"...a typical sufferer seems to be a middle-aged guy who spends 40 hours a week on a quest to find magic elf pants."
The Boston Globe ran a story this weekend about a psychotherapist specializing in gaming addiction. Most interestingly, Block's clients view compulsive gaming as more shameful than porn addiction, because more people have been exposed to the concept of an addiction to pornography, whereas marathon gaming session are viewed as something only little kids do. How crazy is it that adult gaming still has such a negative stigma attached to it? Take Steve Carrell's character from 40 Year Old Virgin. Sure, he was obsessed with action figures and other geekery, but still, how much more lovable was he than some creepy porn fiend?
The best part of this article is the photo featuring Jerald kicking it on one of those token "And how does that make you feel" therapy couches. I didn't know real therapists actually used those things.
Jerald Block is remarkably sympathetic towards gamers, and tries his best to downplay the link between compulsive gaming and violence. Incidentally, the New York Times just ran a blurb about the recent Akihabara stabbing, ending the article with the obligatory, "the killer also happened to like video games" clause. One of his favorite games was apparently Gran Turismo, "in which racing cars can crash". Why even bring this up? Big Ups to Dr. Block, who recognizes the realistic pitfalls gamers fall into, and brush off the fabricated ones created by media hysteria.