Engaging with a game releases chemicals in our brains which makes our gaming experience exciting, the more our brains release this chemical the more we enjoy it until we play it so much its becomes a pleasurable habit, this habit in some cases can also lead to a game addiction. Now addiction is a strong would most people would normally associate with drugs or alcohol, but yes, gaming addiction is out there with all the rest. While most would agree it doesn’t have the same extreme physical effects of substance abuse, socially it can take over your life!

80% of the world can apparently play games safely, so that’s most of us, but what about the other 20%. Why is it they become so addicted to games? The stereotypical game addict is usually a male under 30, but believe me I know a few girls who get completely addicted to some games and its definitely not a male orientated condition, for the "addict" it isolates them from family and friends, in some cases makes them irritable and miserable if they have to leave the game or can’t play it for whatever reason.

Its also been known to ruin relationships with the gamer not really bothering with their partners because they are so consumed and mildly obsessed with the game that it makes them lazy and insolent. This actually happened to a friend of mine at work, I even became addicted with them along with a few of my friends to a popular MMORPG, especially when we added the Skype or team talk factor on there, spending 4-6 hours at a time just questing and leveling. I have to admit its under control a lot more now but it even got to the point where we would set up wireless connections at mates’ houses and all sit there playing the same game while all sitting in the same room.

With everything maybe this demonstrates that everything we do for pleasure has to be used in moderation. In Amsterdam they even have a gamer’s rehab where they take away the excitement from the fantasy world of gaming and replace them with "real" experiences. Surely no one can be that addicted to something that they don’t go outside at all. Maybe it is that their game addiction is a form of escapism from the real world and then becomes a need to escape from the fantasy world in which they’ve escaped to.

 Gaming rehab sounds hard to me, although I’d probably love the outdoor activities, I’d still want to check my mail and social networking sites and maybe have a quick play of something or other. Rehab involves no games at all whatsoever at anytime, using a computer responsibly maybe but no games ever! What are these people on!?