World of Warcraft 'more addictive than cocaine'

The popular computer game World of Warcraft has been described as "more addictive than cocaine" after it sent a teenager into convulsions after he played non-stop for 24 hours.

His family rushed him into hospital where doctors diagnosed an epileptic-type seizure brought on by sleep deprivation, lack of food, and too long a stretch of concentrated game playing.

Sven Rollenhagen, the author of the report from Sweden's Youth Care Foundation, said: "There is not a single case of game addiction that we have worked with in which World of Warcraft has not played a part.

"It is the crack cocaine of the computer gaming world. Some people are literally unable to drag themselves away and will play it till they drop."

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health has backed the report, adding: "Computer game addiction is becoming more widespread in Sweden and across the world.

"There is no known medical diagnosis of conditions brought on by excessive game-playing, but it is clear they have a very powerful addictive hold over many people who use them."

The boy has made a full recovery, but his father has now launched a campaign to warn other parents of the dangers of marathon game sessions.

The game's American makers Blizzard Entertainment have said 11 million people worldwide play World of Warcraft - making the world's most successful so-called "MMORPG", or massively multi-player online role-playing game.

Psychiatrist Dr Richard Graham of London's Tavistock Centre said: "Some of my clients will discuss playing games for 14, 16 hours a day at times, without breaks and without attending to their physical needs.

"For those, the consequences are potentially severe.

"Such prolonged gaming can produce a sort of socially withdrawn figure who may be connecting with people in the game, but is largely dropping out of education and other social opportunities."

via - telegraph.co.uk