So we've all had those gaming binges that go on for hours, even days. Most of us snap out of it after we run out of Pepsi or salty chocolaty snacks. For on fifteen year old boy in Sweden, he stopped after passing out. A 20 hour long World of Warcraft marathon was enough to make him collapse and go into convulsions.
What exactly went down? Well, he was one of several friends who go together one weekend for a gaming party. At around 2:00pm on Sunday, the boy had what appeared to be an epileptic seizure. Now, I for one have hosted several of these gaming splurges, and nothing ever went wrong during mine. Nobody passed out or went into any convulsions; save for a massive amount calories and body odor nothing bad happened. An explanation came when the boy was rushed to the hospital. Doctors said that his body had been thrown off by a mixture of sleep deprivation, lack of food, and extended periods of video game playing.
"They played all day and all night. Maybe they got a few hours of sleep. They ate a little food and breakfast at their computers," the boy's father told the Kvällsposten newspaper.
Officials from the Game Over treatment center in Linköping in central Sweden have gotten a surge of in calls from parents since the release of the newWorld of Warcraft installment, Wrath of the Lich King. (no surprise there)
"It's been a huge problem. We have parents who call everyday and ask," said Game Over's Emilie Backlund to the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper.
We need to accept that gaming should be taken in moderation. So, fellow gamers, be careful during these gaming marathons. Be sure to sleep and eat an adequate amount, and always have someone there to in case something like this happens. Remember, gaming is entertainment, not life.