WOW addicts to receive in-game counseling

  • By Matthew Peters, GameSpot
  • Posted Jul 29, 2009 7:28 am AEST

Psychiatrist Dr. Richard Graham plans to reach overly devoted gamers by sending therapists into the wildly popular MMORPG by the end of the year.

Back in the summer of 2005, an Internet addiction clinic opened in China, and by the following summer, a clinic opened in Amsterdam to treat video game addicts. Later in 2006, a British study concluded that one in nine massively multiplayer online gamers is addicted to his or her online hobby. Now, UK daily The Telegraph reports that therapists plan to go beyond the clinic and venture into the gameworld of the tremendously popular online game World of Warcraft.

"Tell me about your mother…"

Dr. Richard Graham, a psychiatrist at London's Tavistock Center, said he plans to provide in-game therapy services for young gamers who have become addicted to the 11-million-strong massively multiplayer online role-playing game. He claims to have had clients who've played the game 14 and 16 hours a day.

"We will be launching this project by the end of the year. I think it’s already clear that psychiatrists will have to stay within the parameters of the game. They certainly wouldn’t be wandering around the game in white coats and would have to use the same characters available to other players," Graham said, asking Blizzard to waive or discount the game's $15 monthly fee for therapists. "Of course one problem we’re going to have to overcome is that while a psychiatrist may excel in what they do in the real world, they’re probably not going to be very good at playing World of Warcraft."

Graham said his proposed in-game measures were necessary because the game addicts can be more easily found online than in person. The newspaper's article comes after a related story it published in February, headlined "World of Warcraft 'more addictive than cocaine'." Blizzard could not be reached for comment as of press time.

244 Comments

  • Crimsader

    Posted Jan 20, 2010 10:45 am PT

    Last hope for the addicts, eh?

  • artyom570568

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 4:05 pm PT

    this a footage of wow-addict: http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1915521

  • Saint_Francis

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:55 am PT

    If Dr. Richard Graham and Co. can't crank out 3K+ DPS, then they're wasting their time.

  • EndlessGame

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:21 am PT

    Can you imagine a therapist trying to say anything in WoW chat? There are some people who spend crazy amounts of time on WoW out there, and it probably isn't healthy, but the fact that there's an "ignore" and "disconnect", not to mention anonymity of a sense for insults etc., will most likely make this a rather epic fail.

  • Darkbeyond

    Posted Aug 25, 2009 12:11 am PT

    No way Blizzard wont comment on players addicted to there game lol. Okay listen to ME it is not Blizzards fault that they made an awesome fun game {I play WoW but definantly not addicted} and people become addicted. But these people in WoW plz God make them pay 200$ a day lol. Well good luck to addicts out there if you see a Gnome with a black suit and clipboard two words for you START RUNNING

  • StrangerBob

    Posted Aug 10, 2009 4:53 pm PT

    I wonder how long till those therapists will need a therapy for themselves?
    whether they get addicted or crybabies from dieing all the time... who wouldnt wana kill a dr.

  • dragos185

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 1:28 pm PT

    I am Horde.I hope the Alliance therapist is well protected,otherwise i will test my warlock on him.Will see how much tolerance for demons they have.Besides,i also play other games like Lost Planet,Gothic 3.So i am not an "one game addict.Deal with that doc

  • mcbizzle28

    Posted Aug 3, 2009 11:32 am PT

    I think I am going to go for 5000 HDK's..... Heroic Doctor Kills!

  • RoseFlambe169

    Posted Aug 1, 2009 1:48 am PT

    XD Oh man. I can't wait for this. I hope I run into one of them. Therapists wont last a minute playing. "Hi. So you're an addict huh? Now why..." [Therapist experiences sudden death] Man, they wont be able to type a sentence before they're dead. Plus, if they wanna talk to the real addicts, they're gunna have ta level up fast.

  • xstarchaosx

    Posted Aug 1, 2009 1:08 am PT

    Psychiatrist: "Tell me about your mother..."
    RandomPlayer0001A: "stfu noob"

  • Simple-

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 9:14 am PT

    All I can say is wow... even if I was a wow addict, I would let the game go for a while so I won't be talked in to seeing a therapist..

    That's just pathetic.

  • loopyed

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 7:51 am PT

    LOL

  • Rayz2112

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 7:00 am PT

    Will you have to pay for the counseling ? Or will it be included as part of the monthly fee ? me wonders

  • DreamyMeadow

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 6:10 am PT

    let's send a negotiator to LA to negate the violence between Crips and Bloods.. or what about some peace talks in the Middle East? seems to me that those soldiers will be totally willing to listen to some advices and to confess all their problems just like these WoW players!
    it's a grandiose idea!
    Dr. Richard Graham for the ruler of the world!

  • Rottenwood

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 5:59 am PT

    This one will be tough to beat for Funniest News Item of the year.

  • Draaagoon

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 5:44 am PT

    Haha, I would just like to point out one thing - that I am on to you WoW playing psychiatrists!

    I bet there are some out there thinking like they might have the golden ticket, playing WoW as work. All I have to say is I wish I was a psychiatrist.

    On a serious note, he says they will "have to stay within the parameters of the game. They certainly wouldn’t be wandering around the game in white coats and would have to use the same characters available to other players", if that is the case how will you be able to distinguish the real deal from a fake, I think this is a prime opportunity for people who would want to take advantage of more unsuspecting people.

    I would be surprised if Blizzard allowed as to me it poses a threat to its customers.

  • Gr1mscythe

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 3:27 am PT

    @rann89
    Are you serious? Honestly.

    1) There are people addicted to WOW. Meaning - they can't bring themselves to stop playing and devote an inordinate amount of time to a virtual world.

    Big difference between playing the game because it's fun and it passes the time. I play video games because they're fun and they pass the time. I don't play ANY video game 16 hours a day.

    2) How can you even compare running to playing WOW??? Let me make this simple for you - running = healthy, WOW addiction = not healthy.

    Capiche?

  • Tornado_Volcano

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 2:57 am PT

    I don't think that WoW is that addictive. What I think is: you pay 15$ a month, you have to make profit out of that "investement", which in this case is playing WoW as much as possible. That's why I don't like MMORPG's with monthly fees.
    PS: I never played WoW.

  • Frahzel

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 2:19 am PT

    Those Psychiatrists are going to end up addicted to WoW

  • MammonPatriot

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 12:18 am PT

    Oh man, addiction is becoming a big problem. Too bad there's no cure. Oh wait, yes there is - GO OUTSIDE.

  • MitchBAM06

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 11:46 pm PT

    WoW should be made illegal until weed is legalised. Then we can make it legal again. More addicting than cocaine? 14-16 hours a day? and we're worried about a plant that grows in the ground. Backwards priorities if you ask me.

  • ranaky

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 11:44 pm PT

    How are they going to know who is an addict in the game? Are they going to sit there and watch how long a player works? Also, who says anybody's going to listen to them? Personally, I think these counselors are going to lose money especially if they have to pay to play.

  • rockwii13

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 9:17 pm PT

    People may say I'm addicted to video games. I don't shirk responsibilities to play them. i have a lot of free time during the summer, so I naturally play video games to pass the time when it's raining or I'm at home alone and there's nothing really to do.

  • rockwii13

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 9:12 pm PT

    Lol, wouldn't it be funny if the therapists got addicting while trying tohelp people?

    I like WoW. I never personally found it addicting, I just played for about 3 months and then quit for a while until eventually getting back into it. This could work, but it isn't voluntary. I'm sure people will be asked and thus cussed out because it isn't something they wanted to do in the first place. If you open up a local center, people that want to quit will come, going to them isn't the answer.

  • mcspaddin

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 9:04 pm PT

    @ GORDONKE...... dude totally agreed every problem in our society starts with lazy asse idiots and bum-f@#k sh1tty parenting!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • CouchCommando99

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 8:58 pm PT

    As silly as this may seem, there really are people out there with genuine addictions. I'm not how well something like this will work, though..

  • gam3r3OOO

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 8:57 pm PT

    But what kind of abilities could these counselors possibly have that would be useful intervention in the game? When they find out that you have been playing for 20 hours straight does an angel appear, and force you to answer questions and talk about yourself before resuming the game?

    Or are there therapists just standing around that you can talk to out in the open?

    If you play for more than 30 hours does the computer shock you with electricity?

  • BrolyLSSJ3

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 8:52 pm PT

    WOW this is one of the stupidist things i've ever heard seriously in game therapy? how weird is that...i mean they act like being addicted to WOW is going to kill you shouldn't they be more worried for the people addicted to drugs instead of people addicted to a freakin video game? if someone plays wow for long hours or if their so called "addicted" let them be i don't see what the big deal is would you rather them be addicted to drugs or alcohol instead? one more thing ..."tell me about your mother" LOL!

  • Helloiseeu

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 8:00 pm PT

    How do you get actually addicted to video games? WTF!!!

  • gordonke

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 7:46 pm PT

    love it how a person who plays a game for more than 10 hours a day is a addict...pretty sure that any decent gamer is a addict then... lets go sorry therapy introduction! Hi im gordonke i play wow i raid with my guild 3 times a week for 4 hours per raid and much more so im a addict /cheer but i still go to college and get good grades. I have a weekend job and AMG i go to festivals in the summer but how come im an addict then... moral of the story stop stereotyping and careface for 15 year old who cant get enough i say parent its got a parent control system and your obviously paying for his wow so you can easily pull the plug aswell and on top of that cant wait for the thumbs down cause im not afraid to say what i actually think

  • rann89 posted Jul 30, 2009 7:00 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    rann89

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 7:00 pm PT (hide)

    wtf? Wow addicts? There are no "wow addicts", there are people who have fun playing wow because it passes time and they play it a lot. No one says anything to the people who run 10 miles a day because they have fun in that. Why? Because it's outside and it's automatically better? That's ridiculous. Video games are fun, that's why people play them a lot. Find something funner you can do outside and people will stop playing them.

  • shnickerman

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 6:18 pm PT

    like therapy will help WoW addicts

  • CreatureRising

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 5:57 pm PT

    Wow......

  • scanders411

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 5:52 pm PT

    Who's going to provide therapy for the therapists when they become addicted?

  • dukerav

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 5:07 pm PT

    Is this a joke of some kind?

  • Vorodor21

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 4:56 pm PT

    Yet another sure sign that humanity is doomed from its own stupidity...

  • OF-5

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 4:52 pm PT

    "asking Blizzard to waive or discount the game's $15 monthly fee for therapists" lol hes just trying to find an excuse to get his WoW fix for free lol.

  • Fodpea

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 4:27 pm PT

    LOL

  • MrHatnClogs

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 4:24 pm PT

    What about therapy for fanboy trolls on the net, are they coming up with that yet?

  • Xiaxx

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 4:01 pm PT

    @Siezed1 - While I got the same feeling when playing MMORPG's, that playing it seems pretty pointless given that it will all be wiped someday, at the same time isn't it the experience that is important? With any game you play, what have you really accomplished at the end of the day? Pretty much nothing except playing the game for hours on end.

    It may seem pointless but that doesn't stop people from playing. Its like most other forms of entertainment, watching TV or reading a book. In the end all you get out of it is the experience. There is no real accomplishment almost any kind of visual entertainment but that doesn't stop most people. Just thought I'd point out that people probably aren't playing the game thinking whatever they do will last for all time.

  • mcspaddin

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 3:44 pm PT

    ...... the therapists have heard so much about the game so that now they are going to get addicted while giving "therapy"

  • zintarr

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 3:38 pm PT

    This is grand!

  • flawless_blade

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 3:24 pm PT

    played wow. didnt get addicted. then again, i dont like mmos. no story.

  • allegra_geller

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 2:58 pm PT

    Why am I on this site when I could be playing WOW? God help me!

  • zomglolcats

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 2:47 pm PT

    "asking Blizzard to waive or discount the game's $15 monthly fee for therapists."

    Sounds like he just wants to play WoW for free. lol

  • SchumiF1

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 2:02 pm PT

    Wow some people are pathetic.

  • RPGamer23

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 1:52 pm PT

    This is why parental controls were invented, now if only parents used them.

  • Pitlord3

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 1:26 pm PT

    more addictive than cocaine?
    IM SELLING THE WRONG ****

  • SDSkarface

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 11:36 am PT

    wow aint even that good.

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