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Why Some People Can't Stop Playing Video Games |
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Written by Superhuman
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Monday, 21 January 2008 |
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Understanding Addiction. Hardly a week goes by when we don’t read about a celebrity self-destructing because of addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, or for some, even video games! Many of these people can’t help themselves because they are addicted— they can’t stop the behavior even when they want to.
Time magazine’s cover story on addiction showed that we are only beginning to understand its physiology and the extreme difficulty in overcoming it. Scientists have discovered a common threat linking addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, cigarettes and video games. Exposure activates pleasure centers in the brain that increase the release of a brain chemical called dopamine, which makes people feel good. The brain has a brake called the GABA system that limits stimulation from dopamine. Repeated exposure leads to an increase in dopamine receptors and interferes with the GAGA system, so there is a physiological drive to drink, do drugs, or play video games. Scientists are working on drugs to speed the metabolism of dopamine and strengthen the GABA system. Therapists are recommending 90-day stays in rehab to wean the brain from its addictive behavior. Unfortunately, we have made little progress in the last 10 years in discovering new treatment methods. (Time, July 5, 2007)
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Being the best requires more than just your DNA. SuperHuman throws down expert info to enhance physical and mental performance. All this and hotties too!
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