Andrew Walsh

Frank Greenagel

Video game addiction is the latest behavioral process disorder. While it is similar to substance misuse disorders and problematic gambling, little is known about pathology and almost nothing about treatment. It was added to the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which resulted in headline news around the world in June of 2018. It is expected that it will be added the next version of the DSM (DSM 5.1), the mental health diagnostic book that is used in the United States. To put the gaming industry in perspective, consider that worldwide revenue for McDonalds was $22 billion in 2017. U.S. only revenue from video games in 2018 is projected to be $30 billion. Furthermore, very few non-gamers know about loot boxes. These are boxes/chests in games that one can spend money on in order to acquire desired items. Loot boxes are cheaper than most desired items in the box, so players are hoping that it contains what they want (it usually doesn't). The authors view loot boxes as gambling, as do some European governments. We believe that loot boxes are priming a few generations for gambling problems. This book examines the history of gaming and then devotes individual chapters to gaming in the United States and several Asian countries. Since video games emerged as a public health crisis in South Korean, Japan, China and Thailand about a decade earlier than the United States, there is much we can learn from their research and actions. We explain the psychology of game design and how manufacturers intentionally made games to be addictive. There is a chapter on how to recognize or diagnose video game addiction, and there is the horrifying and moving story of a young man who has been abstinent from video games for over three years. The book concludes with recommendations for parents, researchers, clinicians, educators and policy makers.

A Primer on Internet Gaming Disorder

Video Game Addiction 101

Eric Arauz suddenly died at the age of 47 in March of 2018. His friends, family, and community were devastated. In order to deal with his own grief, Frank Greenagel wrote about Eric every day for 30 days and shared his stories and photographs. Others followed. This book celebrates the life of an extraordinary man and also provides a model on grieving. Those that knew Eric or devoured his book will be pleased to read new stories about him. Those that never met the man nor read his book will be astounded by his service to others and moved by the grief of those that survive him. Eric Arauz is the award winning author of "An American's Resurrection," which was published in 2012. It is the story of Mr. Arauz's descent into the personal hell of a locked down VA ward. Mr. Arauz was a disabled Gulf War I veteran who was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. He also had a problem with alcohol and drugs. He got sober in 1996 and earned two degrees at Rutgers. In 2006, he became a mental health advocate. By the time his book was published he was a faculty member at the Rutgers Medical School and a national trainer with an expertise in mental health disorders, trauma and suicide. All profits from this book will be donated to a scholarship fund at Rutgers University for veterans that are in recovery from a substance misuse disorder.

Frank Greenagel

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