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THE CURIOUS CASE OF ZOHAIB HASAN (FARMVILLE ADDICT)
Posted On 20/05/2010 19:02:36 by GuRu_Bhai

Zohaib Hassan was failing to complete his MS Advertising Project; he had 4 breakups in the past 6 months. But he had progressed to Level 58 of the role-playing interactive game “Farmville” integrated with Facebook, and that was all that mattered at the time.

Hassan, whose family life and grades in school have recovered nicely since he stopped playing the game about 6 months ago, considers himself a recovered "Farmville" addict, now able to control his desire to immerse himself in the game's rich fantasy world.

"The game almost ruined my life," said the Media Consultant from Lahore. "It was my life. I ceased being me; I became the Farmer, the guy who sows and reaps crops. Thinking of it now, I almost cringe; it's so sad."

Fantasy worlds offered by computer and video games can become the stuff of very real addictions that destroy relationships, marriages and careers.

“It's a huge and growing problem with older males and females and young adult males and females ," said Dr.Rizwana Sadiq, a psychologist. 

"I've seen a number of cases with 13-19-year-old males and females where they have a broadband (Internet) connection and they basically haven't left the room unless they are forced to do so”.

Online PC games such "Farmville," the new "Mafia Wars," or "Texas holdem poker"--dubbed "heroinware" by some players--can pose much more complex problems. Extensive chat features give such games a social aspect missing from offline activities, and the collaborative/competitive nature of working with or against other players can make it hard to take a break.

Video games played on consoles such as Sony's PlayStation 2 can become the object of compulsive behavior, especially among children. But such problems are usually easily solved through modest parental intervention and the self-limiting nature of such games, which become repetitive and boring at some point.

The two defining characteristics of addiction: The person regularly engages in activity for much longer than originally planned and "(continues) doing it in spite of adverse consequences

To analyze Hassan’s problem you have to understand why these games are so effective in gaining the attention of many and eventually get them to become addicts? What features do these games have that people could not afford to leave them to do something more productive? What are the causes of addiction?

Understanding the causes of addiction is difficult because after trying to find explanations to this relatively new phenomenon, I encountered lots of differing opinions. Some explain these are just symptoms of inner problems or inadequacies, like those due to depression, or failure to socialize so there’s a tendency to isolate oneself from the crowd. Or it may be the other way around. It is a new phenomenon that still needs further investigation.

However, based on my experience, I would say that computer games challenge and appeal to one’s vanity, to satisfy the ego, to be able to surmount the obstacles and win. Winning or attaining success has always been the goal, because winning or success satisfies an inner desire to accomplish. A certain unexplainable obsession envelopes the gamer. In so doing, he/she becomes oblivious of time spent in the world of never-ending challenges and levels. Opportunity cost is high, because instead of harvesting real food to fill the stomach, people are willing to reap the rewards in virtual reality.

Like most addictions, the toughest part of recovering from game addiction is often getting the addict to acknowledge there's a problem--a task made all the more difficult by the seemingly innocuous nature of games.

For players who do admit they have a problem, the most common response is a guilt-and-purge cycle common to many addictions. While Hassan was able to kill his urge and delete the "Farmville" game application with no regrets, many game addicts aren't as successful.

"There's definitely alienation in some fashion that's going on within the family structure or work structure," said Hassan.

Treatment Approaches to Games Addiction:

Recognizing computer addiction as a problem led some concerned individuals to formulate treatment approaches.

Among those that I gathered are the following:
• set prescribed time for computer use daily
• focus on other areas like developing social skills and problem solving
• consult a doctor for treatment of depression or anxiety
• form a group that engages in non-computer activities
• support one’s desire to change

To sum it up, computer game addiction should be recognized as a problem that needs treatment. It’s a serious matter that must be addressed to prevent unproductive uses of time, time crucial for survival in the real world. Time is gold, every second counts, what’s gone cannot be retrieved.
Better write in NKUT, and be addicted but productive.

Tags: Addictive Online Games



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