"Internet Gaming Disorder" nonsense. I hate BS like this. 

"Kanaric" (Kanaric1) 06/20/2018 at 10:20 • Filed to: None

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This might be massively off topic or it might not be but i’ve seen people post not so much car related articles here. But if someone spends untold money on sim racing and plays that all weekend do they have a disorder? NO. This is ridiculous, and it’s crazy how much the media and government try to bully nerds and enable their parents to continue doing it.

I am 34 and I got my first PC in 1989, my dad bought it for himself because his friend tried to get him into video games. He didn’t take to it but me and my brother did. Throughout my childhood my parents, even though they bought the games and all that, continuously personally attacked me for playing video games as entertainment. My dad even ripped me to his friends when I was in the room playing Jet Fighter 3, I was big into Flight Sims, and they were watching football basically calling me a loser because I was more into playing PC games then watching the Chicago Bears or Bulls.

I had to deal with this constantly as I lived with them and they blamed ALL my problems on the fact I was into not only PC gaming but also tabletop games. I didn’t get good grades in high school and they did no effort into trying to figure out why, just blamed games. They flat out banned me from gaming for a year and still I got Ds and Fs. No effort made at all to understand what was going on because gaming was the problem.

They forced me to be in marching band, in baseball, and doing all kinds of things I had literally no interest at all in. The one activity I did have interest in, go karting, and constantly begged them to get me into they refused. They never even brought me to a go kart track for cheap fun once. They always said it was too much money even though my band equipment cost much more and they easily could afford new cars, a boat, a massive bro den complete with wet bar, big screen, pool table, etc. I was also big into outdoor activities and non-traditional sports like skateboarding and it was ignored. I remember one birthday they bought me a baseball glove. Gee thanks. They were trying to get me to go to a prestigious school and made me take classes and do activities to do that. I had ZERO interest in this and i’m glad I didn’t. I would probably still be in debt with student loans if I did.

The thing is they had no idea what I was doing. I was making levels for Quake and Half-Life, making mods, reading code. This was my education, high school to me was pointless and I had no interest at all in it. The school I was in was a low quality Chicago area public school that was more of a prison or day care than education. Years later I got a Computer Science degree and was on the honor list and now I work for the DoD as a contractor and make 3 times as much money as both of them did combined. Around 25 I was totally liberated from these people and their shit and i’m glad. Now that i’ve been away our relationship has improved significantly, mostly because they can’t say anything. However they still talk shit about my brother.

My brother has other issues and of course they blame things on games for him as well. He basically was medically discharged from the navy for mental health reasons. He has an anxiety disorder and was diagnosed with bi polar disorder. My parents talk shit about him and blame video games for that as well all while my grandmother who was 85 when she died 10 years ago had all these same issues throughout her life. Issues like this plague my dad’s side of the family. It’s quite literally in our DNA. He also has a very addictive personality and it’s for EVERYTHING not just “games”. Yet that gets the blame.

I always hate when this shit comes out and the media trys to push this gaming nonsense. Dumb parents like mine who want to blame everyone but themselves for their child’s problems and never listen to their kids will emotionally abuse their children just because they don’t like what they do for entertainment for no reason. Meanwhile the parents are sitting on the couch all day getting fat and being lazy watching TV and they think that’s better. If you think your kid is not interested in anything and he’s some kind of nihilist listen to them, they are interested in things just maybe not what YOU are interested in and it’s not a “disorder”.

Sorry for the rant but when I see things like this it just really pisses me off and I guess you can say “triggers” me. I hear stories like this all the time and it needs to stop.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 11:00

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meh, I think it is a real thing, but it will be another thing that is extremely overdiagnosed or even worse, people just claiming they have something (see OCD) without any sort of diagnosis.

I know it seems “snowflake” or whatever to name this as an issue, but once in a while you have people who allow their children to die or die themselves due to gaming addictions causing them to neglect basic life necessities.

I think if you can acknowledge that gambling addiction is a thing, this isn’t to much of a leap.

BigBlock440 > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 11:03

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But if someone spends untold money on sim racing beer and bourbon and plays drinks that all weekend do they have a disorder? NO

They’re not saying playing games is the disorder, they’re saying playing games and neglecting the rest of your life (sleep, work, responsibilities, etc.) in favor of games is the problem.

Kanaric > BigBlock440 06/20/2018 at 11:51

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Yes “they” are saying that. What is the media saying though? I was listening to the radio this morning and they didn’t bring that aspect of it up at all. Just the typical parents fear mongering. I posted Wired because they actually reported on it properly.

Kanaric > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 06/20/2018 at 11:54

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Basically sure it can be a problem, but WHY is it a problem? Is it the gambling or the game or an issue with these people? They can get addicted to anything.

On top of that how is the media reporting it? I was listening to the radio this morning and they didn’t even discuss it in a way that was saying it was harming their life. They reported it in a VERY biased manner much like they do when they find out a school shooter plays FPS games.

Then the parents listen to that and they punish their kid and overreact. It’s bullshit.

The media takes issues like this and runs with it, nerd shaming. On top of that actual psychologist organizations don’t recognize this “disorder”.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 11:57

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Yeah, that stuff is totally bullshit. Like, if I crash into a school bus killing like 10 kids, is it going to be a big deal that I play tons of Forza?

Then why would it be different for shooting games?

I wish people would focus on gun control and mental health instead of deflecting to other bullshit.

Kanaric > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 06/20/2018 at 11:59

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Another thing as well is when I was in high school it was between 1998-2002. Since I was a “skater” kid and all that they targeted me because of columbine. When I walked into the school they let the rich “preppie” kids walk by but each and every time I was stopped and my things were searched. All because I wasn’t interested in the same thing as the kids that went in before me. Nonsense like this and how it’s reported only leads to more of this.

Kanaric > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 06/20/2018 at 12:01

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“Yeah, that stuff is totally bullshit. Like, if I crash into a school bus killing like 10 kids, is it going to be a big deal that I play tons of Forza?”

What’s funny is one of the things I liked doing in flight simulator games was crashing jets into buildings. I would like to crash things into Sears Tower and other chicago landmarks. You would think I was a 9/11 terrorist in the making if you went by their logic on things like this.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 12:15

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Gaming addiction is a real thing.

Gaming Disorder is a made-up thing phrased in a way that says “I can’t help it, I have a disorder, leave me alone”. Or, alternately, “They have a disorder, we need a mental health therapist because clearly this person is messed up in the head since they play so much”.

It’s a habit. Not a mental illness. If it’s interfering with your goals it’s a problem*, it’s not one on it’s own.

*Brings to mind a story I heard a couple weeks ago about a fairly high NHL draft pick—no names provided— that is almost certainly good enough to play in the NHL. Turns out they’re a total gaming addict. As it stands now, it looks like it’s going to torpedo his chances of making it because he literally can’t break off and just plays all night. Which unsurprisingly has had an effect on the on-ice product...

Long-Voyager > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 06/20/2018 at 12:26

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mental health

The biggest issue I see with all the shootings. Yet instead of focusing there, let’s just pull money away from that to put more guns in schools.....

Kanaric > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 12:26

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You can be addicted to any activity, that’s the thing. These people are trying to frame it that it’s a unique thing. Then it blows up that it’s bad to do this at all when, like I said, the people complaining are watching TV all day or on social media 24/7. Then they target and punish people who don’t deserve it.

People can be addicted to cross fit, stock market trading, buying stuff for their car, etc all to the detriment to themselves.

People putting themselves into massive debt because they are addicted to spending, yet “gaming” is the issue of the day for the media.

BigBlock440 > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 12:39

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I didn’t read the one you linked to, but a different article yesterday. People reacting and overreacting is just a way of life.

Kanaric > BigBlock440 06/20/2018 at 12:44

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Pretty much but they need to be putting out more articles like the one I linked. It was actually a good one. Radio news and CNN and Fox and all these sources are not nearly of the same quality but the people who will overreact only get their news from sources like that.

3point8isgreat > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 12:59

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This has been a topic of conversation between my girlfriend and I over the past few months. Basically discussing the pros/cons of gaming, and what reasonable boundaries look like. We have generally come to a comfortable agreement on it, but there is still a general sense that “less is better” with regards to time spent playing games.

Growing up, and especially by high school and college, almost all of my friends played games of some variety. So with my girlfriend it was a new thing of her having no real frame of reference outside of general society’s view of games. Which as you discussed is almost that they’re negative wastes of time.

What helped was being able to point out the good aspects of them. Things like learning strategic problem solving and planning. Or in the case of online games, there’s communication and teamwork skills (JUST LIKE SPORTS!) Online games have helped me keep in touch with some of my friends as I’ve moved around the country both during and after college. Sure I’ll agree face-to-face interaction with people is generally better. But getting to “hang out” and actually do something together while 1000+ miles apart? That’s pretty awesome. So the stigma of it being anti-social is just completely out of touch with reality.

Other helpful things is pointing out that compared to just watching TV or Netflix, it’s really not any worse. If not better since, in my usual case, it’s even a social experience with others.

For reference, I regularly play WoW as my game of choice. And while yes, I do sometimes binge on it when there’s something new and I’m having fun. But... is that wrong? I’m still taking care of myself and necessities. And the rest of the time try to maintain other hobbies as well, like lifting and violin.

But WoW has its own extra set of stigmas that have been fun to talk through. Like me having schedule times during the week when I have to either log in, or give prior notice of absence. This seems ridiculous at a glance for a game. But how else are you going to organize the same 20+ people being available every week? It’s no different than having a recreational sports team you have to show up for. I’ve even been lucky enough to meet and hang out in person with several of the people I play with. So it in no way feels outrageous to say that the people in my group are friends.

Also Forza 3 and 4 before bed was a nightly ritual with my college roomate. It was awesome.

Kanaric > 3point8isgreat 06/20/2018 at 15:02

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Scheduling is for any activity though. Bowling, softball, autocross, or dungeons and dragons. WoW or CS scrim times and things like that are the same thing.

And think about the prep for those events as well. WOW has the same prep.

I know a guy who got into fights with his wife over her not understanding it. They got divorced. His new wife understands this and he’s not had problems. All he was doing was having to be on once a week on a sunday night. They literally could do anything they wanted all week long together.

I had a DND group break up as well because this one guy’s wife wouldn’t let him have alone free time with his friends. I’ve even told her that we could include her and it could be a group activity. This wasn’t considered acceptable. The same was true with my other friend’s ex-wife that i mentioned but she made an attempt at least. Once she decided she wasn’t into it he wasn’t allowed to play with us and he refused to accept that. They would get into massive fights all the time over it.

People need to realize that for a relationship to work alone time and hobbies need to be allow, for either person. 24/7 clingyness is something I can’t deal with at least lol.

3point8isgreat > Kanaric 06/20/2018 at 15:40

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Those examples make me REALLY glad we were able to come to an agreeable spot way before any of that. Some of it has also been learning how to balance the fact that I’m just more of an introvert. So the idea of going out and doing a bunch of in person social stuff during the week just sounds exhausting to me. But she would prefer for me to have something “outside” to go do. Me having 3 regular hobbies, 2 of which can be viewed as “productive” seems to work around that issue though.

And I totally agree on the having your own time and hobbies. We were actually both sort of relieved when we realized me moving to a new job a few hours away would give us more time to ourselves during the week.