[MelodyL]

It was all about video game addiction. I happen to know A BIT ABOUT THIS, because this is what my son does 80 or so hours a week.

Here's is a link to the clip from this show:

http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/1149

Dr. Phil had several families on, and this addiction was breaking them up. The wife said "He doesn't work, he doesn't do anything but play this World of Warcraft role playing game". The guy said "she's right, but she's the one who brought me the laptop on the plane".

Dr. Phil looked at her and said: 'why on earth would you do that, it's like giving an alcoholic a fifth of whiskey".

The wife said "but he agreed to come on this show so I wanted to do something for him". "And by the way, he's very smart, he could get any job he wanted".

Dr. Phil said to her: "I'll tell you how smart he is, he has YOU working, YOU supporting him, and he does nothing but play video games all day and night, do darn right he's smart".

Then the husband said "well she has only one part time job, why can't she get another one".

And Dr. Phil said "boy are you going to feel stupid when you go home and play this tape for yourself, do you know what you just said:"

The whole show explains how addictive this kind of gaming is.

A mother of a 21 year old (who died in front of his computer), came on and explained how her son played Everquest day and night.

My son played that years ago. All these role playing games change their personalities. They don't want to do ANYTHING except play this game.

My son is now addicted to Second Life.

They showed the Avatars from all these games on the Dr. Phil show. Since I knew all about this stuff, it was like, well, it revisited places in my head that I don't care to go anymore.

One guy (the night before his wedding day), was playing a role playing game until 3 a.m. when his dad walked in and said "what the heck are you doing, you are getting married tomorrow, and the guy responded "just one more , I'm almost finished".

Dr. Phil looked at the home viewers and challenged them all to discover what their kids are doing. To STOP BUYING VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS, CONTROLLERS, AND THE GAMES. To stop letting these things be babysitters for their children.

He said "it's very easy to plop the kid in front of this tv or computer and you can then go and do whatever you have to do, because they have a babysitter" "Stop doing this",

I was amazed. We all bought our kids Nintendos and playstations years ago.

When my son was 18, he inherited money from a lawsuit, bought his own gaming computer and the rest is history.

He was probably addicted way back then (even when he went to college).

Parents (especially people who ARE NOT COMPUTER LITERATE), have absolutely no idea what their kids are doing.

The mother of the 21 year old who died, well she said her son would tell her "I have all these online buddies, they are my real friends". She said she told him "You don't even know these people, they are strangers, they are not your friends".

I had exactly the same conversation with my son two weeks ago via email. He said "my friends in Second Life are my real friends. They agree with me, that you and dad owe me everything because you gave birth to me, and you should accept me the way I am".

I'm sharing this with ALL of you because if you know even one kid who is hooked on any kind of role playing game, either on a playstation, or on the computer (for example WORLDS OF WARCRAFT, EVERQUEST, SECOND LIFE", well, go and calculate how much time these kids are on the game.

It's too late for me and Alan. We haven't seen our son in 7 years. He plays 80 or MORE hours a week. He lives inside Second Life. Nothing we can do.

But if I reach even one parent who gets a lightbulb moment, then at least I DID SOMETHING.

I hope someone else saw that show. It was a real eye opener.

Melody

[KarenMarie]

I have a son who played Everquest - he - with his wife's help - broke free after probably 8 years or so - actually sold his main character via ebay for $800 - there seem to be all sorts of addictions these days - you're right - it has to be nipped in the bud - not good messages at all - if it isn't drugs or sex or gambling there's always the computer to destroy our youth -

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by KarenMarie

I have a son who played Everquest - he - with his wife's help - broke free after probably 8 years or so - actually sold his main character via ebay for $800 - there seem to be all sorts of addictions these days - you're right - it has to be nipped in the bud - not good messages at all - if it isn't drugs or sex or gambling there's always the computer to destroy our youth -

Want to know what I just did???

I sent my son an email. (He never listens to us anymore, but since I watched the Dr. Phil show, I now have PROOF OF THIS ADDICTION.

So I wrote him an email and included the link to that particular show. And then I included a link to the On Line Gamers Anonymous Group.

Hey, I've done all I can do.

Melody

[Twinkletoes]

Melody, I didn't catch the show, but thank you for your post.

So sorry about your son. That's just crazy. Good for you for sending him the link to the Dr. Phil show.

On one hand you give thanks he's not addicted to cocaine or heroine, but have to question if his quality of life is any better with this game addiction.

Makes you wonder: if his apartment caught fire while he was playing, would he be able to break away in time?

Mel, have you ever watched the TV series, "Intervention"? I'm not a regular viewer, but I did see them intervene with a video addict. His whole family was there begging him to give up his games. I think he had a fiancee too.

The ultimatum was, in order for his family to continue their love and support, he would have to go into a treatment facility for addicts. He wasn't too sold on that idea, but I think he finally agreed to do it.

Thanks for spreading the word so people can become more aware of this dangerous virtual lifestyle.

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by Twinkletoes

Melody, I didn't catch the show, but thank you for your post.

So sorry about your son. That's just crazy. Good for you for sending him the link to the Dr. Phil show.

On one hand you give thanks he's not addicted to cocaine or heroine, but have to question if his quality of life is any better with this game addiction.

Makes you wonder: if his apartment caught fire while he was playing, would he be able to break away in time?

Mel, have you ever watched the TV series, "Intervention"? I'm not a regular viewer, but I did see them intervene with a video addict. His whole family was there begging him to give up his games. I think he had a fiancee too.

The ultimatum was, in order for his family to continue their love and support, he would have to go into a treatment facility for addicts. He wasn't too sold on that idea, but I think he finally agreed to do it.

Thanks for spreading the word so people can become more aware of this dangerous virtual lifestyle.

Hi Twinks:

When my son was 18 he was awarded a FULL scholarship to a technical. Just to show you how intelligent (which has absolutely nothing to do with addiction by the way), when he was about the same age, he expressed a desire to join the army. We took him down to the local recuiter and they make you take a test on some computer. He got 100. The recruiter looked at us and said "oh, he's a smart one". But because he was 40 lbs overweight (and they measured his neck/waist ratio because sometimes you can get around the weight thing. But he didn't pass. The recruiter told him to go on Stacker 2 (that this is what they TELL ALL THE KIDS WHO WANT TO JOIN BUT WHO DON'T MAKE THE WEIGHT REQUIREMENT. They tell them to go on Stacker 2 and they will lose weight.

My son went on Stacker 2, lost the 40 or so lbs, but by that time he lost his desire to join any kind of army, navy, etc.

So he went to college. Aced every single test he took. Did this in high school too. But by that time he also always played his video games.

And I don't think there's a bit of difference whatever the addiction is. Whether it's cocaine, meth, smoking, food, IT'S AN ADDICTION.

If it doesn't affect your metabolism (like food), well then it affects your health, (alcohol, drugs, also food too).

Everyone has their poison. Ever hear the expression "what's your poison".

In my son's case, it's both gambling and online gaming. And virtual reality worlds.

And if his apartment caught fire, I have no idea what the heck would happen because we can't do anything about anything.

I have attended Gamblers Anon meetings, I have gone to Aspergers support group meetings. I have even started one of my own online.

The bottom line (and I've seen Intervention), we did this with my son. We wrote letters, his aunt tried to reach him, my friends tried to get through to him. He wasn't having ANY OF THIS.

I especially like to watch THE CLEANER. William Banks is my kind of guy. He doesn't make excuses about any addictions. When someone (whatever their addiction), when they try to rationalize why they drink, gamble, shoot up, WHATEVER, he looks at them and says "that's a load of bull and you know it, you have to get clean or YOURSELF".

That is my absolute favorite show on television.

I wish there was a William Banks for my son.

But I gave him the information. What he does with it is HIS business.

I'm done. It almost destroyed my health.

Can't go to that place in my head anymore.

Addiction (in any form) ruins lives and families.

And yet, the Tobacco company still makes cigs, Alcohol is still legal (even with young adults gettin arrested every day for DUI's.

I don't know what is going on with the world.

It seems like everyone of our young adults needs a sitter (to mind them, to make sure they don't screw up).

There aren't enough sitters, are there??

mel