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London man initiates Canada's first Online Gamers Anonymous support group
Dorrance has recently brought the issue of online game addiction to the forefront, discussing the topic in the media, most recently on the Dr. Phil Show which aired Oct. 20, but months before he thrust the issue into the limelight, he had been contemplating starting the London chapter of Online Gamers Anonymous. "I wanted to create an Online Gamers Anonymous chapter because I was looking to connect with people who had the same problem as me. I never could have imagined the interest the media have shown in video game addiction since the tragic disappearance of Brandon Crisp in Barrie on October 13," Dorrance said, referring to the disappearance of the 15-year-old boy whose body was discovered by hunters Wednesday (Nov. 5), in a wooded area, after he disappeared from his home last month following a dispute with his parents over a video game. Gaming, Dorrance said, had been a constant companion throughout his life, from an early Atari console system to weekend PlayStation "binges" in university when he'd rent a console and play non-stop from Friday to Sunday. Then, said Dorrance, who has now been clean from his addiction for 10 months, he discovered the Internet. "I had no idea what I was about to get myself into." His addiction grew at an accelerated rate in 1999 when he was provided a laptop by his employer for work purposes. Dorrance said on the eve of his wedding he stayed up all night playing a video game. "When I look at our wedding photos, I see two things. I see my beautiful bride, well-rested, at her very best for the happiest day of our lives. I also see my exhaustion from that night of fragging Stroggs. What a waste," he said. In 2001, during a medical leave from work due to stress, Dorrance upgraded his Internet service from dial-up to broadband and so began an seemingly uncontrollable obsession with online gaming. "Ultimately, I was forced to leave my job and began gaming as much as 12 hours a day. I made half efforts at working and job retraining, but failed or couldn't bring myself to hold a job for more than a few weeks. I always found a new excuse: the job was below my skill level; I was experiencing panic attacks; I promised I would look for something better soon. Now I realize that I was simply making subconscious or conscious excuses to get back into my gaming lifestyle eighty hours a week," he said. When Dorrance got bored with one online game experience, he was always able to find another. "This addiction has cost me so much more than I can ever quantify, but when I finally stopped buying accounts, game currency and new computer hardware upgrades last year after being online for about nine years, I had $23,000 dollars in debt on my credit cards," he said. When his wife would go to work early in the morning, Dorrance said he would go to a local computer store and buy new components – "motherboard, video card, RAM, CPU - and rebuild the inside of the PC without her knowledge. This went on for ages, whenever I needed a new 'fix,' usually when a new high-end MMO (massively multiplayer online game) was being released." In 2003 he discovered the Online Gamers Anonymous website, and though he was an early member, he couldn't quite admit "to myself and God," that he had a serious problem. Not only was Dorrance addicted to gaming, but also to online pornography and prescription anti-anxiety sleeping pills. In December of 2007, crushed by the guilt of addiction, he tried to take his own life with a massive overdose of those pills. Today, though still married, Dorrance said he is working hard to try and repair the shattered trust and regain "my real life." He said there is a definite need for this type of support group in London. For example, though the online gaming addiction is outside the mandate of the Thames Valley Addiction Services Agency's problem gambling team, he said through discussions with that group it has become apparent that may clients have reported quitting gambling online but replacing it by playing online role-playing games for 60-80 hours a week. "In recent focus groups, the problem gambling team has been asked to provide services for video game addiction. I would love to see that happen, but budgetary restrictions being what they are, the agency needs to focus on their mandate, so they are very excited to see a support group starting in London. It gives them a resource to offer their clients," Dorrance said. Some warning signs of addiction are the inability to abide by agreed upon gaming schedules, lying about gaming habits, loss of sleep, and sudden weight gain or loss due to excessive time spent in front of the computer. Gamers sometimes experience carpal tunnel syndrome and eye strain, irritability when offline for long periods of time and multiple failures to cut down or quit gaming. If gaming has ever resulted in the loss of a job or key relationship, then it may be time to look more seriously at the gamer's behaviour. The newly founded support group will accommodate those addicted to offline gaming as well, Dorrance said. "While most new video games are 'online ready,' we are happy to accommodate gamers who are battling addictions to offline games as well," he said, noting some people find themselves "hooked" on the free games that come with Windows, spending hours playing Solitaire, Minesweeper etc. – creating a serious issue in the workplace costing thousands of lost dollars in productivity. "If you're a hardcore gamer reading this, think for a moment of the people in your life who want so much to see and know more than the back of your head," Dorrance said. The London chapter of On-Line Gamers Anonymous Meets at the First Baptist Church, 568 Richmond St., London, Ont. The first meeting was held Wednesday (Nov. 5). For more information and updates on the London chapter visit online (see link), or e-mail (see link). WEB: Online Gamers Anonymous - London Ontario Canada E-MAIL: Online Gamers Anonymous - London chapter |
| My 20 year old son is a video game addict, and it is seriously affecting all aspects of his life. do you know of anywhere near Hamilton Ontario that I may be able to get some help. I will also forward your site to him. We are desperate to help him although we know he has to want the help and so far he not been able to see what it is doing to him mentally and physically, no friends, depressed, not going to work., etc. we will do whatever it takes. Please help us help him. |
| By: Jannine Bellamy on 04/02/2009 |
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