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[MetalSlimeHunt]

I have experienced the phenomena myself, but this is pretty obviously a "we're not saying but we're just saying" that video games are a mentally scaring evil that makes people violent.

[penguinofhonor]

I bet this is the same phenomenon that makes me feel like my phone is vibrating in my pocket when it's really across the room and I'm not wearing pants.

[GlyphGryph]

I bet this is the same phenomenon that makes me feel like my phone is vibrating in my pocket when it's really across the room and I'm not wearing pants.

Oh man, I hate this! I eventually figured out what it was though, it wasn't this, it was tractors. Turns out the entire building shakes at pretty regular intervals because of the construction they are doing a block away, and that's what I was feeling. Whoops!

I think they're merely pointing out that a generation of people constantly hearing explosions is probably not a good thing.

Explosions are the least offensive instantiation though. Pokemon or Tetris music is definitely the worst.

[Willfor]

I bet this is the same phenomenon that makes me feel like my phone is vibrating in my pocket when it's really across the room and I'm not wearing pants.

You get that too? :O

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Everybody who keeps a phone gets it, it's called phantom ringing/vibrating.

[Urist Imiknorris]

You're lucky. All I get is phantom spiders.

[Mech#4]

You're lucky. All I get is phantom spiders.

Not as effective as vibration, but having spiders disgorge from your phone every time you get a phone call would get you to pick up quickly.

Though maybe only to throw it across the room.

[Frumple]

Everybody who keeps a phone gets it, it's called phantom ringing/vibrating.

... who keeps a phone and experiences the phenomena, anyway. This... whatever it is, is something I've never experienced, in any form, even when I kept a phone on me pretty much 24/7 for a few years. Video game binging laughs -- I've played 2-3 days near non-stop before and... nothing like what described. Closest is maybe some dreams involving video game stuff, but there's been pretty close to zero correlation there between play time and appearance in dream, with that. Or perhaps music, I guess, but I get semi-intrusive music recall from pretty much gorram everything, and again is something that's not particularly correlated to time exposed.*

*One of the biggest perpetrators of intrusive music remembrance that I've experienced is Peter and the Wolf, which I was exposed to maybe 20-30 minutes total when I was in my early teens and proceeded to intermittently get hit by it for the remaining... well, ever. It's been well over a decade now, though it's cut back a bit since I actually found the song and listened to it again.

[MonkeyHead]

I get that whole phantom vibrating thingy, but only when driving at low revs. So, yea, less phantom ringing and more "stuff in my pockets shaking about due to engine". I still snap into action and go to grab my phone all them same though.

Back in the day though I played so much Lemmings and Worms that I even saw them when closing my eyes and would hum music from both subconsciously.

[martinuzz]

It's the same mechanic that gets a catchy tune stuck in your head.

Up next: UN bans pop music for causing PTSD!

[Sergarr]

Catchy tunes are srs bsns. If a wrong tune gets stuck in your head, it can ruin your entire day unless you manage to refocus your mind on something else.

[Leafsnail]

If it's not long term (and the vast majority of cases don't seem to be) then I don't really think it's much of an issue.

[scriver]

Gaming discussion

Guys, the most important part of the article is this:

A common denominator between those suffering from GTP was that they had all been gaming for an excessive amount of time. The worst cases appearing in those who had been gaming for two days straight or throughout the night.

Unhealthy habits are unhealthy. Playing games consequently for long amounts of time is bad for us, both physically and mentally. This isn't something we can deny just because a bunch of overly excited censorship advocates are out there screaming "GAMES MAKE YOU CRAZY".

I have experienced the phenomena myself, but this is pretty obviously a "we're not saying but we're just saying" that video games are a mentally scaring evil that makes people violent.

To me it seems more like that's you automatically going on the defensive because you've listened too much to the types of Jack Chick.

[Frumple]

Unhealthy habits are unhealthy. Playing games consequently for long amounts of time is bad for us, both physically and mentally. This isn't something we can deny just because a bunch of overly excited censorship advocates are out there screaming "GAMES MAKE YOU CRAZY".

Can deny it's a necessary consequence of such practices, though.* Least I would, having been there, done that (more than once in the case of the two-days-straight and several dozen times in the case of playing through the night), and experienced no hallucinations (of the nature described, anyway**). So it's not so much "unhealthy habits are unhealthy" as "certain portions of the population have particular reactions to specific habits", evidentially unhealthy or not (since there were apparently those that experienced the phenomena with considerably less contributing factors than overnight or 48 hour gaming binges).

I do have to say, though, I'd love to see the study expanded if similar ones haven't already been done. Seems obvious to me you should see similar reactions from reading, watching TV, and music (the catchy tune phenomena is an obvious parallel) at the very least -- I'd guess other stuff as well, such as writing, working, and so on. Anything a person might do for an extended period.

E2: What would be really interesting would be if they could get the same study groups (along with other, different, ones of course) in on said other experiments, to see if it's medium specific or influenced, or not.

*E: Which I don't remember the article stating, but your wording suggests it a bit, so making the statement above to kinda' preemptively nip the concept in the bud.
**Visual snow yadda yadda 24/7 visual hallucinations etc.

[wobbly]

I do have to say, though, I'd love to see the study expanded if similar ones haven't already been done. Seems obvious to me you should see similar reactions from reading, watching TV, and music (the catchy tune phenomena is an obvious parallel) at the very least -- I'd guess other stuff as well, such as writing, working, and so on. Anything a person might do for an extended period.

I've had something similar with too much time spent in a loud night club. Different to having a song stuck in your head, it sounds like the music is coming from outside your head rather then inside.