1: compulsively or physiologically dependent on something habit-forming 2: if the person does not get more of the substance or behavior, he becomes irritable and miserable 3: the person needs more and more of a substance or behavior to keep him going ¨ Classifications as a Disorder ¨effects are similar to other psychological addictions ¨similar to compulsive gambling ¨Possible Causes ¨built in reward systems in the games ¨psychological needs are satisfied by many video games ¨rewards, freedom, and connection with other players ¨dopamine production in the brain doubles during video game play ¨ Psychological Symptoms ¨a sense of well being or euphoria while playing video games ¨inability to stop ¨craving for more and more time playing video games ¨neglect of family and friends ¨feeling empty, depressed, and irritable when not playing games ¨problems with school or job ¨lying to employers and family about activities ¨Physical Symptoms ¨carpal tunnel syndrome ¨dry eyes ¨migraine headaches ¨back aches ¨eating irregularities (ex. skipping meals) ¨failure to attend to personal hygiene ¨sleep disturbances (ex. change in sleep pattern) ¨Treatment/Prevention ¨limiting time spent playing video game ¨making sure the person does other activities before playing video games ¨talking to an expert ¨treatment centers ¨Statistics ¨the average 8 to 12 year old plays 13 hours of video games per week ¨theaverage 13 to 18 year old plays 14 hours of video games per week ¨teen boys average 16 to 18 hours of video games per week ¨teen girls average 8 hours per week ¨gamerswho were surveyed and classified as pathological got lower grades in school ¨Extreme Cases ¨in Jinzhou, China, Xu Yan died after playing online games for over 15 days during Lunar New Year holiday ¨Ohio teen Daniel Petric shot his parents, killing his mother, after they took away his copy of Halo 3 ¨Xiao Yi was thirteen when he threw himself from the top of a twenty-four story...