Addiction treatment center questions modern-day “addictions”
I’m sick and tired of the modern-day excuses that have taken the place of good, old-fashioned responsibility. I’m sure you’ve heard the lines…
Arrested for DUI? Not my fault — I’m addicted to alcohol. Hostile and out of control? Not my fault — I’m addicted to drugs. Cheating on my spouse? Not my fault — I’m addicted to sex. Credit cards maxed out? Not my fault — I’m addicted to shopping.
And on and on and on.
So I found it particularly refreshing that the head of one European addiction treatment center flatly stated that one of the so-called “addictions” his center specializes in isn’t really an addiction at all.
The man who made that shockingly frank statement is Keith Bakker, the founder of the Smith & Jones Center in Amsterdam, the only clinic in all of Europe that treats video game addiction. Bakker believes that as many as 90 percent of the youths who visit his clinic to be treated for compulsive gaming issues are not “addicted” – at least not clinically.
“The more we work with these kids, the less I believe we can call [compulsive gaming] addiction,” Bakker said. “What many of these kids need is their parents and school teachers – this is a social problem.”
But just because I don’t think they should be classified as an addiction doesn’t mean I think they’re healthy. They’ve done nothing for our children but make them fat, dumb, and lazy. And the violent games are even worse. Kids who play these blood-and-guts games are more likely to be aggressive towards others – and even to be suicidal.
The standard regimen of treatment for “addicted gamers” is pretty simple: Turn the video games off and do something normal! Play outside! Have a conversation! Funny… that’s the same exact advice any sensible parent would give. I wonder how much advice like that costs these days?
Forget all the psychobabble mumbo jumbo. Video gaming isn’t an “addiction” it’s a bad habit of lazy, socially awkward people. These kids don’t need to be in addiction treatment facilities – they need to be outside playing with other kids.
Parents, take my advice: Pull the plug on video games.
