What’s in THAT game. A case against video game addiction.
Yesterday I floated a Psychology Today article that laid out the case for video game addiction as a specific diagnosis.
Honestly, I am not there. I see major flaws in the theory, not to mention exploitations as a result of this thinking, but there is more to the story.
We cannot be blind to the predatory mechanics that get used in games; we must separate them from the actual deeply immersive and therapeutic play that has proven to be wildly successful at delivering meaningful therapy.
To access the true power of medicinal media we need to get down to what does what and focus on the game elements that can truly harness the power of play for good.
Please enjoy this well written article. I will leave you with this thoughtful quote:
“We would not diagnose depressed individuals with hypersomnia with a comorbid ‘bed addiction.’†In other words, someone with depression might stay in bed for days, but this does not mean that they are addicted to the bed.â€
