Much like any addiction, YOU can't do anything to help until or unless the person who is addicted wants help. Online games, online itself, can be addicting, and you have to temper it. I'm online all the time, but it's my job to be... I make money doing it. If I'm addicted, I'm also a workaholic, but my addiction feeds my family and pays the bills.

I'm also addicted to Bejeweled. Seriously. I can keep myself from playing, but once I start, I can't stop until I either run our of money (world winner), and since I'm good, that doesn't happen often, or I fall asleep with the mouse in my hand while playing--seriously.

I KNOW I'm addicted, so I only allow myself the time to play when I'm truly certain I have no other responsibilities.

Until your friend realizes he has a problem, he won't get help or change. It's going to have to materially affect his life such that he loses a job, doesn't pay a bill, loses a friendship, etc.

The only suggestion I can make is to try to engage him in outside activities frequently -- invite him out for a beer and steak at his favorite restaurant and offer to pay. Take him out to do something physically active. Encourage him to have a life outside of the games.

But realize the entire time that the choices are his and he might have to, just like a junkie, hit his personal bottom before you'll be able to do any good.

Lastly, talk to him about it. Tell him you think he's addicted and give the resources others here have given him. Tell him there's counseling, medication, and an online support group for people who are the same way about gaming as he is. Let him know he's not alone and not really that abnormal either.

Then, forgive yourself for not being able to 'help', knowing there's not anything you can do until he makes the choice. Be there as best you can and let go of what you can't do anything about.

It's good you care so much for your friend though.

As a recovered WoW addict I can say there's little you can do. You can show him/her how much time they are wasting on this game that has no ending, and show them how much money they've thrown at it and hope they quit on there own. you can also express how it is hurting your relationship, but that's about it. If they don;t want to quit, they won't. It's just like a drug addiction.

ONLINE GAMES AS A SOCIAL WORLD

Game addiction cannot be handled quite like other addictions, especially if the game is online. Other addictions tend towards obsession with a naturally destructive force, such as alcohol or drugs. However, online game addiction deals with more of a perversion of basic social instincts.

Your question specifically references World of Warcraft, which is a Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG). The chief distinction of such games is the multiplayer aspect, which allows gamers to connect with an infinite number of other players across the world. This creates a larger "social" pool than the real world, even for one with a healthy social life. Online, things like reputation and networking define your offline value. Whether you fail or triumph in-game becomes the online community's perception of your personality, intellect, and importance. Seeking to uphold your online reputation can be just as vital to a person's self-esteem as the respect of one's peers offline. In addition, seemingly deep friendships can be forged that demand attention just as any offline friendship, and who wants to disappoint a friend?

Any medium or hardcore MMO gamer will attest to the influence of online social interaction on individual self-perception, myself included. Personally, I have played World of Warcraft for three years and I, as well as both my offline and online WoW-playing friends, find our primary motivation in meeting and impressing other players.

If you want to understand more about the social implications, I suggest looking over The Deadalus Project, which has an archive of online gamer surveys, data and analysis from the past six years (the project went on hiatus in March 2009). Specifically, I recommend "Social Architectures in MMOs" and "Playing Together". (An excerpt from "In Their Own Words: The Social Component": "A strong motivation for me, and what has most likely contributed the most to my addiction is working with other people and existing within a perfect and efficient group.")

HOW TO HELP

The reason I so strongly stress the social element is that, when trying to help an online game addict ease off, the helpful attempt appears as an attack on their personal lives and relationships, as well as the in-game achievements in which they have invested their hard work and pride. It isn't simply a matter of saying, "George, your drinking problem is disrupting your life." Taking that approach with an online gaming addict would be like saying, "George, your friends and successes are actually hurting you."

The best way, in my opinion, to help someone overcome an online game addiction is to find common ground in the game. That does not mean that you have to play it very often; even a small amount of game play allows the "addict" to see that you are not attacking his or her in-game life. You could start by asking to get together to discuss how you should level your character. If they say that you can talk about it in-game, say that you need help with the theorycrafting (which is to say, the complete optimization of your character's abilities) and that you need it physically outlined on paper because you are having difficulty understanding. Most truly hardcore gamers will relish the opportunity to provide their expert advice. Eventually, the offline social interaction will remind them that there is a world outside of the game that is enjoyable and worth investment.

The first year that I played WoW, I was online up to sixteen hours per day, juggling messages and conversations without much actual play. I ignored real life opportunities to interact with my friends on the basis that I had friends online who would be waiting to talk to me. My offline friends also played the game, and they experienced similar addiction. So we started gathering at a cafe to play together, which eventually led to going to the movies or another activity before parting ways. We overcame our addictions by meshing the game with offline life, and within a few months we no longer used WoW as the premise for getting together.

However, my ideas on this subject are not mirrored by many. The most common claims for addiction revolve around the idea that games are used as an "escape" from the real world. In that case, traditional treatment would be used, such as a 12-step program, rehab, or an intervention. Still, given what I have pointed out about the social aspect, such treatment seems like somewhat of an abrasive approach.

There is a 12 Step Program called On-Line Gamers Anonymous. According to their site, "OLGA/OLG-Anon provides a resource for open discussion, support, education and referrals". Directing them to this resource or getting involved yourself may help.

Good Luck.

OLGA/OLG-Anon Homepage: http://www.olganon.org/

Like anything, the problem is that he/she PREFERS playing *your significant other's game* to everything else.You've got to show them what they're missing on. There's nothing YOU can do, other than help them realize themselves that they're wasting their time/life. The only person any addict, to anything, can successfully quit for is themselves.

Try bringing up the social activities they're missing out on, bring back memories of things they used to enjoy. If you can pique their interest in something else, they'll move on from it. Until they realize for themselves though, there's nothing to be done unless you can actually cut off access to the game, through mutual internet connections or such if you're living together.

Wellbutrin the anti depressant made me stop playing. Not sure why it didn't stop my Mahalo Addiction.. but it sure stopped my Wow one.