The clinic director of Europe's first in-patient video game addiction treatment center says that video game addiction is "no joke" and compares it to drug use. The clinic, based in Amsterdam, sees people who exhibit the same withdrawal symptoms as drug addicts, who have played video games for up to fourteen hours a day, and who often take drugs to help them play even longer.

Play often begins in childhood with a Game Boy, then elevates to multi-player games, and can spiral out of control once the person reaches college. Endorphins in the brain produce the same type of high as experienced by drug or gambling addicts. Symptoms in children are easy for parents to spot: obsession with playing video games, lack of interest in other activities, loss of friends, and falling grades at school.

To see if you or someone you love is addicted to video games, see our Video Game Addiction resources.

National Institute on Media and the Family research shows that as many as one out of seven pre-teen and teen players show signs of addiction. The Institute advises parents not to let their kids have a "video game summer." Join the MediaWise Network to see the Institute's Make It A MediaWise® Summer, a guide with tips and ideas about ways to reduce screen time this summer.