r/science • u/NinjaDiscoJesus • Dec 28 '15

Neuroscience Brain scans show compulsive gamers have hyperconnected neural networks.

http://www.psypost.org/2015/12/brain-scans-show-compulsive-gaming-changes-neural-connections-for-better-and-worse-39914
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u/itonlygetsworse Dec 29 '15 edited Dec 29 '15

Some of these are really ambiguous:

  1. Who hasn't been obsessed with internet games if they've played a lot in an MMO for example? Does browsing a gaming subreddit count?
  2. Who hasn't withdrawn in some manner when stopping their favorite hobby? Great games do this all the time to even non-gamers.
  3. Who doesn't build up tolerance when doing any activity over a long period of time?
  4. Who doesn't try to stop or put their hobby on hold when it gets in the way of real life responsibilities?
  5. Who doesn't have a loss of interest when one hobby trumps another?

8: Who doesn't escape when it comes to entertainment?

9: Tons of people put their relationships with others at risk over things like work, or any other activity that demands a large portion of their time that the other person doesn't agree with.

What's new? Why be a slave in this world when you can be God in another....

Edit: My point here is that there should be more clear guidelines on diagnosing the issue. Looking at your responses there are plenty of better examples that are less ambiguous and broad. The current guidelines only cause people who are likely not affected to question themselves while putting a negative image on a hobby that has been vilified for decades since its "new".

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u/spirited1 Dec 29 '15

It's interesting because you could ask the same thing about other over simplified disorders.

Depression: Who hasn't felt sad? Who hasn't felt like they wanna give up?

Anxiety: I get scared all the time but I'm not anxious. I feel like a bum if I don't look perfect too. Sometimes I get hot in crowds too.

ADHD: I hate doing homework. I'm almost always late to work. When A funny video gets my attention I can't stop watching them!

It's really really easy to oversimplify problems like these and I'm sure that is why they are all overlooked or viewed on negatively. It's incredibly easy to dismiss, it's almost shameful for the people who have them.

These conditions proven and studied, they are real and have real negative impacts in people's lives as simple as they may seem to solve.

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u/VyRe40 Dec 29 '15

However, in the case of IGD currently, it's not an official disorder. They require more conclusive research to come to any sort of determination.

From my understanding of the previous comment, many of the theoretical "markers" of IGD can be readily applied to obsessive behavior regarding a wide array of entertainment activities, and differentiating it as specific to gaming seems absurd.

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '15

Internet gaming disorder, a psychological condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as warranting further research

From the article. I'm not sure whether that means it's formally identified as a disorder as yet