Can a Love for the Game Be Called an Addiction?

Speaking of our favorite game, backgammon, do you know someone who just can't get enough of the game, plays almost non-stop from morning to dusk or dusk to morning? And if you do, is this, really, a bad thing?

Well, yes and no.

Determining if that overzealous backgammon enthusiast (and remember, we could be talking about YOU, too) is a gaming addict or just a serious student, even pro, of the game is just like the honest evaluation and assessment you give to anyone else who might qualify with an addiction to anything else. First, let's take a brief, paraphrased look at the dictionary definition of the word "addict":

An Addict, (noun) is (1) somebody who is physiologically or mentally dependent on a substance, thing or activity which is liable to have a harmful physiological or psychological effect; and (2) somebody who is devoted to something.

Like other serious addictions, you can often see signs that their constant game play is interfering with other aspects of their life - like eating or sleeping properly, or having time with family or their job.

Now we don't want to raise worries or set off any alarms here, we are just giving some of you a little "heads up" on looking out for each other and keeping our beloved game in the healthy arena of our lives that it should be.

And remember, the word "addict" is often lovingly applied to other sports fans or players. Serious players or students of the game DO spend many hours playing, and experience is the ultimate teacher.