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Essay / Effects of Video Game Addiction - 1402
However, while video game addiction is not currently universally accepted as a disease, it acts similarly to a combination of gaming addiction and drug addiction. Video games will frequently reward their players, similar to gambling games in which many small rewards will keep players hooked. Matilda Hellman, a professor at the University of Helsinki, explains in a study on whether or not video games are addictive, that the rewards of video games come in many forms, including: game, character progression, special content to unlock. , and even respect from other players (Hellman 105). On top of this, players will develop a "tolerance" for these rewards, like for drugs, thus demanding more and more of these rewards to feel satisfied (Hellman 105). Video game addiction is actually so similar on the brain, biologically speaking, to other addictions that it can be effectively treated with a commonly used smoking cessation medication called Bupropion. A study led by Doug Han, a professor at Chung Ang University, tested the drug on people addicted to an online PC game called Starcraft and found that in addition to a reported decrease in craving and time game, an MRI of the brain showed almost identical results. compared to patients suffering from substance dependence or gambling addiction (Han 306). This further solidifies the classification of the information behind video game addiction as its own.