Computer game addicts warned they could start behaving like autism sufferers

I for one have never been able to trust the pseudo-scientific statements of a tabloid that has dedicated a small portion of the document space to the article and the rest to what Peter Andre is upto or how how Verne Troyer's ex GF is.
 
He studied almost 400 computer game players, mostly men and all of them regular players of an online fantasy role-playing game called Asheron's Call.
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In total, 3 per cent of those questioned during the study had signs of being addicted to game playing.
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What?
 
He studied almost 400 computer game players, mostly men and all of them regular players of an online fantasy role-playing game called Asheron's Call.
The study showed that the closer they became to being addicted to game playing, the more likely they were to display personality traits such as low self-esteem, introverted behaviour, worrying and anxiety.
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Playing a Decent game would make a Hell of a lot of difference. :D
 
Heh! Don't let my parents see this I'm having flashbacks to the interventions they attempted when I was in my teens and was hooked on CS
 
I think the whole 'chicken or egg?' question comes into play here.

My sister had Asperger's Syndrome and was also a computer game addict. But that doesn't mean to say that the condition (or perhaps even false diagnosis if you believe the article) was brought on by her addiction; it's just as (more) likely that her intensive game playing was a result of her condition. She was reclusive and often uncomfortable in social situations which meant that the added 'barrier' of communicating over the internet made her feel more comfortable.

Don't forget that while Asperger's and suchlike are mental conditions, they can manifest themselves in physical ways. Sufferers typically can't pick up on body language and suchlike very well (and conversely often give off the 'wrong signals' themselves). But none of those things matter when you are sat behind a computer monitor - there is no eye contact, no speech inclination, jokes are typically highlighted (smilies etc).... so many of the communication disadvantages these people face in everyday life are diluted or dissolved.
 
Haven't they got better things to study like how to cure colds/cancer/swine flu/super bugs?

Maybe the scientists are addicted to studying addictions, now what?
 
HangTime said:
I think the whole 'chicken or egg?' question comes into play here.

My sister had Asperger's Syndrome and was also a computer game addict. But that doesn't mean to say that the condition (or perhaps even false diagnosis if you believe the article) was brought on by her addiction; it's just as (more) likely that her intensive game playing was a result of her condition. She was reclusive and often uncomfortable in social situations which meant that the added 'barrier' of communicating over the internet made her feel more comfortable.

Don't forget that while Asperger's and suchlike are mental conditions, they can manifest themselves in physical ways. Sufferers typically can't pick up on body language and suchlike very well (and conversely often give off the 'wrong signals' themselves). But none of those things matter when you are sat behind a computer monitor - there is no eye contact, no speech inclination, jokes are typically highlighted (smilies etc).... so many of the communication disadvantages these people face in everyday life are diluted or dissolved.
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Exactly what I was about to post. I'd bet my left and right testicles that someone who displays symptoms of autism/Asperger's and spends 12 hours a day on MMOs will have had mental/social problems all their life, but probably their idiot parents didn't realize it and want a scapegoat.

Not to mention that you can't simply cure autism/Asperger's/social phobia by popping some Seroxat and taking a behavioural therapy course. For some people games and MMOs are the only way they can get enjoyment out of life, and taking them away would just make their lives worse.

/rant
 
what?


......

we can't do nothing these days

like road cycling...yeah that can be bad for ya.......and so can running......grrrrr
 
...revealed the results at the British Psychological Society's annual conference in Dublin.
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Good way to escape the nutters for a while, hold the conference in another country.

Imagine the amount of thinking went into top quality research like this: people addicted to things behave strangely.
 
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