In the next day's posts I want to point out that the addiction to video games shows a lot of parallels to other addictions, e.g. alcohol and that it should not be downplayed.
The beginnings:
Almost every addiction once started as something new, something harmless that was fun to try. I remember drinking my first beer back when I was a teenager. It didn't really taste all that well, but the feeling of being a little bit drunk was very exciting. Soon I started to drink some more, and there were nights in which I drank so much that I can't even recall how I got home. It was these experiences that made me take a second look at the dangers of alcohol, and since then I can drink responsibly and stop before I get drunk.
Computer games work in a very similar way: They catch your attention by commercials or you get to try a game at a friends. For most people, this first time gaming experience is overwhelming. It was the same for me: colorful graphics, sound effects and stories similar to those in movies sucked me into a fantasy world where everything seemed possible. I could be the shining hero of the kingdom, an evil villain in my witch tower or a hunter living in the deep of the enchanted forest. Kicking a ball towards a goal could not keep up with that.
With this first time experience in mind, it was a no brainer for me to buy a computer along with some computer games. As it seemed, I had found the hobby that truly made me happy, that gave me everything i longed for - self esteem, power, a place where I could hide from the world.
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