Second Life World Wide Problem

From: www.shapingthoughts.com

Discussion about Second Life and World of Warcraft addiction on Dutch Television
Like I already wrote in my recent post on some of the recent Second Life statistics, in the Netherlands we are taking Second Life quite seriously, both in terms of a substantial number of participant, but also in discussing the implications of all of this.

Tonight Dutch National Television featured a talk show (show is called Rondom 10) discussing the potential negative consequences of gaming and Internet, with Second Life and World of Warcraft as main “targets”.

As it should in any good discussion show, there were widely diverging opinions about the risks of addiction that Second Life and World of Warcraft pose to users, e.g. from:

Keith Bakker of Smith and Jones (a private Addiction Treatment Clinic; started of as very negative about Second Life and World of Warcraft, but later had to retreat a bit)
a current World of Warcraft addict (and not denying it)
a disabled person (could do things in Second Life that are just not possible in real life)

It was sad that there was too little attention for all the good things that happen in Second Life and that the addiction potential was overweighted.

All in all it was a nice discussion, which started of as being very negative and hostile (Keith Bakker!) towards Second Life and WOW, but actually ended more or less with the position I also have:

Applications like Second Life and World of Warcraft, just like alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, can have very big implications and risks for a group of people that are sensative to the risk of addiction. Most people are smart enough to do not let it happen to them and have it affect their real life, in the sense that others suffer (kids, relationships). Howevere for some of these latter people Second Life could be replacing previous “time spenders” (other hobbies), but this as such is not a bad thing.



Reader Feedback:





I only used Second Life for three days but I must have an addictive personality as I could not pull myself away and while at work I was planning my next adventure. The attraction of recreating your life in a virtual world and forgetting about your real life is obvious. I wonder if it can be educational as well and be part of one’s spiritual/emotional development?


— cfrank Feb 18, 12:38 am #


Hi Cfrank,

Thanks for stopping by here and your interesting remark.

Yes, I can understand that you feel very enthusiastic right now, especially if you are rather new to this exciting new place.

As for the spiritual of emotional development, I would not really now, other than recognising SL as a new place to find people that think-alike.

The thing is, that SL opens up a world of possibilities for anyone visiting. You can do almost anything and that is also the problem: how do you fit that into your normal life?

It is all about being able to control, how difficult it may be.

I must say that the Internet (and SL is only a tiny part) has given us an enormous explosion of “possibilities”: intellectually, entertainment, expression, creativity, making contacts and last but not least information and news.

For me personally, this pool of possibilities have made the Internet to an addiction, in the sense that I cannot think of living without it.


— Marcel Feb 18, 04:28 pm #


MMO addictions have been around a lot longer than WoW. Go back to UO and EQ.

— World of Warcraft Cheats Feb 18, 10:13 pm #


In my view Second Life is nothing more but a medium like Internet(www). The added feature is the 3D aspect. Granted, this feature has opened up a huge realm of possibilities.
It is not a game, just like a webpage by its definition isn’t a game. There are webgames, but there are also webshops and company websites.

This addiction they spoke of is an addiction to social interaction. Even with the phone chatbox from the old days we could see people chatting themselves into a debt with the phonecompany.

People aren’t addicted to Second Life. They are addicted to the activity inside Second Life.


— vernes Feb 27, 12:28 pm #




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— todd dickerson Mar 14, 05:37 pm #


I am not opposed to role playing games by themselves; however, I just saw one college student get kicked out of school because he could not pull himslef away from playing the game in Second Life. I am currently trying to seek help for my own college student who stays up until 2:30 playing the game and has missed several classes and work in order to interact within Second Life. Any activity that affects a person’s health and well being is a problem and needs to be addressed.


— Judi Mar 20, 01:35 am #


My wife has become a Second Life addict within a few weeks of finding out about it. First she showed me what it was and what her avatar was doing. She ignored people trying to hook up. Then suddenly she became very secretive and spending more time with it. She even rearranged a small room in our house so she can bring her laptop in there and close the door. It’s almost 2 am now and she’s still at it. I can’t sleep. She’s been doing this for a week straight while working full time. All her time at home is spent on SL while ignoring me and the kids. She claims it’s just fantasy and innocent fun. It’s tearing me apart.


— Sad Guy Apr 7, 07:59 am #


My husband discovered SL in January and it has ruined our marriage. He spends at least 5-7 hours playing it daily. His income has dropped significantly and we cannot pay our bills. He ignores our 5 year old daughter and me, it is very sad. He is a lesbian in SL and it is so sad that our daughter sees him running almost naked in SL, it sends the wrong message.

When I first found out that he was having sex with the other players I was very upset, but he told it was not real and then proceeded to fall in love with a 20 year old who also plays. He is 51. Obviously people who have the addictions are not happy in real life, but this game does not give them or their families an opportunity to work on their real life.


— Pat Jun 5, 02:29 pm #



my wife has been playing second life for 6 months now.She became very secretive and started shutting the door. A month ago I found out she met a man and now she is speaking with him nightly,and having phone sex on skype.She has neglected everyone in her family and shut them out.But according to her it is great, only a fantasy and will probably end soon. Meanwhile she has asked for enough money to help her move out “for a few months”.


— rhw Jun 19, 02:45 am #




I don’t think internet addiction fits the classic criteria for an addiction, but it fits many other things relating to addiction. A person I know has gotten so into the secondlife.com thing that hes basically abandoned real life at this point. He goes to work, comes home and is on the computer the rest of the time. He skips out on offers to go out and do things because he’d rather stay home and play in his virtual world. Hes lost friends because he just stopped calling and hanging out with them, and has even missed out on dates because he’d rather stay in and go on “virtual dates”. Hes even had friends in need of help and said he couldn’t because he had plans to go do something in his virtual world.


— jst303 Jul 9, 07:36 pm #




My husband started playing SL around April of this year. He started spending more and more time at work – sometimes all night. I finally found out that he was not working he was playing SL and had many relationships there. Once he was found out and couldnt stay at work and play any longer he abandoned our family. He is now staying with a friend who reports that he sits there now and plays – he also lies to his friend about what he is doing – claims he is working. Obviously there must have been other problems (just like any addiction) but i can tell you 100% that SL, the internet and games are addictive. When a man leaves his family that he loves and a wife who has been loyal and faithful for 11 years so that he can play a game – its an addiction. Four months ago he said he couldnt imagine life without me and now he wont even speak with me. he wont see his children and is probably about to loose his job. Anyone who says that its not an addiction has not lived through what I have gone through.


— wendy Jul 13, 09:17 pm #



I agree that SL can be addicting, but everyone that spends “hours” on SL is NOT having multiple affairs — I’m trying to build a business so that I don’t have to work so much overtime in RL to make ends meet. I spend as much time in SL as I do at my RL job — but I spent as much time before watching mindless TV or surfing the web aimlessly. Am I an addict now that I am doing something productive with my time?

Even with others, it’s really more complicated that just labeling something as an “addiction.” SL is not a substance — it is an experience that brings joy to many people’s lives. When a person chooses a virtual existence over a real one, don’t blame the people at Linden Labs . . . your partner is making a conscious choice about something else. He or she is obviously not happy in the RL relationships, or these choices wouldn’t be made. If you value these loved ones, choose to engage your spouse in couple’s therapy rather than just blaming a glorified chat room.


— QT Jul 24, 12:05 am #



SL has the power to draw people away from RL and into a fantastic world where you can fly, be stunningly beautiful, outgoing, irresistable, change your look at the click of a mouse – be anything you want to be, no limitations. It takes us away from the mundane and shows us endless possibilities. It appeals to the dreamer and fantasist in us all – and therein lies possible ruin. It’s terribly addictive, and I fear and mourn for the rl victims – the partners, children and friends of people whom play SL, and cannot control it. Yes, I am a player, and before I began to play in earnest, I did a lot of research in the forums and articles, I felt prepared as I could ever be, yet I still spend more time and money than is probably healthy for me in this virtual world. So now I limit myself – to three sessions per week. I ensure that I spend quality time with my adored rl partner, and on my profile I have stated emphatically that I’m not interested in any virtual romance. Why, when I have all I need here in my rl. As long as you are grounded and sensible in using SL as a tool, and you don’t forget your loved ones – then it’s a blast and will add to your life immeasurably.


— Miss Stone Aug 3, 11:50 pm #


Yes secondlife is addictive, I was an alcholic before i Started playing secondlife. Now I wont even go to the shop to buy booze. So i guess at least secondlife has saved my liver. I drink inworld now , It dont cause a hangover. Perfect .!!


— Jimmylee Aug 15, 09:09 am #


I tried out WoW a few days and it was the first game that sucked me in since 10 years or so.

What I find interesting is that WOW so much resembles our so-called “real” life.

In WoW as well as in our real life, we work really hard to get money, a good reputation, and new items. If it’s a brand new mercedes or if it’s a big powerful sword, and to show off.. where’s the difference?
Many people argue that all your effort for WOW in the end is for nothing.. So again, where’s the difference to “real” life?

I would not devalue WOW instantly just out of a reflex to think that virtual worlds are a bad thing. You can have great experiences there which are not much worse than “real” life experiences.

But still after two weeks I decided to quit. Similar to drugs, the game limits your senses and possibilities you have in real life and at the same time makes you feel like you could do more. For now when I’m young and fit, I want to enjoy real life, but if there’s a time my physical and social possibilities are gone, I will be really thankful to have a game like WOW.


— tobi Aug 30, 01:32 pm #



i am 32 and i have playd wow for 93 hours strate and i have a problem you know im just kidding just get up dealet your carecter and walk away i used to play and i dealetd him it was hard but if you play so much you are going to have no life whats so ever so dealet him and then go outside spend more time with your famly and freind and if you have no life make some freinds so you dont get over wait go to a jim just take a break you dont have to dealet him i dare all of you to take a 3 week break and get a life ok otherwis you are a totle melven and no person in the world will like you


— mat Sep 8, 06:33 am #


Hi. I’m a student from South Africa and I’m doing a article on Second Life and virtual personae. I’ve been on Second Life a couple of times, but for some reason my computer really struggles and it takes forever just to walk to the end of a street. I created a questionnaire and I would really appreciate it if someone with some Second Life experience could find the time to complete it. Please, if you’re willing to help me, send me your e-mail address to tslabber@gmail.com and I will forward the questionnare.

Thank you, Tabile