World of Warcraft Can Cause Addiction – Medical Report

by Yaroslav Lyssenko

[ 08/13/2006 | 11:46 PM ]

Game addiction is not something new for the world of online entertainment, but with the arrival of several millions-populated massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) from Blizzard – the World of Warcraft – the discussions of the addiction problem got nothing less but scientific approach and research.

According to a news-story at Ars Technica, the problems of online gaming addiction date back to the days of text-based MUDs (multi-user domains), but in more recent years terms like “Evercrack” and “World of Warcrack” have entered the popular lexicon. Now, Dr. Maressa Hecht Orzack, a clinical psychologist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, has come forward to claim that up to 40% of World of Warcraft players are addicted to the game.

“Dr. Orzack, who is the founder and coordinator of the Computer Addiction Service, told that the 40 percent figure came from “a forum that Nick Yee runs” but did not reveal any additional methodology for arriving at this number. She added that “even if the percentage is 5 to 10 percent which is standard for most addictive behaviors, it is a huge number of people who are out of control.” Orzack states that she has been studying the problem for the last 11 years. She claims to be swamped with people asking for her help, usually concerned parents, neglected spouses, and sometimes the players themselves,” writes Ars Technica.

Orzack is not the only one worried about people playing too many online games. The Chinese government recently instituted time limits for MMORPG players, citing concern that its citizens were spending too much time playing games such as World of Warcraft. A recovery clinic for video game addiction was recently opened in Amsterdam. And although the number of patients is nowhere near the height of Dr. Orzack claims, the mass-addiction pattern is clearly present.

“[Dr. Orzack] believes that MMORPGs should come with warning labels on the box, much like cigarette boxes do today. In addition, she feels that computer-related addiction (not just gaming, but also excessive chat and Internet use) should be considered to be legitimate mental disorders, and thus be eligible for health insurance. Currently, there is no entry for gaming or Internet addiction in the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” continues the article.

• Ars Technica: Doctor Claims 40% of World of Warcraft Players Are Addicted.