by Joel Meeks

Created on: August 02, 2009   Last Updated: August 08, 2009

There are a lot of different things in today's world that a person can be addicted to: Drugs, alcohol, sex, adrenaline rushes and, sometimes, video games. While addiction, in and of itself, is never a good thing, an addiction to video games is one of the least harmful and one of the most beneficial.

The first thing that many people think of when a gaming addict is mentioned is a 30-something man living in his mother's basement, with pale skin and a lisp. This isn't always the case. Take, for example, the gaming team GirlsGotGame (GX3), an all-girl group of gamers who play Counter-Strike professionally, competing at tournaments for prizes. Although people might think an addiction to video games would suck the life out of an addict, it can often be exactly the opposite. Gaming, time and time again, will offer opportunities for people to gather together and learn from one another. Whether it be through tournaments where participants attempt to come out on top, or simply working together with a group in a Massively Multiplayer Online game, gamers are required to work together quite often. In this sense, games such as World of Warcraft, Halo, Gears of War, Super Smash Brothers, etc. actually bring people together instead of apart.

An addiction to video games is similar to an addiction to television, in the idea that although there are negative aspects, there are also positive ones to balance things out. In television, just as there are violent and 'mind-rotting' programs, such as those shown on MTV, there are also educational, informative television shows that serve to expand an individual's overall worldview and knowledge, such as shows aired on the Discovery, Science, or History channel. Similarly, although there are games available on today's market that many parents would disapprove of, there are also games that can actually serve to make your child a smarter, better-rounded individual. Take, for example, the title Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree. The entire purpose of this Wii title is to train and challenge your mind through various puzzles and challenges. There are also other, less obvious, examples of games that stimulate your mind, such as the plethora of strategy based video games that cover store shelves. Civilization, Age of Empires, Starcraft, Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, Risk. The list is large. The purpose of these games is to formulate a strategy to overcome your opponent while bearing in mind your own advantages and disadvantages

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