I was reading Wow insider on DR Phil WOW player Segment Here
It refers back to some questons on DR Phils Site, Here So i thought I would answer them.
* disclaimer – The Questions are being reproduced in my Blog for the purpose of answering them only. Eg Don’t sue!
1. Do you feel that you need to play online games as a way of dealing with anxiety or depression in your general life?
No. I play because I enjoy them – and I’d rather play a game then sit down and watch Opera. Hint Hint. Or a reality Tv show that has contestants living in a rubbish tip. Or Big Brother or a poorly scripted and acted out piece of crap repeat because the network spent all its budget on yet another reality Tv show, or they only show the decent shows at 11.30 because the decent shows have 50 min airtime which doesn’t allow for the 20 min /per hour advertising space prime Tv.
2. Are you preoccupied with gaming so much that you are distracted from the priorities in your life, such as relationships, school or jobs?
Yes – But then I got Duel screens so I can still talk to my friends on MSN. Still working full time, my relationship went overseas
3. Have you lied to your friends or family to conceal your obsessive thinking about gaming?
Yes – but it was only because I really didn’t want to go out that night, I was feeling poorly, and it was raining, and I couldn’t be stuffed. I am open with my friends about raiding commitments.
4. Do you get restless and irritable when you are away from gaming or feel that you are restricted from your next gaming event?
Yes – I don’t like server restarts, or Down time, but I understand the important of them from an IT point, When I was progression raiding it was a commitment, much like other social commitments, but there has been, and will be other, higher priorities, like work, family, beer ( or is that making replacing one addiction with another?)
5. Have you attempted to stop or cut back your gaming behaviour, but failed because of the anxiety, depression or general stress you experience?
I don’t have a problem ( denial) – I play a lot as it’s a form of entertainment, I’m still reading a lot, singing, listening to music, going out, but I don’t use Warcraft as a crutch or an avoidance tool. Yes its easy to do so, not because of Anxiety, or depression, or stress. Its because its easy, familiar, fun, challenging, entertaining, mentally stimulating, social,
6. Do you feel you need to play online games because it gives you the self-esteem and confidence other activities don’t?
Whats this self esteem business and confidence – I’ve done public speaking, I’ve managed a team, I’m loud, I’m pugnacious, creative, somewhat successful in my career, (would love to do something more creative but it just doesn’t pay as well and I don’t like the idea of being a starving writer as then I couldn’t afford my very expensive internet bill due to our national internet costs being outrageously high for their service. )
7. Have you lost or damaged a relationship, such as affectionate, sexual or parental connection because of your obsession, lying or distorting your behaviour of gaming?
Perhaps some meaningless friendships have not developed completely because I didn’t talk to them on Msn or Face book for extended periods of time. I see my real friends. I could try hanging out in meat market bars, or the local pub to meet people, but I fear I might develop a drinking or gambling problem.. “Must press buttons!’ But my friends know about my ‘habit’ and either share it or accept it. If they don’t share it, its because they are still playing Duke Nukem, or Happy fun pony land…
8. Have you diminished your goals, such as grades, sports, money, etc. because of your obsession with gaming?
– Is this a self esteem thing again? I am glad I am not studying and playing wow – I agree it could cause conflicts, I could stare at my walls to save money, but then I could save money by not dealing with substandard public transport at an every increasing amount on a weekly basis. I stoped my sports due to injury – but I was able to schedule that after work , and on weekends. So No. Oh-I raided instead of going to musical rehearsals that I didn’t want to go to anyway, so yes. In a way.
9. Have you lost or damaged job opportunities because of your obsessive gaming behaviour?
No. I do read forums and my RSS and post at lunch though, but again the alternative is to read the newspapers in which I am inundated with advertising and tabloid journalism. (except the technology segments) I don’t care if Madonna has bad knees. I am not sure that, that information is pertinent to my development as a human . I also have duel screens at work, which are useful for multitasking.
10. Have you lost or damaged family and community relationships because of your gaming behaviour?
I sometimes don’t go to mums for dinner on a Sunday, but its not something I want to do every week anyway, I have played Warcraft instead of going there though.
Conclusion: I have too many Yes’s – and they all have justifications as to why. ( denial) but I would rather be obsessed with Wow – with the game aspect, with the writing side gig like this blog, like me being motivated to learn Gimp, and audacity because I had a wow related purpose. I don’t know if its completely balanced. Obviously not, there is nothing worse then a reformed gamer, because they didn’t change clothes for a week doen’t mean that we can’t still be obsessed and have normal lives.
I feel I need a “healthy balance of mental health to your life” and must seek help.
I wonder If I could fit Tennis in there somewhere…….
Provided by 
Pugnacious Priest's Warcraft Blog 
*note: this is not serious*
1. Do you feel that you need to play online games as a way of dealing with anxiety or depression in your general life?
No. That’s what cutting is for.
2. Are you preoccupied with gaming so much that you are distracted from the priorities in your life, such as relationships, school or jobs?
No. A friend sent my this. Well actually I looked at it on her WoW blog.
3. Have you lied to your friends or family to conceal your obsessive thinking about gaming?
No. My friend is in the same guild as me.
4. Do you get restless and irritable when you are away from gaming or feel that you are restricted from your next gaming event?
Yes, but I am restless and irritable in game too.
5. Have you attempted to stop or cut back your gaming behaviour, but failed because of the anxiety, depression or general stress you experience?
No, have not attempted to cut back or stop.
6. Do you feel you need to play online games because it gives you the self-esteem and confidence other activities don’t?
No, I don’t feel satisfaction from losing Warsong Gulch.
7. Have you lost or damaged a relationship, such as affectionate, sexual or parental connection because of your obsession, lying or distorting your behaviour of gaming?
I have gained a sexual connection when I dance naked in Ironforge.
8. Have you diminished your goals, such as grades, sports, money, etc. because of your obsession with gaming?
I have new goals due to an increased level cap, new mounts, and constantly new quest content. I have also stopped gambling and I’m reading less porn these days.
9. Have you lost or damaged job opportunities because of your obsessive gaming behaviour?
Perhaps, but only when I log out of my enchanting toon and into my leatherworking toon.
10. Have you lost or damaged family and community relationships because of your gaming behaviour?
No, they spurned me long before I got a computer.
I think a lot of my answers would be “yes” as well – but with justifications.
Frankly, I get more social interaction in game than I do by going to a bar trying to meet people, anyway.
Dr Phil is a blowhard who mixes a very basic knowledge with a heavy dose of whatever agenda he happens to be working on at the moment. The list of questions he gave is a vague generalized decsription of ANY addiction. However how one defines healthy or unhealthy behavior is highly subjective. His referrence to “community” for example. I dislike my neighbors but I get along great with my guild, which “community” is my gaming affecting? I have been repeatedly injured playing sports (concussions, slipped disk in my neck, torn rotator cuff), the worst thing I have got from Wow is a little lost sleep yet sports seem to make his list of “goals” that gaming may be interferring with.
/end rant
I wonder what Dr Phil thinks ‘kids that game’ would do if they weren’t playing games.
Personally I’d much rather have my children be addicted to wow than go out and enjoy the local ‘gang-life’ which mostly involves tearing up the neighbourhood, making a whole lot of noise in the middle of the night and destroying public property. There’s nothing else to do in most towns, gaming if nothing else allows you a certain measure of control over your children / spouse.
You can’t address behaviour if you cannot provide a suitable alternative to said behaviour.
In fact any behaviour carried out into excess is unhealthy and needs to be curbed, this includes excessive whining about kids playing video games.
Last but not least I really question the continued criticism on people that play games. Harvard Business Review not too long ago published an article that clearly stated that gamers, in particular MMORPG gamers are practically ideal employees due to the so called ‘gamer’s disposition’ indicating a strong will to achieve, a high level of self-criticism, increased social awareness and a high level of acceptance and adoption to change.
The following article highlight’s the gamer’s disposition but obviously there’s a lot more to be found on the topic.
http://conversationstarter.hbsp.com/2008/02/the_gamer_disposition.html
Is too much gaming unhealthy? It certainly is… but that’s a gross generalization that applies to everything. These kind of blanket statements apply to absolutely everything.
Everything needs to be done in moderation but I don’t hear dr phil talking about the dangers of drinking too much water which unlike gaming is fatal.
Dr. Phil goes with whatever topic is popular and will happily underline public opinion on that topic. If you have a modicum of intelligence and common sense you quickly learn to disregard his generalized opinions.
In the end the guy is there because he makes money off of it, he’s not there to tell the truth and risk his income.
here here!