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