Computers, like smartphones or tablets, have become part of our life and are far from the last place in it. It is not for nothing that we are called the generation of information technologies, which began to develop by leaps and bounds precisely thanks to the advent of the Internet. The World Wide Web can be used in different ways: someone is looking for useful information in it or works online, someone communicates on social networks or plays various computer games.
He flies behind the computer imperceptibly - it seems that he just sat down to write a letter or check his account - two hours were gone. Directly some kind of time machine. Especially imperceptibly time flies for some exciting gambling or RPG game. Something is constantly happening here, and you are so merged into the reality of the game that you completely forget about the reality of the present.
Why do men like to play computer games?
In the male nature lies the desire to be the first and the desire to self-actualize. Alas, as practice shows, our life does not always develop in such a way that you can really do what you love and give 100% of your best. But, if you cannot achieve tangible success due to any objective reasons, then in the game you are completely on your own. It depends only on you, and not on the head of the personnel department or deputy director, whether you reach the next level, defeat a monster, or find a good artifact. This is a kind of rest from a long and hard day at work.
So it is with aggression, which inevitably accumulates in everyday life. She's like an elephant in a china shop, crushing you from the inside and asking you to come out. They stepped on their feet in the subway - came home and killed a couple of zombies, they took an undeserved award - defeated the army of orcs, etc. Some people turn their excess energy into creativity - they build cities and create entire universes. In psychology, this process is called sublimation and does not represent anything bad. “But if the game is only a positive phenomenon, because it gives relief, then why should we get rid of it?” You ask. The fact is that every hobby is characterized by its extreme form, when a harmless occupation turns into a real threat to you and your loved ones.
Why can the game be dangerous?
As a rule, the effect of immersion in the game is noticeable immediately - a person sits rooted to the spot at the computer and does not react to external stimuli. Moreover, all the external manifestations of life are perceived precisely as irritants, because they distract from the exciting game. According to research by scientists, the male brain reacts very vividly to success in video games, the feeling of euphoria is akin to the effect of taking drugs. A person fully associates himself with his hero and it is not surprising that one wants to experience such “tasty” sensations over and over again. A person unconsciously becomes addicted to gaming adrenaline, like a real drug addict or alcoholic.
Real life becomes just a ghostly shadow, insipid and uninteresting. The gamer stops communicating with friends, loses interest in work and, as a rule, then the work itself and sinks to the very bottom - he cannot live without games. This pernicious hobby includes not only video games, but also gambling: slot machines, casinos, online gambling. If a person does not know how to control his emotions and say “stop” to himself in time, then very quickly it can end very badly.
What is gambling addiction?
Scientists in many countries have long debated whether such a disease as addiction to games. In the end, they came to the conclusion that excessive passion for games, which adversely affects the life of a gambling addict, is a real disease, the name of which is gambling addiction. In Russia, the government decided to fight with gambling addiction radically. After all, dependence on slot machines and all kinds of casinos began to acquire the scale of an epidemic throughout the whole country. People lost all their money, got into debt, families collapsed, the criminal situation in the country was heating up. Therefore, the government decided: if you want to play, please go to the appropriate play areas.
So since 2009, the opening of gambling establishments outside these zones has been prosecuted by law. But whoever wanted to play continues to do so now, it's just that now it's happening right on the Internet. There is even a special business in games, when professional gamers pump characters for other users, sell armor and other artifacts, and exchange “game” currency for real money. All this is a real gaming industry and can be approached in different ways. As the saying goes, everything is good, in moderation.
How to deal with gambling addiction?
First of all, it is worth realizing that you are addicted to the game. To do this, make a simple calculation, at least for a week, how much time it takes you to play. Perhaps the result of your recordings will surprise you. Very often we don't notice how long we play. If the percentage of the game is 40% or more of your free time, it's time to think. Additional signs may be a change in your social circle (now you only communicate with those who also play), you quit your other hobbies, you started investing real money in the game, and more and more often, if you are distracted from the game, you start to react very sharp. If so, then you begin to plunge into addiction.
Unfortunately, the gambling addict himself very rarely can realize the danger of his hobby. “Not much yet, and I'll finish”, “it's okay, everyone is playing and I am playing” - these are very common thoughts of a gambling addict. How much excitement costs only the gambler himself knows, and even his relatives. Therefore, as a rule, close or qualified doctors can return him to his former life. According to statistics, only 18-20% of players can achieve a complete cure for gambling addiction. The rest no, no, and they break down. Therefore, in order to prevent such a state, it is better to set a certain rule for yourself now - I play no more than an hour a day.
