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Parents are likely to say YES to this question - Is gaming addictive? The internet is probably the most powerful information medium ever created and yet it is the most uncontrolled medium in use today.

Games vary across genres with a level of violence, pornography, and addiction. It becomes a helpless observation as parents endure their child’s exposure to the digital wonders of the internet. Soon, the user is hooked and the game represents a new lease on life. There are absolute signs of addiction amongst players of online games like “World of Warcraft” where global team interaction occurs in a digital world.

Of course, parents can simply block the web sites and server IP addresses using a router. Though, it’s the child whom seems to know how to use the router and the parents just wonder what that strange box is doing in the corner

“World of Warcraft” has added some extras to instill more confidence in parents such as the ability to disable in-game voice chat. Though, this does not prevent the in-game text chat which adds to the addictive nature of the game. This is where the dangers seem to occur with exposure to web predators. Children are told never to talk to strangers and this also applies to cyberspace where care should be taken.

The texting itself promotes a social collaboration environment. This alone is addictive as you can chat with people worldwide. 3D worlds such as Second Life have benefited from the combined power of text chat and 3D worlds.

Gamers whom can still maintain some self-discipline can allow weeks to pass until they play their next game while the hardy player needs to log on for several hours each day. Factors that influence addiction include dissatisfaction with the outside world; the player may be enduring a stressful period like a marriage break-up, job loss or another mishap that is causing depression and needs an escape route.

So, is there a connection between addiction and gaming? Can it be compared to drug addiction?

Excessive use of gaming can be compared if the player becomes less interested in their normal outside world and life - as experienced by a drug addict. Perhaps the character being role played is more interesting to the player than the normal ‘real’ sphere of influence when away from the computer.  The games create real characters and thus players can identify with them. In its broadest terms, this has been known to be part of the problem.

Results from leading psychologists tend to agree and a report investigation carried out by World-Science.net concluded that: “the neural substrate of cue-induced gaming urge/craving in online gaming addiction is similar to that of the cue-induced craving in substance dependence” (World Science, Nov 11th 2008).

Should games be blamed for the child’s sudden inability to maintain high grades in school? Not entirely. There is still the responsibility factor amongst the teachers and the parents where control in the school and the home can be enforced. Though, it’s a 24 hour stakeout for the parents! This is something that cannot be achieved.

Another form of excitement that promotes addiction is winning money. In gambling games, all ages can be prone to hours of spending. For the ardent gambler, this kind of life can be either rewarding or very destructive financially or socially.

Games have become very interactive now. They have strayed away from Pac Man style games to a level of realism that approaches reality. Psychologists have become aware of the behavior patterns attached to gaming. Regression analysis tests have revealed that addiction is a direct link to the current state of mind of the player.

Apart from winning money and personal problems such as divorce and bereavement, there is also loneliness. The lonely player can find solace in cyberspace through meeting people and even stepping out of reality into the shoes of a hero which facilitates a feeling of unmatched satisfaction.

Even if online gaming is dangerously addictive, it can be controlled - enjoy the experience.