MySpace kid scares me..and makes me laugh

I can't help it. I need Shrooms!!

It has come to my attention that a man by the name of Dr. Jerald Block, a Portland psychiatrist, has written an editorial in the American Journal of Psychiatry. He is proposing that online addiction, including gaming, and MySpace and internet use be classified as a real addiction that needs psychiatric help.

"Like other addicts, users experience cravings, urges, withdrawal and tolerance, requiring more and better equipment and software, or more and more hours online... people can lose all track of time or neglect "basic drives," like eating or sleeping. Relapse rates are high and some people may need psychoactive medications or hospitalization."

Ok doc, I get it, I've seen the freaky (yet funny) MySpace obsessed kid video. But seriously, people with addictive personalities can be addicted to anything. I still hold that because gaming, or even internet use, is not a mainstream media like TV yet (probably internet more-so because of the scholarly and research side of it) it's not taken seriously as an outlet to be enjoyed. I still haven't heard anyone say that people need psychiatric help for reading too many books, because reading books is known for being an intellectually based activity, and therefore can do no wrong.

Do not mistake what I'm saying here, I'd probably be more comfortable with my kid (I dont have one but you get the point) reading more than playing video games all day, but all the same it all depends on what you are doing to stimulate your mind. I wouldn't want him reading ALL day, but I wouldn't want him sitting in front of the TV playing games all day either, there's a balance.

Plainly put, I don't disagree with what the Mr. Block is trying to say, but I do disagree that just because something is enjoyable that it automatically has to be classified as something bad when done in excess. When people work hard people say they are on the grind. If I say I'm playing video games all day, people say I'm a bum. What if playing video games is my work. Well then that's not a real job. Bottom line, we as a society need to look more at the individual (with some things) more than the activity because we have our stereotypes about certain activities to begin with.