Resources

There are no convincing scientific correlations between violent behavior and violent video game play.  Yet, parent groups across the nation continue to vigorously fight this battle.  They lobby lawmakers, hold rallies, and press for strict limitations on violent games.  They have had some recent success.

The state of California passed a law making it illegal to sell violent video games to an…

I am a cyber junkie, or should I say addict?  Certain types of real-time strategy video games—like Age of Empires and Command and Conquer—appealed to me to such an extent that I used to play for several hours and feel that only 20 minutes had elapsed.  I have had 50-hour binges, and used to play online all night, until it was time to go to work.  Once I managed to get these behaviors under…

On several occasions, usually in the summer or during vacations, I binged for something on the order of 50 hours on computer games. During these periods, which required chiropractor visits for at least a few weeks afterward, I would fall asleep in the computer chair, take a few naps, take care of biological needs, and scarf down protein bars. Other than those activities, I simply played my game. I…

Detractors of the cyber world frequently focus on sensational stories to make their point that video games, online social networking and the Internet are destructive.  They thrive on stories of people dying from blood clots after not moving from the chair during 20-hour gaming binges, or parents leaving infants unattended while they play World of Warcraft.  The Internet and even the mainstream m…

Alex is a member of one of my cyber recovery groups. He is a 23-year old with a very high IQ, but whose life has gone nowhere. He has been booted out of numerous living situations, lost jobs and alienated friends and family, mostly due to his obsession with multiple aspects of video games. Peeling back Alex’s “screen persona,” however, illuminates a young man with big dreams that he still lo…