Gamers play World of Warcraft at a convention in Germany in 2008. (Eckehard Schulz/Associated Press)

As part of the series Pushing Buttons: How video games are changing our world, CBC News.ca health writer Amina Zafar looked at video games and mental health and the debate about whether video game addiction truly exists.

Video game addiction is not an official diagnosis, but studies estimate eight per cent of all children and teens are affected, Zafar reported.

Researchers are just starting to address questions like: "What seems to make some games more addictive than others?" and "Is video gaming associated with attention problems in children?"

An interesting discussion emerged in the story's comments section. Some people shared their stories of gaming excess.

Indigo.Buffalo played the online role-playing game World of Warcraft for six months and said it was addicting.

"I would regularly miss work, stopped attending social functions .... I would wake up early in the morning, generally on three-four hours' sleep, just to start playing. Skip breakfast, eat cold pizza for lunch and supper .... And that's hardly a bad case. Many people I met through the game were far worse off than that. One of them lived on the street. She would just travel around town looking for free Wi-Fi connections and sit there all day long. She had long since quit her job and could no longer pay rent. I imagine she busked/begged for money for food."

Reader whoddathunkit knew a lot of people that centered their "entire lives around [World of Warcraft] or other video games."

"They won't make appointments around 'raid' times, and if they don't do their 'dailies' they freak out. They won't go anywhere without their laptops or an internet connection .... For most people, I don't think it's an addiction so much as a want that if they don't get they get a little upset .... But video game addictions are real."

DanDan disagreed with the idea that video games are truly addictive. "People don't often understand the difference between addiction and habit. Video games, as with just about anything, may be habit-forming. Video games are not addictive. The body does not suffer physical withdrawal symptoms when removed from video games. That is a major part of what defines an addiction. No withdrawal, it's just a habit."

Some readers argued that playing video games excessively was a personal choice, rather than a legitimate addiction.
 
"Personally, I call it a lack of self-control and self-discipline," wrote Bad Karma. "We have created a generation of people that want to blame all their problems on something or someone else. Take control of yourself and get a life."

Jeremy 88 plays World of Warcraft and said he knows other people who appear to be hooked on the game. He agrees that personal choice comes into play. "I spend about two-five hours per week, much less than others. My wife and I play together and join groups. Games don't control your life if you don't want it to."

Do you think video game addiction exists? Have you or someone in your life struggled with it? Let us know.