Although not everyone agrees, gaming addiction is considered an illness and requires intensive therapy. Treatment programs include prescription drugs, anti-depressants, as well as behavioral therapy.

MIT’s Games-to-Teach project manager is one of those who disagree that addiction to games is possible. He says that games increase empathy, improve social skills, and sharpen critical thinking. Others agree that games stir team work, creativity, and imagination.

Regardless of the above mentioned apprehensions, the problem is real and countries world over are taking measures. China is one of those countries and has set up a clinic in Beijing for net-frazzled addicts to be treated with medication, acupuncture, and sports. The patients according to the clinic’s director have the following:

• sleep disorders
• depression
• nervousness
• panic
• agitation
• fear
• interaction problems
• shaking
• numb hands

Gaming addiction is a serious concern in Korea and 1-2% of South Korea’s online gamers are addicts. Korean government is taking steps and appealing game developer companies and individuals to create advisory patches to alert gamers to
Gaming addiction treatment is long and hard, and as with other types of addictions the first stage is the most difficult i.e. getting the gamer to admit that he or she has a problem. It gets extremely painful for gaming addicts to kill the characters of the game and to uninstall or destroy the software. Most of gaming addicts find themselves unable to keep away. Studies show that hard core players often have emotional as well as behavioral issues, and problems in the home environment, and are often shy and neurotic.
In order to overcome the addiction, It is the addict’s responsibility to consider and examine the issues underlying the game; it is the question of emotions, social standing, power, and respect.