealous that he is talking constantly with others, males and females included. I know it is all game talk, but I worry that relationships could build in the future and he could end up meeting his "friends" in other social settings. I cant talk to him because he cant hear me with the headset on. He tries hard to give me attention, but I know in my heart he would rather be playing his game. He will shut off the game, come to bed, then tell me after awhile that he is not tired and wants to go back and play. I feel like a used rag and would rather fall asleep on the couch. I feel misrable and I am feeling like I dont even want to be here anymore where before I could not wait to see him. If I say anything he will probably resent me, If I dont our marriage will fall apart. He is the most wonderful person I have ever met aside from his video games. I am acting cold and distant from him but he does not "get" it. The one person in his life that he has loved to death, me, is going to be lost because of this. Rejection is one of the worst feelings ever. I used to tell myself that it could be worse and that he could be out drinking with his friends, but at this rate he might as well be because he is not "here" with me anyways. My first husband was an alcohlic and I see no difference then in video game addiction. The neglection of family and responsibilities is about the same. Thanks for listening.

Hurt and neglected

The same thing happend to me girlfrind!!!!!!!!!!

My husband plays WoW and got a headset a couple of months ago. I hate it. He's always talking out loud and I will think he is saying something to me. When I realize that he was talking to his friends, I get really disappointed and loney. He started playing WoW awhile ago, then he quit because I told him I thought he was playing way too much and ignoring me. He started back a few months later, saying that if he ever got too bad again he would quit. He plays just enough to annoy me now. He'll play from the time he gets home until I have long gone to bed. He will stop for about 15 minutes to eat dinner. I should probably quit cooking for him, but I don't even want to bring it up. He is constantly tired, talking about things that annoy him on the game, and hasn't done the full set dishes (his job) in a month. I just don't want to say anything, because he is so in denial. I brought up that he was playing quite a bit, and he says that I always seem busy. Yeah, busy doing chores and paying bills! He seems to like when I leave the house, so that he can play without feeling guilty. Sometimes I wish the power would go off, so that we could spend some time together, We always laugh and have fun, when he's away from the game. I just wish he would get off the game and help me out, and at least do his ONLY chore.
Just wanted to vent, glad to hear this is driving other people crazy too.

I've been with my fiance now for eight years. We've been living together for almost two, and we have plans to get married in 7 months. Awhile back, he had some serious issues with video game playing. But, things got better. I have found that in the last month or so, he has fallen right back into that. It's frustrating. We have argued about it but he just calls me a nag. (I hate that word NAG) He comes home from work and plays his video game until long after I've gone to bed, and then he plays all weekend long. He says its his way to unwind. I don't want to tell him what to do.....but he's so mean when he plays, If I try to talk to him...especially if he's losing he starts swearing and screaming at me. We got a puppy awhile back and sometimes she wants to play...the one night she pulled the power cord out of his computer and he lost everything....he completely freaked out.....he got up and took a swing at the dog (thank god he missed) But what if he hadn't? I'm unhappy. He's all I know....we've been together since highschool. I feel alone and left out and were not even married yet.....I don't want to spend the rest of my life sitting on the couch alone. He doens't even touch me anymore.....what kind of man is that???? I feel disgusting......help?

these guys are just trying to make themselves feel succesful at something, they can look at it and go I just beat you in a day, it's common if they've failed at anything they'll try to make themselves feel better by winning at something else.ladies just remind your husband that he's the never failed on your opinion and just remind him that he has a large penis. it'll make the time they play games less

I am also one of those contemplating divorce. My husband and I have been together for a year and a half. At first it went great... but then he got back to playing his x-box. It started out with a couple of hours a day, and soon enough he was laid off from 4 jobs in a 5 month period, and this last time it was for over a month. During the first month that he was laid off, he would play from the time he got up to the time he went to bed. If we went somewhere and he didn't have his x-box, he'd take a gameboy and play Pokemon and Dragon Warriors. He started keeping a detailed notebook on the games and if you breeded two monsters, what you would get and what powers the offspring would have. We have been seperated for a month, and I don't know what to do. Divorce is the last thing I want, but than again, can I afford to be the only one working, or for him to be making minimum wage, and be so in debt that its hard to see a way out? Every aspect of our marriage was effected by his game playing. He would go days without a shower, weeks without brushing his teeth, he went almost a year without a haircut. Even our intimate life has suffered. If anyone has any advice, please tell me.

HELP!!!!

I play online video games. While I will readily admit that I probably play too much, I wouldn't say I'm addicted. I work steadily and a lot of overtime, I get my chores around the house done, etc. I just figure if I wasn't playing my game, I would just be sitting in front of the TV. What's the difference? I know my wife would like it if I didn't play, but I think that women don't like anything that takes attention away from them. I have cut my playing time down some though. But I do think there are some people that are addicted. Some of the people I play online with are ALWAYS online. Doesn't matter what time I log in, day or night, they are always there. Many of the people I play with treat the game as almost another job. They are logged in probably 10-12 hours a day. The most I ever play is maybe 4-5 hours at a time only on particularly boring days when there's nothing else to do. As for kids playing to much and getting "addicted", it's the parents fault just as much as the kids. If the parents don't want their kid playing the game, all they have to do is take it away, problem solved. If the kid gets mad and throws a fit, oh well. They are the parents, they are the ones supposedly in charge.

Well, I tell you I've been married for 3 years and its been great some days and not so great on other days but I love my hubby very much. Happily we're just about to have our 1st baby and in order to give our newby the best in love and attention I took a hiatus off work. Just for a few months. But after finding myself completely bored to death with my extra time, I borrowed my brother's wii console to kill time til the baby arrives next month. I completely sympathize with all of you out there. While I am not addicted in the slightest, I have no problems keeping my gaming down to an hour or two a day, my husband has completely become mesmerized and addicted. He spends all his free time playing resident evil when he's not working. It's become a trial to get him to help me prepare for our baby's arrival. And he has started to show all the same classic signs of a serious addiction. He no longer pays loving attention to me and is snappish and negative when I do try to get his attention. Pretty much he has become an grumpy stressed out grouch. And he hardly ever helps around the house anymore unless I've repeatedly "nagged" him to. As we are budgeting and saving $ for our new baby we hardly ever go out and do things together any more. For some reason he feels that just his presence in the same house as myself should be enough.

I'm sure hoping that this phase will go away after we have our baby and I give back my brother his console. But I could very well see this as a lifelong pattern which if continued could definitely lead to divorce. I am not suprised at the many broken relationships gaming addiction has caused.

Im currently going to school for game and simulation programming. I myself have done a lot of research on the effects videogames have on people as well as what draws them to it. I have seen fights break out, but ive also seen how it helps people. Some people will compare videogames to the devil, saying its the root of all evil, i couldnt be more upset with this. Ive played videogames all my life, ive seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. If someones playing games for excessive amounts of time, there are reasons behind it. Im not saying im an expert in any way. However, personally, a few select games out there have helped me overcome some bad times in my life, while others have helped me excel in math. Admittedly i have been upset with people who have interupted my gameplay, however, it was at times when i had no obligations at the time. Perhaps thats how a lot of people feel. They get into the game and feel there are no other obligations. Can that really be considered the gamers fault though?

Again, ive been a gamer all my life. I currently have a girlfriend and the responsability of watching 2 kids (4year old and a 5month old) 4 days a week and still play my video games. I know well enough what my responsibility's are. I have yet to discern the kids or the girlfriend because of the games, i have my priorities in order.

Perhaps a big part of why people get what people are calling "addicted" is because there made to feel like there are no other obligations. As an example, 2 people with 2 kids. the male starts playing video games all day ignoring everything else in the world. The woman picks up the slack, she may complain but still picks up the slack and tries harder. The male engrossed in his game sees shes doing more work so feels he can do even less. Cycle repeats.

I still refuse to put this in the same field as addiction. Thats like saying that people who love to work are addicted. People who love to play video games love control, and since the beginning of gaming, thats what it has been about.

As for videogames making people "dumb?" Who ever had that idea is extremely misguided. Ive been more creative and have learned more through videogames than i ever have through school teachings. I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but because of videogames i didn't need to be mr popular either. A lot of videogames help spark the imagination, and cause you to think outside the box in order to complete certain objectives. Play games for 8 hours a day or go to school 8 hours a day? if there was a game that taught the basics of all course matter i would deffinatly vote for videogames. When things are entertaining in someones life they tend to remember it more clearly. does anyone here know something simple like what pie is in math? just simple little things that we never use, yet have to know. How about the equation for finding energy? Some games actually inenvertitly teach these things. Either through part of the game play, or because you need an equation to figure something out and you try to make it easy as possible.

I believe ive ranted on too long, ive still got a few reports i have to turn in. I know many of you are upset and dont know what to do. Many even looking at divorce. Re-enter responsibility into their lives. Theres always a way. Or have you ever tried playing with them? Just try it, you dont have to enjoy it. Maybe, seeing you try to spend some quality time with them, will get you some quality time. I do wish everyone the best of luck and hope that everyone can work through their problems.

Video games are addictive. I'm a living witness. My husband and I are facing divorce right now as we speak because of this very problem. When he plays the games nothing else exists to him. He is willing to give up his wife and kids for the game.