PBEM v92 n2 (15Aug92)

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The PBM Habit                                               Van Norton
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Recently in a game I was playing, the gamemaster took a week off.  The
game had been running on a standard one week turn-around for a number
of months, but the gamemaster needed a week of down time. At first, I
was frustrated. I found myself wandering in and looking the computer
from time to time. I occasionally logged into the net before I
remembered no turn was due. I was restless and anxious.

I tried to pass the time by sending mail to other players in the game,
but without a new turn to look at, I was rapidly losing interest. When
the next turn was due, a short 12 days after I had received my last
turn results, I barely had the interest to complete the turn. Was this
the same game I was so anxious about? It seemed so trivial and tedious
now.

I believe that I was suffering from PBM withdrawal. I had become
addicted to a game. After suffering the withdrawal period, I no longer
had much interest in the game. My addiction to it had been broken.
Laugh and point fingers if you will, but I believe many gamers suffer
the same symptoms. As long a a game is running smoothly and REGULARLY,
the unsuspecting gamer has no idea he has become hooked. After all, he
is getting his fix at regular intervals. But watch out when a turn is
missed! A forced break from the gamer's 'fix' and he becomes anxious
and moody.

There are other symptoms. Have you ever noticed how paranoid gamers
become when their turns are late? The mailman obviously knows
'important' mail from junk and withholds 'important' mail from you.
Or the gamemaster thinks you are doing too well in his game so he
doesn't mail your turn until after everyone else's. Or perhaps the
gamemaster receives your turn in time to process it, but intentionally
loses it to set you back. How frequently do you log in when expecting
late PBEM results?

PBM games have insidious ways of working themselves into your life. It
is nearly impossible to take a vacation from PBM.  Abandoning you
position for any length of time will doom the gamer to failure in most
PBM's. And as one PBM winds down toward its finish, there always seems
to be another worth joining.

PBM gaming can be addicting. A mild addiction, certainly not as
self-destructive as heroin or cocaine, but more in line with caffeine
or chocolate. I have seen others spend major portions of their lives
and incomes on PBM. Hopefully, by recognizing PBM as possible problem,
you can keep the beastie in its place.

I don't believe PBM itself is to blame. By nature, we humans thrive on
power and routine. PBM provides both.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The author is not a PhD in psychology from Harvard and does not have
five years experience in clinical psychology specializing in
addictions. He is not licensed to practice psychoanalysis in this
state or any other state of mind. He is, in fact, merely offering his
opinion.