Warcraft Game 'More Addictive Than Crack'

[efq]

The massively popular fantasy role-playing game World of Warcraft is "more addictive than crack cocaine", experts have warned.


Some 11 million play World Of Warcraft


The computer game, played by millions, has been dubbed "the most dangerous game on the market" by addiction therapists at Sweden's Youth Care Foundation.
A 15-year-old Swedish boy collapsed and went into convulsions after playing it for 24 hours earlier this month.
The report's author Sven Rollenhagen said: "There is not a single case of game addiction that we have worked with in which World of Warcraft has not played a part.
"It is the crack cocaine of the computer gaming world. Some people are literally unable to drag themselves away and will play it till they drop."
The Swedish National Institute of Public Health backed the report, adding: "Computer game addiction is becoming more widespread in Sweden and across the world.
"There is no known medical diagnosis of conditions brought on by excessive game-playing, but it is clear they have a very powerful addictive hold over many people who use them."
The boy was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with an epileptic-type seizure brought on by sleep deprivation, lack of food, and too much time in front of a screen.
The game's US makers Blizzard Entertainment say 11 million people worldwide play World of Warcraft.
Psychiatrist Dr Richard Graham, of London's Tavistock Centre, said: "Some of my clients will discuss playing games for 14, 16 hours a day at times, without breaks and without attending to their physical needs.
"For those, the consequences are potentially severe."

Gutted lol, 2 of my brothers friends 22 and 23 are addicted to it.

[Immenseman]

Yeah, I better not start playing then as it's the official geek game. Calm down wow players, it's a joke.

[mangle]

My mates play it, don't see the attraction myself but hell if they want to play and their having fun then why not?

Its their life afterall.

[Immenseman]

I'd love to know how they tested this also ol:

[Kipp]

Oh dear, I won't start playing it then :O

[Swearwolf]

ive played it for ages and im not addicted :p

[Twist]

I'd love to know how they tested this also ol:

Stick someone on crack for 48 hours, someone on WoW for 48 hours, and tested their knowledge on certain subjects.
For the WoWer's, how much they know about the game.
For the crack addicts, how many words they can spit out/how many fingers your holding up.

Anyway this isn't suprising - it's an extremely addictive game.

[jackass]

I beg to differ.

[Virgin Mary]

Good I hope it kills off all the geeks it'll clean out the gene pool

[Ras]

My school does exchange things with a school in germany.. The family my friend lived with included a grandmother, a mother, a father, 3 sons and 1 daughter.. They ALL played ******* world of warcraft.. I never tried it, and I'm happy I havent.