Once upon a time, I was addicted to online gaming. I played it for literally hundreds of hours each month. My addiction started once when I was lonely (thanks to staying alone at my University apartment over the holidays back in 1999) and I started playing online games 12-16 hours/day. I wasn't really addicted yet, but it was a beginning.

When I lost my job, my addiction began. I'd play 18 hours/day, every day. I would miss church. I would ignore my wife and son more often than not, and raising my voice when my wife complained about it was not uncommon.

When you're addicted like that, it seems rational to game your life away, and you can justify most anything. Everything can wait, other than food, bathroom, and occasional sleep, especially when the carpal tunnel syndrome starts kicking in.

I now avoid gaming most of the time; I still game occasionally, but I avoid gaming two weeks in a row. My wife and children are wonderful, and I love them tons. I grieve for those whose wives are addicted to WoW, Twilight, Harry Potter, etc. This sort of societal sewage is, unfortunately, as addictive as heroin.

It is nobody else's business how an individual spends their time. It is THEIR TIME, NOT YOURS!

Keep your judgment to yourself! If somebody wants to "waste time" playing Warcraft, they have every right to do so. To them the time is not a waste.

I will tell you what is a waste of time. Sitting for three hours each week listening to the same, inane, amateurish talks and lessons in Church! THAT is a waste of time!

Spoken like a true adict...

A man here in Arizona is being charged with murdering a 2-week-old baby. Why? Because it was crying and interrupted his video game, and he became irritated and picked up the baby and shook it hard.

I can't think of anything good that comes from playing hours of video or on-line games; however I constantly hear the bad. It is what it is.

Video games, like theater, movies, reading, etc. and other forms of entertainment have a place in our lives. But only if they are responsible games. Games like Grand Theft Auto are PURE evil! Games like wii sports are quite enjoyable to pay with friends and family, but All things in moderation.

I must say, this has been an unusually civil and thoughtful thread on the whole. :)

Addiction is an interesting thing. It involves a complex interplay between genetic predisposition, social programming, personal agency and responsibility, and the external stimulus to which someone can become addicted.

For any given addictive thing, there are those who will struggle in a huge way, and others who never struggle a bit. Hence, some of the comments from people who find online gaming boring. That's great. It doesn't change the fact that for others, it's so intoxicating that it becomes more deeply satisfying than real life. Addiction typically involves self-medicating and checking out of real life. And, very importantly, addiction makes people stupid -- the more logical parts of the brain release control to the pleasure centers.

So the fact that you or I might not struggle with a particular thing, doesn't mean it isn't a struggle for someone else. And of course, agency really is the ultimate bottom line. But addiction works against agency, and causes the addict to become increasingly unable to make proper decisions. Hence, agency before addiction is an ultimate protection, but after addiction, external help is typically required.

Thank heavenly father for the advancement of technology and the productive use of role playing games