From Pine View Farm

Rehab for Second Life? Not Yet 2

The American Medical Association today backed off calling excessive video-game playing a formal psychiatric addiction, saying instead that more research is needed.

A report prepared for the AMA’s annual policy meeting had sought to strongly encourage that video-game addiction be included in a widely used diagnostic manual of psychiatric illnesses.

AMA delegates instead adopted a watered-down measure declaring that while overuse of video games and online games can be a problem for children and adults, calling it a formal addiction would be premature.

In a word, crap.

Not every bad behavior is an addiction.

Sometimes, it’s just bad behavior.

Calling bad behavior “addictions” accomplishes one thing. It gives the persons indulging in those behaviors an excuse to say, “It’s not my fault.”

Give me a break.

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2 comments

  1. Karen

    June 28, 2007 at 12:30 am

    The AMA is full of it.

    Why don’t they come right out & say people need to get off their fat butts & get some excercise? (I say this as I sit here, checking blogs.)

    You’re right, Frank, it gives an excuse to all who participate in some activity that isn’t too smart, or good for them.

     
  2. Frank

    June 30, 2007 at 12:09 am

    Well, at least the AMA backed off.

    And don’t get me started about “sex addiction“! What a load of hooey!

    The APA is worse than the AMA. But then again, every new ailment is a new flock of clients.

     
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