ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN GAMBLING AND INTERNET GAMING DISORDERS AS A RISK FACTOR FOR ADDICTION
Tetiana Zinchenko, Edward Shatochin
Psychological Applications and Trends April 22, 2022 DOI: 10.36315/2022inpact062 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Altered states of consciousness |
| Key findings | Argues that altered states of consciousness during and shortly before gaming, termed flow-state, dark flow, game trance, and game intoxication, involve disrupted self-identification with game characters and distorted time perception and memory, and that these desirable states can contribute to gaming addiction, negative psychosocial consequences, and comorbid psychopathology. Also contends that the gaming industry deliberately induces such states through psychotechnical methods. |
Abstract
"In GD and IGD, both at the preclinical level of problem game and at the clinical level of pathological game, altered states of consciousness are observed during the game and shortly before. In the scientific literature, they are called flow-state, dark flow, game trance, game intoxication, and so on. During these states, the person loses touch with reality, the real life situation completely detached from life's problems and concerns, and associated emotional experiences and is transformed into the space of the game. Self-identification is disrupted, as a result of which the player identifies with the game character, the avatar-hero of the game, or with the network character. In addition, the perception of time and memory of events during the game is disrupted. These states themselves become very desirable and attractive to players and contribute to the emergence of a pathological desire to constantly participate in the game in order to repeat an unusual experience. In this review of research, based on the materials of numerous researches and own clinical practice, it is demonstrated that such altered states of consciousness can contribute to the formation of addiction, lead to negative psychosocial consequences and comorbid psychopathology. It also shows how the game industry induces such states with certain psychotechnical methods. Materials from clinical and neurobiological studies were used for the analysis. Electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and Google Scholar."
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Subjective Effects of Psychedelics Are Necessary for Their Enduring Therapeutic Effects. | 2020 | Review | |
| Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. | 2005 | Review | |
| Intrinsic Brain Activity in Altered States of Consciousness | 2008 | Review | |
| Dynamic functional connectivity and brain metastability during altered states of consciousness | 2017 | Review | |
| A default mode of brain function in altered states of consciousness. | 2013 | Review |