I have always been infuriated by the idea that XYZ causes addiction based on a study of what is, frankly, normal teenage behaviour. It is quite possible that some people have become so engrossed in computer game ABC that they forget to eat. This has happened since the dawn of human time – before WOW other things did this. Addictive people become addicted to things – it isn’t the things fault. I became so engrossed when I got the boxed set of seasons 1&2 of 24 that I didnt eat or sleep for 36 hours. I wasn’t addicted, I just made a choice. When they finished I moved on.

Part of the problem with this screaming madness is that it trivialises the problem of real addictions. This concept that people become addicted to everything means we look down our noses when people are really struggling.