In society today, we are all aware of the dangerous addictions lurking within our world, such as drug and alcohol addictions.  These are the addictions that we recognize, but today there is a new growing addiction that is becoming a big problem very quickly.  This addiction is one that is often ignored in society, or not seen as a problem because it seems so innocent.  This addiction is to online gaming, and this addiction is more of a problem then many realize. 

I have been an avid "gamer" for about 8 years now, and during my time playing various online games I have witnessed and experienced the downside to this hidden addiction.  At the height of my addiction, I was spending around 15 hours a day playing two different MMORPG's (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games).  However, I never realized how much time I was spending in these fantasy worlds, to me, it seemed as if I was only online playing for maybe 3-4 hours at most.  This is exactly why this growing addiction is so dangerous, most gamers fail to realize the extreme amount of time they are spending online playing these games.

I never realized how big of a problem simply playing a game online could become.  I was clueless to the dangers just as many people today are, most assume the danger only affects children and teenagers, but I was in my 20's, married, with one child when my addiction hit it's peak.  Most of the other gamers I met through my time enjoying these online games were also other adults, and many of them had children.  This addiction is not one that only affects certain ages or genders as many assume, old or young, male or female, anyone can become addicted at anytime. 

During the years I spent with my mind focused on only my games, I never realized how much I was losing because of my problem.  It's not only fun and games when you enter these fantasy game worlds, they are like soap opera's, filled with drama and lies everywhere you look.  That is what makes it so easy to become consumed by the virtual worlds you enter into, you can become anyone.  I had a relationship online with a man, he was living with someone and I was married at the time, but since we were only talking over a computer, it was easy to rationalize it as innocent fun.  However, as time went on, I began to believe that I loved him and it almost cost me my marriage.

I was lucky, I realized what a big mistake I was about to make and I soon realized that my internet love was nothing more then some jerk who was only interested in lying to women.  A friend of mine was not so lucky, she married the brother of my online love, and as it turned out,  he was lying scum too.  It took my friend a year to finally get a divorce from the guy and she still beats herself up over being so stupid and believing him in the first place.  Another former friend of mine ended up meeting a guy on the online game we played, thought she was in love, left her husband of 14 years, her kids, everything to move and marry this man who was barely 21.  She was in her 30's and mother to 3 kids, well, her marriage to him lasted almost a year.  She tried to get her ex husband to give her another chance, however, after she cheated on him, and then left him and their kids to be with her young lover, he told her no chance in hell.

I have watched so many marriages and relationships fall to pieces because of these online games, and so many lives become shadows of their former selves because of this addiction.  Most people fail to realize they are addicts until it's too late, and they've already lost everything that once mattered to them.  Parents end up spending so much time in these online worlds that they ignore their children without even intending to do so.  Husbands and wives both risk their marriage for these online relationships that develop during gameplay.  Health begins to deteriorate as getting up to use the bathroom becomes the extent of physical activity addicts engage in. 

As society becomes increasingly consumed with technology and the internet, we will continue to see more of these fantasy online games being released. With this we will continue to see more and more families and lives destroyed by this lurking addiction.  It took almost losing my marriage and daughter in order for me to realize exactly how badly I was obsessed with the online fantasy world I was a part of.  Since then, I do still partake in online gaming from time to time, however, I am always aware of my addiction and what it almost cost me.  I am always sure to never allow myself to become so consumed in the fantasy world that I neglect the real world around me, this is something I will never allow myself to do again.

While online addiction may not be within the same realms as drug and alcohol addiction in the eyes of many people, it still can destroy lives and health just the same.  The biggest difference is that online addiction hides right out in the open, it seems so innocent at first, just getting online to play a fun new game with friends.  But like with all addictions, if you allow yourself to be pulled into it's world, it will consume you until you don't even know who you are anymore.  It is truly the hidden addiction of society today.