Last year, the American Medical Association passed a resolution, asking the Council on Science and Public Health to “review and summarize the research data on the emotional and behavioral effects, including addiction potential, of video games”. The AMA has released their report, after reading and analyzing scientific studies from 1985 to 2007.

Some of their findings weren’t surprising. Concluding that “exposure to violent media increases aggressive cognition, affect, and behavior, and decreases prosocial behavior in the short term. There also appears to be agreement that definitive long-term studies are lacking.” They also stated that parents treat games no different than any other media, like TV, and limit the time exposed.

One good thing they mentioned was the positive aspects of gaming. It’s been used for training by the military and medical personnel, while also proven educational. There are lots of stories of how the Nintendo Wii is used in hospitals for rehabilitation, including injured Iraqi vets.

The one suggestion they had that really bothered me though, was this:

That our AMA strongly encourage the consideration and inclusion of “Internet/video game addiction” as a formal diagnostic disorder in the upcoming revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV.

Now, this thinking isn’t really new. We’ve heard of people who have lost their job and even died because they were spending too much time playing World of Warcraft. But to say that gaming or surfing the internet is a mental illnes and on par with drug or alcohol addiction is a bit of a stretch. The suggestion is that it shares many of the same traits as pathological gambling. But why can’t the people who are unable to control their behavior discussed as having a personality disorder, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder? Isn’t there something more underlying in their personality than just not being able to turn off the computer?

Besides, many of my friends, including myself, would probably be diagnosed as being addicted to the internet, if not gaming also. Oh, and let’s not forget that gamers who are good can even get sponsorship and earn a salary. If only I had great hand eye coordination!

But let’s think about this. How many people do you know of can’t live without their music. Or books. Or watching sports. (The sports people can get very into it, even participating in fantasy teams, not missing a game by subscribing to satellite radio or sports tiers on cable.) Why aren’t any of them lambasted for their hobbies and told they have an addiction that needs treatment?

Games are the latest in a long line of items, including comic books, Dungeons & Dragons, and heavy metal, that are blamed for the moral bankruptcy of the youth in our society. They are, by default, looked upon negatively, and as a result, politicians and researchers only look at the detrimental aspects to gaming. And the doctors and insurance companies would just love to see a chunk of the money that could be made by classifying gaming and internet addiction formally.

No doubt that parents need to watch how much and what games their kids are playing, just like with any activity they do. And adults shouldn’t neglect their job, family, and health for an activity, no matter what it is. But let’s just leave it at that. If it does get out of hand, then treat the underlying cause. Not blame the technology.

Hat tip: Ars Technica

Technorati tags: video games, internet