User talk:Wanshenga

I. Problem and its Background

Introduction

In this day and age, common issues concerning many of our youth includes not just alcohol or drug addiction, but also a rising trend of computer addiction has been reported. It has been put to concerns worldwide due to its damaging effects manifested to the behavior and attitude of the youth.

One of its classifications includes net compulsion or computer game addiction which became a major contributor to the problems of our society. And what’s threatening is that all people who are computer users may be vulnerable to this obsession. Moreover, reports have found out that the most vulnerable of the view addicts are quite young for the reason that they become amazed to the colorful multimedia presentations and unable to develop normal social interactions. Games in the form of MMORPG’s such as Ragnarok, Dota, Counter Strike, etc... became a new interest for kids and later they patronized the product which results to obsession. Such increasing rates of addiction will surely became a world dilemma as many computer gaming companies continue to design and develop new form of enjoyment and fun for our young- aged citizens.

Although this isn’t a form of obsession through physical dependence on substance as drugs or alcohol, it could still be call a form of addiction for it is a continual habit and obsession for computer use. From this, we can consider computer game addiction as one of the growing problem around the world.

Statement of the Problem This research study aims to identify the nature of computer game addiction and its effects on the youth. Specifically, we sought to answer the following questions:

1.	What are the effects of addiction to computer game and its manifestation to the youth? 2.	How does computer game addiction influence the life of the youth and the people around them? 3.	What are the major causes of addiction to computer games which bears a new problem to our society?

Research Hypothesis

Computer game addiction contributes to the manifestations of behavior and attitude of the youth. It has certain effects on the psychological and physical aspects of youth’s life.

Scope and Limitation

This study is confined only to the effect of computer game addiction on the youth being involved or affected by this issue. It will not focus deeply on the factors or cause of this kind of addiction. Basically, we tried to emphasize only one type of computer addiction which is net compulsion or computer game addiction rather than its other types.

Significance of the Study

In relation to the present situation our youth has been dealing with, this study surely be effective to educate them by providing the youth the basic information regarding computer game addiction. It will be necessary to have knowledge on the negative effects of such kind of addiction, as well as, the causes likely to be involved. Through establishing knowledge on young minds, cultivation of social consciousness will result towards the development of a harmonious relationship to the society where they live in, and this will help minimize the problems the world has been facing.

This research will serve as a guide not only for the youth but to all individuals towards better clearance of their role in the society and will lead them to act in relation to conduct and morality.

Definition of Terms Computer. This term refers to the device that processes data or information by following a set if instructions called program (Philip’s World Encyclopedia, 2006) Addiction. This term refers to the inability to control the use of a particular substance, resulting in physical or psychological dependence; psychological dependence on activities such as exercise or gambling (Philip’s World Encyclopedia, 2006) . MMORPG’s. Multimedia Online Role Playing Games.

Net compulsion. This term refers to the total addiction of an individual to online gaming. Behavior. This term refers to the manner of conducting oneself and it is anything an organism does involving action and response to stimulation (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1963). .Manifestations. This tem refers to the state or fact of being manifested: disclosure or display: a revelation (Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary, 1998).

II. Related Literature and Studies This chapter presents the related literature and studies which was made through the secondary sources such as internet and library materials.

1. Computer addiction

Youth spending seemingly endless hours playing MMORPGs Computer addiction is an obsessive addiction to computer use. The term was used by M. Shotton in 1989 in her book Computer Addiction, although the concept was discussed years earlier with British E-Learning academic Nicholas Rushby, who suggested that people can be addicted to computers and suffer withdrawal symptoms in his book, An Introduction to Educational Computing in 1979. There are also examples of obsessive recreational users dating back to the first release of computer games, and many NetNews users were considered obsessive in the 1980s.

As gaming in the form of PC games and game consoles from various companies like Nintendo and Sega caught on and spread through the end of the millennium, the use of Internet as an increasingly viable medium for communication also rose, and traditional offline activities such as politics and dating began to take advantage of online capability. As a result, computer addiction became a more serious study, and a more vocal social concern.

With the almost-ubiquitous use of computers in the 21st century, it has become difficult to distinguish users who are merely highly engaged in their computer use from those who could be considered truly addicted. Criteria based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for substance dependency has been used to distinguish mere extensive use of computers from compulsive over-use, or addiction. However, the definition of "true computer addiction" is subject to debate. In 2004 the Finnish Defense Forces revealed that they allow some conscripts to postpone their military service for three years due to dependence on computer games and the Internet.

The study of cybersex, emotional infidelity, the impact of computer use or violent video games on the brain's capacity for empathy and sympathy, the dangers associated with dating systems and obsession with computer games are all part of this field.

Video Game addiction is a proposed form[of psychological addiction composed of a compulsive use of computer and video games, most notably MMORPGs, and is related to Internet addiction disorder. Though there is still great debate as to whether one can become addicted to a video game/computer game, there are people who report that their friends and loved ones have been "sucked into" a game suddenly becoming self-isolating, preferring to play the game instead of actual personal contact, and focusing almost entirely on the game instead of real life events. One notable game is World of Warcraft (WoW); this game is said to be the most addictive game in history.

2. WHO SUFFERS FROM IT?

Computer addiction is shared by the young and the old, the meek and the bold. "Now the addiction strikes women as often as men, young students as frequently as retirees, and folks of all intellectual levels." As media like the Web make it ever easier to access the Internet, it becomes less and less necessary to understand computer technology in order to become obsessed with computers. Different groups of people are inclined to be afflicted with different kinds of addictions, but there are plenty to go around.

People with underdeveloped social skills, from the slightly insecure to the very geeky, are drawn by the social ease inherent in electronic communications like email, MUDs, and IRC. As the well-known cartoon says, "On the internet, no one knows if you are a dog." You can hide your appearance on the net, assume alternate personas and genders, and generally feel far less inhibited than in face-to-face interactions. People who have difficulty with live interactions are most likely to become dependent on these forms of electronic communication.

They are offered the illusion of social relationships free of pain and discomfort, which raises their self-confidence so that they no longer feel complete without computer interaction and their on-line personalities.

Many people view all computer users as socially-challenged. However, ever-friendlier user interfaces like the Web have put computer addiction at the fingertips of users who do not conform to the usual stereotypes. The newest breed of addicts loses themselves in the colorful Web pages and multimedia presentations, surfing till it hurts. Due to the youth of the Web, they have not yet been given a popular stereotype; popular culture has been able to pretend that they do not exist. However, this blindness cannot remain for long. Computer addiction via the Internet suddenly requires only a modem and Netscape, rather than extensive computer education, and the population that will suffer from it is growing dramatically.

Children are becoming addicted to video games on their home computers. Parents should watch for withdrawal symptoms, like irritability when they stop playing. Some children play computer games up to 30 hours a week. Reports claim that these youngsters have cravings as powerful as junkies needing a drug fix. As with all other groups of addicts, the extreme amounts of time spent on their addiction lead to sacrifices in the other areas of their lives: friends, homework, and other activities. In children this can be particularly dangerous, since it threatens their development and permanent view of the world around them. Some experts say that children tend to outgrow their addiction during adolescence, but others claim that adolescents are more prone to computer addiction than other groups. It seems no one is immune to the siren song.

Older people battle with computer addiction, as well. People who know almost nothing about computers decide to see what the fuss is about and find that the games they try are completely hypnotic and they are unable to stop playing once they start. One journalist wrote, "I burn out on computing after a time. But I worried two years ago when our new computer came with a standard blackjack game. For a couple of months, I was addicted. I didn't lose any money playing blackjack that way. But I lost something more important: time, the precious hours of a life deep into its second half." Many people complain that computers seem to suck the life out of them, stealing their time and giving them nothing in return. Computer addiction can be quite harmful.

3. Signs of Computer Addiction

A person who is addicted to the computer is likely to have several of the experiences and feelings on the list below: How many of them describe you?

•	You have mixed feelings of well-being and guilt while at the computer. •	You can't make yourself get off the computer, even though you know you should. •	Lose control of time while on the computer. You promise to quit or cut down, but are unable to. •	You neglect friends, family and/or responsibilities in order to be online. •	You find yourself lying to your boss and family about the amount of time spent on the computer and what you do while on it. •	You may feel anxious, depressed, or irritable when your computer time is shortened or interrupted. •	You may use the computer repeatedly as an outlet when sad, upset, or for sexual gratification. •	You develop problems in school or on the job as a result of the time spent and the type of activities accessed on the computer. •	You may have financial problems due to on-line purchases or gambling. •	You are tempted to become involved in relationships with strangers, which may put you at risk for victimization or jeopardize your safety.

Being addicted to the computer also can cause physical discomfort. Are you suffering from the following medical problems? •	Having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer •	Inability to stop the activity •	Craving more and more time at the computer •	Neglect of family and friends •	Feeling empty, depressed, irritable when not at the computer •	Lying to employers and family about activities •	Problems with school or job •	Dry eyes •	Carpal Tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness, and burning in your hands that can radiate up the wrists, elbows, and shoulders) •	Back aches •	Severe headaches •	Eating irregularities, such as skipping meals •	Failure to attend to personal hygiene •	Sleep disturbances

4. Advantages v/s Disadvantages Some experts believe that violent games are means of interaction between children. It can be a release of violence and aggression which they may have within them. While many believe these games make children oriented towards violence. Some also believe these games make kids uncompassionate and insensitive towards death. Violent games are generally action packed & Manufacturers of such games insist that their games Improve coordination, reflexes, and skills! A point which educational games manufacturers disagree with. Violent games can hold children (& even adults!) spellbound in amazement. This can lead to them sitting on the computer for hours and hours sometimes leading to neck problems and eye damage. 5. Types of Computer Addiction

Cybersexual Addiction – Individuals who suffer from Cybersexual addiction typically are either engaged in viewing, downloading, and trading online pornography or involved in adult fantasy role-play chat rooms.

Cyber-Relational Addiction – Individuals who suffer from Chat Room Addiction become over-involved in online relationships or may engage in virtual adultery. Online friends quickly become more important to the individual often at the expense of real life relationships with family and friends. In many instances, this will lead to marital discord and family instability.

Net Compulsions – Addictions to online gaming. Online gambling and eBay are fast becoming new mental problems in the post-Internet Era. With the instant access to virtual casinos, interactive games, and eBay, addicts loose excessive amounts of money and even disrupt other job-related duties or significant relationships.

Information Overload – The wealth of data available on the World Wide Web has created a new type of compulsive behavior regarding excessive web surfing and database searches. Individuals will spend greater amounts of time searching and collecting data from the web and organizing information. Obsessive compulsive tendencies and reduced work productivity are typically associated with this behavior.

III. Methodology

Research Tools and Equipments

The researcher gathered the information from different sources which will contribute to the development of our goal. Primarily, we derived the research from the websites in the internet, and library books. The researchers also conducted some interview and survey to some youth being affected by this addiction. Interview is a meeting of two persons, as by appointment.

We just collected the data which are present within the community for better and effective results.

IV. Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data Based from the gathered research, we have found out that like many drug users, computer addicts became out of control because they have the tendency to extreme amounts of time when they’re playing online computer games which results to sacrifices in other areas of their lives: family, friends, school and other activities.

Mostly, the students are involved and reports have shown that addiction to computer games lead to failure in class, rule infraction and academic drop-outs. They go without sleep, forget to eat, stay home from work or school and ignore their day to day responsibilities. And these manifestations tend to develop physical, family, social, occupational and psychological problems which may threaten or put danger to their health.

Also, the researcher have discovered that a computer addict may suffer from many medical and behavioral problems such as having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer, inability to stop the activity, craving more and more time at the computer, neglect of family and friends, feeling empty, depressed, irritable when not at the computer, lying to employers and family about activities, problems with school or job, dry eyes, Carpal Tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness, and burning in your hands that can radiate up the wrists, elbows, and shoulders), back aches, severe headaches, eating irregularities, such as skipping meals, failure to attend to personal hygiene, and sleep disturbances. All of those manifestations have significant effect on the physical and psychological life of the youth.

Furthermore, we have found out that children who are playing action packed computer games filled with violence and aggression may have the possibilities of acquiring them. As a result, kids became uncompassionate and insensitive towards death. On the other hand, game manufacturers insisted that these games may improve the child’s coordination, reflexes and skills. Contrary to the statement, it has been reported that as more time is spent playing this games, people may develop neck problems and eye damage.

Accordingly, like any other addictions, it affects their lives and the people around them. For example, a child’s grades fall and the teacher noted that he/she is feeling asleep in class. Also, a college freshman gets a warning due to the negligence to his course work. They noticed that he/she rarely joins campus activities and spends all of his time using the computer. In addition, a mother has difficulty getting her child to do household chore because of uncontrolled habit of playing computer games. All of that happen in real life which now added up to the society’s problems.

On the other side of the dilemma, we have found out that addiction to computer games results for several reasons. First, people who suffer from imbalance life’s situation and those who lacks self- discipline may be susceptible to this kind of addiction. Furthermore, it is reported hat anyone is vulnerable to this addiction especially those who are lonely, shy, easily gets bored or suffering from other addiction or impulse control disorder. Conversely, others concluded that playing online games is a source of fun and entertainment for them. V. Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

Findings 1.	Addiction to computer games has significant effect on the physical and psychological aspects of one’s life. This includes having a sense of well-being or euphoria while at the computer, inability to stop the activity, craving more and more time at the computer, neglect of family and friends, feeling empty, depressed, irritable when not at the computer, lying to employers and family about activities, problems with school or job, dry eyes, Carpal Tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness, and burning in your hands that can radiate up the wrists, elbows, and shoulders), back aches, severe headaches, eating irregularities, such as skipping meals, failure to attend to personal hygiene, and sleep disturbances. 2.	The youth is being affected by this type of addiction for it tends to develop problems, not just on their physical and psychological aspects of living, but also the other areas of their lives as family, friends, and school. 3.	The causes of addiction to computer games includes imbalance life’s situation, lacks of self discipline or some other related personal problems which pushes them to expose themselves to such kind of activity. On the other hand, playing online computer games is said to bring fun and entertainment for the players.

Conclusions

Due to the increasing dependence of our society to computers, net compulsion or computer game addiction develops a new trend of potential problem which may affects not only our youth but people at all ages. This addiction causes much problem in one’s life, thus the influencing the way of interaction within the society.

Definitely, the first victim of this activity are our youth as they become influenced by the violence and aggression presented by the games. And like gamblers, they keep on investing time and money and in the end, they get nothing in return.

We should not only blame those game manufacturers or producers but even those citizen who lacks discipline and depends most of their lives to machines. Although those games are hypnotic and irresistible, children must learn the proper use of computer that it should not be utilized just for fun and entertainment.

Computer addiction is quite harmful especially for our youth. Awareness of the happenings to our young people is very important nowadays, or else our future will not be as bright as what we’ve always expected.

Recommendations

As a friend or part of the family, we have to consider the feelings of those kids or person and sometimes ask them about their daily habits. We have to find time for them and as much as possible, provide them the basic education regarding this issue.

For those who are addicted to these games, it not too late for change. It is essential to seek help from a medical professional and more significantly, need love, comfort, and support from friend or family. Manage your time in worthwhile activities and avoid from exposure to computers. Get involved in real world activities and by this you can get yourself out from computer game addiction. Definitely, through cooperation and support of our citizens, we could stop this danger from threatening our world.