I read an odd story recently about a woman in Italy whose home was robbed. Her virtual home, that is. At least it seemed odd to me, since I am not on any social networking sites (anymore) and never played in any of the virtual communities like Farmville or that kind of thing.
Paola Letizia, a resident of Palermo, Italy made a police report regarding a theft in her Facebook home called Pet Society. Somebody hacked into her virtual home via her Facebook page and stole furniture, household goods and everything else she had used to outfit her home. They only thing they didn’t steal was her cat, who was dressed in fancy outfits and tenderly cared for by her owner.
In case this seems bizarre to those who don’t play these kinds of games – a member pays real money for the virtual furnishings and outfits for the animals who reside there, so this virtual burglary cost an actual $140. Real police are looking into this crime and if caught, the perpetrator may face charges of “aggravated entry”. He or she is also looking at up to five years in a very real prison.
Theft is theft and should be prosecuted. However a person chooses to spend his or her own money is his or her own business. But what is most striking is Letizia’s deeply emotional attachment to this home and all its furnishings. She went public about the thefts and spoke to the press about the illegal invasion of her home: "I don’t think it matters that the flat [apartment] only exists in Facebook…it is real to me and I have suffered a real loss."
Letzia is not alone in her deep emotional attached to Facebook toys and games and other online gaming sites. Many people give their passwords to others if they will not be online so the person can water virtual plants, till the soil of online farms and even raise virtual children. They feel a tremendous sense of loss if these cartoon plants and vegetables wither or die, should their trusted password holder not fulfill the promise to take care of the farm. People panic to get home to take care of their farms, or complete other games and "projects" that they sign up for. In fact, gamers ignore their own real children, partners and jobs by spending hours a day on these virtual projects, some so much that they lose their jobs, custody of their children and as seen in several recent news stories - neglect their own children to the point of death.
This isn’t the case with most people who genuinely enjoy these groups and tasks and are able to separate reality from fantasy and feel a sense of fulfillment by playing along. But a fairly common complaint is that more and more people are becoming heavily invested, both financially and emotionally, with online games, activities and lives. The loss of their virtual homes, farms and properties can cause severe emotional distress and an almost physical withdrawal symptom from inactivity, similar to that of coming off a real addictive substances like alcohol or drugs.
According to the Open Computing Facility at University of California, Berkeley
there are a series of questions that can help discern if an addiction or unhealthy attachment has formed:
1.Inability to stop the activity
2.Neglect of family and friends
3.Lying to employers and family about activities
4.Problems with school or job
5.Carpal tunnel syndrome
6.Dry eyes
7.Failure to attend to personal hygiene
8.Sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns
9.Feeling empty, depressed, or irritable when not at the computer
10.Craving more and more time at the computer
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~jenchan/OnlineGamingAddiction.html
According to another study in that that UC/Berkeley report - there are two main kinds of addiction. One is called the Use and Gratification theory, the other called the Flow Theory. "The Use and Gratification Theory explains how people use media to get specific gratifications such as personal identity, personal relationships, and diversion. These gratification needs can stem from low self-esteen [sic], lack of personal relationships, and dissatisfaction with life. The Flow Theory explains the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter, totally unaware of their surroundings but enjoying the task and having fun while doing it.”
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~jenchan/OnlineGamingAddiction.html
Also discussed is that like any other addiction or obsession, people with a history of mental illness are more likely to have an online gaming addiction.
If you think you need help, contact Online Gamers Anonymous here: http://www.olganon.org/
Tell Us
What do you make of Paola Letizia’s story? Do you see where she’s coming from or do you think she herself needs some kind of counseling or therapy? Tell us your online gaming experiences or those of people you know.