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TV psychologist Tanya Byron links games to heroin addiction

Posted Apr 15, 2008 at 9:46PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Tags: Amsterdam, BBC

About a month ago, Dr. Tanya Byron made headlines regarding her review on video game violence. Now, she's has taken the spotlight once again with a BBC TV show she wrote and hosted.
Through it, she linked video game to heroin addiction. In her show, Byron delved deeper to the world of gaming by talking about several situations gamers are in.

She went as far as to compare playing video games to cocaine or even heroin addiction. One of her interviewees was Michelle Hart, a 39-year-old World of Warcraft addict. Hart said she's been playing the MMORPG for two years and spends most of her free time playing it.

With her situation, Byron commented, "It might seem ludicrous to compare a childish computer fantasy game with hard drug addiction. But addiction counselors offering treatment to gamers argue that there are key similarities in the way that the consumer gets hooked into coming back for more."

Aside from Hart, Stephen Noel-Hill was another interviewee by Byron. Noel-Hill was revealed to be a recovering gaming addict. He was able to establish a recovery clinic in Amsterdam which welcomed game addicts.

Noel-Hill believed that "computer gaming has become an addiction every bit as pernicious as more conventional drugs." Before ending the show, Byron stressed the fact the video games could cause harm to those who are addicted to it. She said:

If we combine the pleasurable aspects of gaming or gambling with an individual who has other psychological or emotional needs, it become more obvious how this behavior can become addictive.

if you guys have something to share regarding the latest work of Tanya Byron, feel free to comment using the space below.

Via MCVUK

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How can she compare a chemical compound that is made to be addictive on a cellular level to a video game that is only addictive because it is good or fun? In a way you could say that some gamers take their games to seriously and they become like addicts but, comparing that addiction with drug addiction is to much. How many times have you heard in the news that a WOW "addict" went to a Supermarket to steal money so that he could pay for his monthly subscription?

# ~~ — ~~ 2008-04-15 23:02

Right.. I'm sorry but I myself wouldn't call WoW representative for the rest of the games out there.

WoW is something that caters to the socialy unable, people who don't get attention in real life get attention in WoW and thus wind up playing that game all day. Losing all their real friends slowly but surely and trading them in for online persona's. It is sad really.

But it is even sadder to generalize the 'gaming scene' with an experience as WoW.

For example, how would you compare WoW with a game such as Metal Gear Solid 4 ?

Guess what, you can't, they cater totally different interests. Next time you open your mouth, be sure to get your terminology right.

Nice example of a half assed study.

WoW = Game

WoW = Addictive

All games = Addictive

Too bad that people actually lend their ears to these kind of people. Now girl, go back to class, learn how to set up a decent study, and then come back again, ok ?

# Click On Her Picture — CHUCKINGROCKSATSPACESHIPS 2008-04-15 23:26

Those are probably her best friends in the background. They are probably setting up a table to play some BINGO or Scrabble.

# ææææææææææææ — tobyo1 2008-04-16 00:28

lol. Everyone say hello to the new Jack Thompson

# ... — Concerned Observer 2008-04-16 00:50

Tanya Byron is a *****ing idiot, and so are you guys at QJ and anyone else who gives these morons like Jack Thompson a platform. Guess what? The less coverage these lunatics get, the less credibility their insane ideas are given, so let's all do ourselves a favor and stop validating this nonsense by actually discussing it.

In short: ignore the *****wits, and they'll go away.

Oh, and I realise this post itself is a contradiction, but it's a necessary one, so don't bother pointing it out.

# sss — Meseria 2008-04-16 01:28

Its the same concept. With addiction there are many levels. For example, we could say 5 levels, 1 being lowest. Depending on the personality is where they will fall in terms of how addicted they are and also depending on the general addictiviness their "drug" is. This can result in changes of how they act around others and how they go about "renewing" their high, whatever it may be.

I do agree with you souleater on the fact that hard drugs is a little too harsh of a comparasion. I think a better comparasion would be cigarettes. As both are a legal, cheap and while addictive, they do not cause the same troubles as hard drugs do.

# this is a load — ajuggalo 2008-04-16 01:30

this lady has no clue how many gamers you see on the streets selling their body to get a fix. I mean I really like gaming im probably addicted(wont admit it though cause thats the first step and im not quitting lol)but no way in hell am I going to prostitute myself for gaming

# jilted lover??? — ajuggalo 2008-04-16 01:35

sounds like a recent ex-girlfriend to a gamer.

# .... — Silver-Tiger 2008-04-16 01:40

"It might seem ludicrous to compare a childish computer fantasy game with hard drug addiction."

childish? riiight....

You know that the game is rated 12+ ?

# Umm — SenorDingDong 2008-04-16 01:45

Isn't this the same woman that said she played games with her kids? Does that make her family a bunch of junkies? Or will her kids only grow into 'casual' heroine users? Does that mean she's 'pushing' to her kids?

So many unanswered questions.

# Keep at open mind on what you're about to read. — fillinthe_____ 2008-04-16 02:55

1. Things that people do that they find enjoyable (video games, sex, drugs) trigger the RELEASE of specific chemicals in the brain that lead the a feeling of happiness or pleasure. Note here that the Drugs (heroin, cocaine, etc) themselves does NOT cause the feeling of euphoria, but the they cause the RELEASE of chemicals such as Dopamine, and Seratonin, which will give the user a sense of pleasure. Obviously there are people out there addicted to sex, and we can all agree that there is no exchange in addictive chemicals during sex.

2. What Bryon may be suggesting is that the parts of the brain stimulated during video game playing (mesolimbic, or pleasure center) is similar to the area stimulated by drug use.

3. Nowhere in Bryon's argument does she compare Video game users whore themselves out for more gaming time. At the same time, not all drug addicts will whore themselves out for. There are people who can balance their lives while recreationally using drugs.

4. Now this is not to say video game is easily as addicted as heroin or cocaine. Hard drugs such as heroin or cocaine cause physical addiction (withdrawl symptoms).

5. Bryon did not claim that WOW-specifically was the ONLY addicted game. Just that video games in general can be an addiction.

A LOT of your arguments are faulty. I'm too tired to continue. Learn to *****ING READ.

# Exactly — FhnuZoag 2008-04-16 03:45

I have no idea why the staff of QJ have this persistent vendetta against Mrs Byron. (Compare and contrast the coverage here to that of say, Kotaku, and you'll see how they applaud her as a fresh, moderate, and rational voice.)

In any case, this story is a total distortion.

1. She makes out the point that only some vulnerable people can get addicted.

2. She interviews other people than the two mentioned. For example, Anne Lingford-Hughes, who compared the addiction aspect of gaming to eating foods you like. "Similarly, a study done here showed this could be a video game player winning %u2013 that's enough to release dopamine. It's the same part of the brain. Somebody looking at foods they like... or it could be alcohol."

3. She is actually critical of the game addiction treatment guy. 'Could it not be said that you, with your treatment centre, are just catching a young vulnerable population with frightened parents and making a heap of money, when most of them will probably grow out of it anyway?'

In any case, everything she's saying is bloody obvious. Of course games addiction exists, for people who have weak self control, and who are easily involved with these things. By most normal measures, someone who loses vast amounts of cash, sleep, and health gaming is addicted. And the science is very clear and on Mrs Byron's side.

# Read — FhnuZoag 2008-04-16 03:48

When did she say that all games lead to addiction? She doesn't even say that videogame addiction happens to every individual.

# . — mjmaskrey 2008-04-16 03:48

I'll be concerned about gaming addiction when you risk getting HIV from a used joypad.

# well... — The Obsidian 2008-04-16 03:48

This chick is still just saying this for no good reasons! Its a weird interesting and contriversial thing to say right? She just wants ratings thats it so the point still remains which is parrallel to her comments earlier shes just saying this bull shat for ratings she just clearly does not like video games......she needs a wii.....

(double meaning?)

# asdf — fillinthe_____ 2008-04-16 05:46

You can't attack a person based on what you THINK their intentions are. The only thing you can do is criticize their arguments, bringing out their weak points with newer ideas and evidence. Just because she's bring up a controversial point for ratings does not make her wrong or hate video games. The best way to discredit someone is to find fault in their ideas (backed up with proof).

Comments like "Say hello to the New jack thompson" or "tv psychologist are a joke" is the only reason I actually wrote a comment in this article. - You're not helping the gaming community by attacking the person you don't like.

# That's immediately — Nevers 2008-04-16 05:46

what I thought... hahaha

# a voice of reason — Nevers 2008-04-16 06:02

Well said... this is not a study linking video game use to the eventual use of drugs or vice versa as the title suggests. None the less - video games are addictive and drugs are addictive. Stealing is addictive. Adrenaline is addictive. Worship is addictive... Different strokes for different folks... I think she deserves a nice round of applause for stating the obvious.

# lol — emcp 2008-04-16 06:09

lol

yes, the definition of addiction is to come back for more you stupid b**ch

"But addiction counselors offering treatment to gamers argue that there are key similarities in the way that the consumer gets hooked into coming back for more."

i have to laugh at these people they think they geniuses yet they know nothing at all theyre total idiots

the spend years making a report about something stupid and comes out with no results because theres nothing to report and they can have an easy life doing nothing, and they come back saying oh this is awful

researcher, analysts, english, arts

those are the types of people i simply cant stand snobby ba**ards

lol

# Tanya Byron Says: — Ganon007 2008-04-16 06:19

People get addicted to things they like doing.

Thanks a lot Tanya for your insight. =P

# Well — Alistar 2008-04-16 06:27

Drugs are illegal to use.

Games are not illegal (unless banned from country) to use.

Drugs, even if used in small doses, have serious health risks and effects. Games are for pleasure and humans, like all animals, like the feeling pleasure gives.

If, by her logic, playing games is a health risk because of the pleasure involved. Masturbation, sex and music would also have to be deemed a health risk because of the plesure it can give people.

I wonder when games will be connected to cancer.

# Follow-up — Alistar 2008-04-16 06:31

Yes, I am aware in my previous post that I mentioned sex as not a health risk. The only risks in that are STDs but protection is common sense these days. So I included that as part of my post.

(Posted this just in case a smart arse decided to point it out)

# Anything can be addictive — Kingofdaberbz 2008-04-16 06:55

She's a quake. I hope she does know anything can be addictive. Books,movies,mu sic,sports,etc. I don't see why she continues to attack video games(I read her previous statements). Video games can be addictive,but so can everything else. To all these fools defending her she gave a bias statement any idiot knows someone could get addicted to ANYTHING(VG included),but she specifically targets video games and attempt to link it to illegal drugs. They don't even have anything to do with each other. She's definitely the new Jack Thompson. No. She's actually a little worse.

# haha — Nevers 2008-04-16 08:54

you proly won't get HIV unless the said controller was USED for REZ HD; but the reality of geting a nasty MRSA infection is pretty real these days.

# I dont even know this lady — fillinthe_____ 2008-04-16 09:04

and

"researcher, analysts, english, arts

those are the types of people i simply cant stand snobby ba**ards

lol"

- wow, good luck in life.

# The science community — fillinthe_____ 2008-04-16 09:14

She's probably an idiot, but unfortunately even the most obvious things in life require studies and experiments in the world of science.

# uh, ...huh? — damonous 2008-04-16 11:18

Sorry, Meseria, it's not like cigarettes either. I think souleater hit it on the head: drugs are INGESTED. Games are not. Big difference. Anything can be an addiction. I'm sure there are plenty of Golf addicts out there, who go to the corse several times a week paying insane rental fees to swing an insanely-priced set of clubs around someone else's yard. At least with video games you can own/sell them. Too many people like to sensationalize things and make a name for themselves (ahem, ..Ms Byron) by trotting out the "It's an addiction!!!" booga-booga. To follow the example that souleater started: do we see video game players selling their bodies for more? --do we see rival gangs forming on the street, toting Wii's and PS3's under one arm, and a knife under the other? It's one thing to say that video games can be habit-forming and (like ANYTHING) require some form of self-restraint. It's another thing to start comparing it to deadly, life-threatening INGESTED CHEMICALS that promote desperate lifestyles of crime. Moreover, for anyone recovering from drug abuse, a statement like Ms Byron's totally belittles their real struggle to remain non-dependent.

# Oh come on — damonous 2008-04-16 11:41

How about this one: once the psychological community can get a certain 'disorder' recognized as an "addiction", it can then be treated clinically for insurance purposes. Forget ratings, BS "doctors" like Ms Byron want to pursue this notion so one day all their blathering nonsense can be paid for by corporate America,UK, etc. It's small potatoes when you're only going after the out-of-pocket health-purchasers. But, if this is a full-on "addiction" (recognized 'disorder'), now it's just check after (un-earned) check. And, no longer would it be just the people who really DO have an addiction problem: then it'll be whomever THINKS that they might have a problem. ....Do you really think that it's ONLY the Games Industry with their eyes on the beauty of those multiple Billions spent every year in the video game market?

# this is getting fecking stupid — the by 2008-04-16 18:31

im addicted to sex, can i link that to video games too??

# (*o*)--LOL — sunny05550 2008-04-16 19:39

ahahhahahahhhah ahahaha

hahahahahahahah ahahahaah

ahhahahahahahah hahahahahaha

cant control my laugh

i think "Dr. Tanya Byron" need a good psychiatrist

# You have GOT to be kidding! — Braktar 2008-04-17 00:29

This is about as stupid as the "Twinkie defense"!

# wow — souleater 2008-04-17 10:58

I can't believe they let people like her appear on tv.

# no way what a dumb bint — fingahs 2008-04-18 08:33

this woman is talking CRAP, video games playing is a much more pleasurable addiction (if it even is one), and it's much less socially corrosive. video games are a 100% safer escapism and i would rather my six yr old be addicted to games than tv which i believe is spewing to much CRAP the doctors CRAP included

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TV psychologist Tanya Byron links games to heroin addiction

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