Is it normal?

[thefuzz]

Is it similar to an addiction for you? Doesn't it make you tired? Does it effect your relationships?

If it's affecting your relationship, it's time to have a big girl discussion with him.

There is a reason that whomever you are referring to is doing it. They are looking for an "out" or something to take their mind off of reality.

Trust me, there is a reason. You need to find out what it is.

[Ja Rhule]

Yea, I play video games when I'm mentally exhausted or I had a fuged up day or just bored. Its really takes the edge off and helps me relax. You enter pretty much different world of fantasy where nothing matters. The only time I play video games when my fiancé around is when she watches something on TV that I just can't stand. So I just go and play video games or watch sports. Maybe u should try play video games with him? For instance WoW community has enormous amount of females, even women in their 60s play it.

[Jase]

I say if you play more than 6 hours a week, it's pretty unhealthy.

Been there.

[Happy Panther]

I have my own office now and access to XBOX and PC games.

Today I played about 45 minutes of modern warfare as a break and i will probably hit up GW2 or TF2 for another hour this afternoon.

After the kids go down I may hang out with the wife or not. If she is doing her own thing I will watch football or play something for another hour.

I love this setup way more than having to do computer work all day and wasting those hours anyway out of boredom. Also go to the gym though. Seems healthier to me than the alternative.

[stankowalski]

I play quite a bit. And yes it can and does affect relationships. I was pretty much oblivious to my wife while playing Rift and Star Wars The Old Republic. I didn't really mean to make her feel unwanted but that's the way she felt...so in that respect it can be like an addiction. It took a toll on our marriage (been married now for 18 years). As a matter of fact, I'm still digging myself out of the hole with her. I had to quit those games because of this. I still play on Xbox Live, just not as much.

A big reason I played so much was because I was unemployed for a long time (place I worked shut down). I went back to college and just did school work and video games. No time set aside for her. The thing was, I didn't even realize how much it had damaged our relationship.

If you're currently going through this, I suggest you really sit your boyfriend/husband down, and tell him how you feel. However, he may not respond to just talking. (I didn't). If he doesn't respond to the talk, then you have to change your actions towards him (i.e. make him feel the same loss you are). That's what it took for me to realize how much my wife was hurting.

Eventually I took notice and I'm now doing the things in a relationship, that I should be doing.

[Zaximus]

Can games be addicting? Yes. Can they be as addicting as a drug? Definitely. Same chemicals are released during gaming in your brain as some other addicting things.

I think it also matters which type of game it is. FPS games (Call of Duty, etc) usually aren't as addicting as a game like World of Warcraft/Everquest (MMO's). MMOs promote addiction and time sink (minus maybe Guild Wars 2), where you can't really "beat" the game, it's just a continuous journey. Most people can play these and are fine, but, a lot of people get hooked to it, and do nothing but work, come home, and play (and a lot of times drink at the same time).

Games like Call of Duty at least promote things like team work and communication. If the kid is blaming stuff on the game, well there IS a lot of bugs and stuff, but most likely it sounds like he is just upset about his personal performance, and that isn't really a bad thing. It's not a bad thing for people to find things they are passionate about. I know some people that aren't passionate about anything, and they are the most boring people I've ever met and also lack a shred of creativity. They are also a good place to blow off some steam.

However if a kid is doing nothing BUT gaming there may be some concern. But honestly, if the kid is high school age, I don't think there is much to really do about it, as long as they are making OK grades. I think the average gamer is now in the 30's somewhere or higher, so this is something that isn't really abnormal anymore.

[Zaximus]

I play quite a bit. And yes it can and does affect relationships. I was pretty much oblivious to my wife while playing Rift and Star Wars The Old Republic.

Oh yeah it can wreck things if you aren't careful. I love games, and continue to buy them and hardly play the ones I buy. I still put in a lot of time weekly. However, on week days, I get home from work and I usually hang out with my wife, eat dinner, and maybe watch a couple of our TV shows or go do something like nephew/nieces sports games. But after about 9 or 10, it's game time if possible for a couple hours. Wife likes it because she can go do her own hobbies etc. but if you find yourself/loved one choosing the game over people very often, that is cause for concern. it's all about balance, and I've found that not playing every free minute I have makes me enjoy it even more (even though I'll never get around to my backlog of games).

[stankowalski]

Oh yeah it can wreck things if you aren't careful.

No doubt. I had read an article somewhere that correlated the release of some video game to birth rates and the negative effect it had...i.e. people choosing video games over sex. That's powerful stuff right there.

In the end, the extinction of man will not be due to some natural disaster or nuclear war, it will be due to some future installment of Call of Duty.

[LifeisaGarden]

Wife: "honey, I'm ready for you to check my oil"

Husband: "wtf, cant you see I'm in the middle of a boss fight?"

[Inimicus]

Honestly its not video games.

If someone plays golf, or builds airplane models, or ties flies for fishing, or gardens to the point that it had a negative impact on their lives or the people around them then its a problem.

Video games are not unique or somehow different from any of the things we choose to fill our recreation time with. If a persons life is out of balance regardless of the "distraction" then there is a problem.

[Zaximus]

Honestly its not video games.

If someone plays golf, or builds airplane models, or ties flies for fishing, or gardens to the point that it had a negative impact on their lives or the people around them then its a problem.

Video games are not unique or somehow different from any of the things we choose to fill our recreation time with. If a persons life is out of balance regardless of the "distraction" then there is a problem.

Well, kind of, it's the convinced of video games that makes it worse than those other things I don't think you can golf for 24 or more hours straight, etc. At least overall gaming is cheaper than a lot of other hobbies.

[LifeisaGarden]

Honestly its not video games.

If someone plays golf, or builds airplane models, or ties flies for fishing, or gardens to the point that it had a negative impact on their lives or the people around them then its a problem.

Video games are not unique or somehow different from any of the things we choose to fill our recreation time with. If a persons life is out of balance regardless of the "distraction" then there is a problem.

I agree.

[stankowalski]

Honestly its not video games.

If someone plays golf, or builds airplane models, or ties flies for fishing, or gardens to the point that it had a negative impact on their lives or the people around them then its a problem.

Video games are not unique or somehow different from any of the things we choose to fill our recreation time with. If a persons life is out of balance regardless of the "distraction" then there is a problem.

I've golfed and fished (still do on occasion). But those hobbies don't have the instant gratification or constant rewards like video games. Video games are definitely more addicting.

[Guest]

Wife: "honey, I'm ready for you to check my oil"

Husband: "wtf, cant you see I'm in the middle of a boss fight?"

ah, and so, by "checking your oil", you mean..."checking your oil"....amirite? :cool: