2008 Woodie Awards
Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and...World of Warcraft?
Brian Straub
Issue date: 12/4/06 Section: Entertainment
Most people can identify at least one alcoholic in their realm of family and friends. Based off the same idea, most Clarkson students can identify at least one World of Warcrafter within their realm of friends or roommates. Most of us know the kid who skips class, social outings, (or in the worst case meals) to play a computer game known as World of Warcraft.
This game is put out by a company called Blizzard and it is characterized as a massively multiplayer role playing game. This characterization basically means that players of this game create a fictional character within a computerized fictional world where they live and operate within this fake world as their character. While inside the game, players interact with thousands of other players who are living inside the same computer world as their own characters. There is no way to "beat the game" or accomplish a predetermined end goal within the game. Players can work to make their characters more powerful, but there is no real purpose or plot inside the game. People simply exist inside this fake world to make their character more advanced within the game.
This type of game has become hugely popular among college students. I have observed that the game World of Warcraft is the popular choice among Clarkson students. It isn't uncommon for kids to play WoW for hours upon hours. We don't seem to get "sick" of it after 90 minutes of play. It isn't hugely uncommon for students to have WoW sessions which approach five or more hours long. I personally know of students who will play straight through the night and log off to go to their 8:00 a.m. class.
After observing this type of game use, one begins to compare gaming habits to alcohol or drug addictions. Dictionary.com defines alcoholism as, "A chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake." One can see how this definition can be used to define those chronic WoW players we may know. Many Clarkson players seem to be dependent upon playing their WoW characters, and show repeated excessive use as they continually play five to six hours of WoW during the week.
Many consider World of Warcraft to simply be a recreational computer game. I am beginning to feel that this game breeds "WoW-aholics" on the Clarkson campus that are missing out on social and recreations while their hands are glued to their keyboards and their minds are absorbed with a computerized fictional world.
This game is put out by a company called Blizzard and it is characterized as a massively multiplayer role playing game. This characterization basically means that players of this game create a fictional character within a computerized fictional world where they live and operate within this fake world as their character. While inside the game, players interact with thousands of other players who are living inside the same computer world as their own characters. There is no way to "beat the game" or accomplish a predetermined end goal within the game. Players can work to make their characters more powerful, but there is no real purpose or plot inside the game. People simply exist inside this fake world to make their character more advanced within the game.
This type of game has become hugely popular among college students. I have observed that the game World of Warcraft is the popular choice among Clarkson students. It isn't uncommon for kids to play WoW for hours upon hours. We don't seem to get "sick" of it after 90 minutes of play. It isn't hugely uncommon for students to have WoW sessions which approach five or more hours long. I personally know of students who will play straight through the night and log off to go to their 8:00 a.m. class.
After observing this type of game use, one begins to compare gaming habits to alcohol or drug addictions. Dictionary.com defines alcoholism as, "A chronic disorder characterized by dependence on alcohol, repeated excessive use of alcoholic beverages, the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing intake." One can see how this definition can be used to define those chronic WoW players we may know. Many Clarkson players seem to be dependent upon playing their WoW characters, and show repeated excessive use as they continually play five to six hours of WoW during the week.
Many consider World of Warcraft to simply be a recreational computer game. I am beginning to feel that this game breeds "WoW-aholics" on the Clarkson campus that are missing out on social and recreations while their hands are glued to their keyboards and their minds are absorbed with a computerized fictional world.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 8
Dr. JDavis
posted 12/06/06 @ 2:37 PM EST
Brian,
I have tremendous insight into this matter as someone having treated and researched addiction from a clinical psychology perspective. To understand the issue at hand better, please ote, I also play WOW on a Player-vs. (Continued…)
Coastal Reader
posted 12/07/06 @ 12:48 PM EST
Do you call your parents TV addicts? What about the moms who compulsively tape their favorite daytime soaps and talk about those characters with others as though they weer real people? Worry more about the antisocial TV addicts and less about the folks having an interactive, social experience in WoW. (Continued…)
Addiction treatment
posted 3/31/08 @ 1:04 PM EST
I don't know where are we heading but this doesn't look good at all. I know people addicted to alcohol, I know people addicted to drugs and I also know people addicted to games. (Continued…)
Kent Schmidt
posted 4/08/08 @ 10:13 AM EST
Well then we should also outlaw music, painting, singing and the pratice of organized religion, because all of these have ben used by addictive personalities to "escape reality. (Continued…)
justinmark
posted 6/09/08 @ 7:06 AM EST
Drug and alcohol is considered as curse of a nation. Government has to take steps to control alcohol and drug supply.
________________
Justin
Alcohol abuse affects millions. (Continued…)
alcohol help
posted 9/08/08 @ 12:53 AM EST
There are different bad affects of over-consumption and habitual use of alcohol. Blackout, brain, heart and lever related problems, leads to cancer and sexual problems are some example of it. (Continued…)
addiction treatment
posted 9/23/08 @ 7:32 PM EST
Video game addiction is actually pretty serious...with most drug/alcohol addictions there's at least a social element to it. People who get hooked on video games during their formative years can get impaired social skills for life. (Continued…)
Worried
posted 10/20/08 @ 1:41 PM EST
I've come to believe my husband is addicted to World of Warcraft. I've found that unless you are able to witness you behavoir yourself you will have a hard time believing that their is a problem. (Continued…)
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