Online role-playing has been linked to a deteriorating quality of life, according to a new French study published in BMC Psychiatry.
Researchers tracked 448 people with 27.5 percent addicted to online games. Those addicted played an average of 37 hours per week.
The games are the most insidious ones on the Internet as the game continues even after a player disconnects; some people refuse to unplug, playing day and night.
With the increasing number of online games and participants, there is a call for greater awareness.
Players who become addicted suffer from irritability, sadness, sleepiness, social issues, and family problems. They have little time for friends, family, or other activities.
The research team now wants to establish genetic markers of vulnerability for pathological gambling. The aim will be to determine common criteria for dependence, but also to try to identify vulnerability factors leading to addiction.
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