I’m 31 years old.  I should be out there achieving something, but I can’t.  Right now I am addicted to an online game called World of Warcraft.  It is a wicked cool game where I experience elaborate adventures in a virtual universe.  My only friends are online buddies who also play the game.  This is not the only game that I have played, but it is the one I cannot stop playing.

This is not normal, I know.  Do you think I need to see a psychiatrist or something?

Worried

Dear Worried,

You may, indeed, need the help of a psychiatrist to break your addiction.  Online addictions are the newest psychiatric disorder.  Dr. Jerald Block of Boston specializes in treating those who have lived their lives as warlocks, ogres, and spaceship commanders.  He tells us that, in some cases, people become so invested in their virtual lives that they lose jobs, stop showering, and rig up impromptu toilets near their computer.

Many people are addicted to online porn, but, believe it or not, gamers feel more shame than porn viewers.  Being addicted to porn is more socially acceptable.  The reason is because, as a society, we understand that porn is something people do.  You can see a psychiatrist and get treatment for it.  But gaming is hard to describe to someone who doesn’t do it, so people can’t describe their situation to others.  It’s very complicated.

Dr. Block tells us the average gamer is 30 years old, but most of the research has been done on children and adolescents.  This is because of the shame issue.  We like to think this is only a problem for kids, because it is more acceptable for kids to be into games.  So instead of arguing with their spouse, or feeding their kids, or having sex, these adults are secretly playing games.

Here’s a question to ask yourself: How would it feel if your hard drive were to fail?  A person who lives 15 hours a day on the computer is going to feel like they have lost their spouse or a significant other.  Their relationship with their computer is their life.

If you recognize yourself here, Please do seek professional help.  You will need to call around to find a psychiatrist who deals primarily in addictions, and hopefully has experience dealing with online issues.  There are websites online to help gaming addicts, but I would like to see you step away from the computer, sir.  I say “sir” because this is primarily a male problem.  Regain your life!