Defense of the Ancient (DOTA) Addiction I. Introduction Cyber games spread rapidly all over the Philippines.

This may include Defense of Ancient, Counter Strike, Garena, Crossfire, etc. Defense of Ancient is commonly called DOTA. This game is always found in every computer shops both rural and urban areas. Defense of Ancients (DOTA) is a popular video game especially to teenage boys. This game is a custom scenario of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. The goal of this scenario is for each team must destroy the opponents Ancients. The Ancients are heavily guarded by structures or also called as towers. Heroes are powerful units controlled by each player. There are 108 heroes but still continues to increase in number. They are divided accordingly to their characteristics. Sentinel and Scourge are called to the opposing groups. Players are assisted by allied heroes and uncontrolled fighters, commonly called as creeps. In order to destroy the opponent hero, the heroes must level up and use gold to buy equipments. This game is also featured in some tournaments like Asia DotA Championship (ADA) Philippine Champion. Mineski-Dota and TheOs competed for the championship. Mineski-Dota represented the ADC Philippines for two seasons and WCG Philippine Dota team in 2008. In Battle of the Kris Tournament, they lost to TheOs. Today playing DOTA becomes habitual act of students. This addictive effect may result of having physical and psychological problem especially to their health. II. Addiction

Addiction is a physical or psychological dependence. Dependence is that doing an act repeatedly and gaining self fulfillment from it. The addictive behavior gives temporary or short term pleasure relief from problems and frustrations in school. This is described as dependence on drugs like heroin (a narcotic), cocaine (a stimulant), methamphetamine, marijuana, alcohol or any substance abusively used. For the case of video games, the players play continuously without thinking of limitation or consequences. A. Effects One of the results is the uncontrollable playing of DOTA among boys. They spend more time in computer shop than in studying. The players develop compulsive behaviors associated with the video game. Obsessive compulsive disorder is called to the disorder of having uneasiness, apprehension, fear, worry and repetitive behaviors. Irrational thoughts and behaviors are recognized but you cant resist them. This disorder may fall into five categories: Washers, afraid of contamination; Checkers, repeatedly check things; Doubter and Sinners, perfectionist in all aspects; Counters and Arrangers, obsession in order and symmetry; and Hoarders, fearing of something bad will happened. The game brought also the irresponsible attitude. If having there is no proper time management and setting goals could lead the youth especially the students to be irresponsible in their studies, household chores and tasks given by their parents. Most of them prefer to play than to take their meals and that could harm their health. This also triggers the players of having uncontrolled temper and values. These are the conditions that commonly scene in every computer shops: the domination of men, playing of the same kind of game specifically DOTA,

he screaming and throwing of unlikely words between them, and the higher possibility of fighting in opposing teams. On the other hand, DOTA develops mathematical skills by computing the earned gold, damages, magic and physical reduction in the game. Not only has that, players also become mentally alert, cooperative and strategic. Some says that it is better to spend time and money in computer shops playing than using of drugs and alcoholism. In addition, students could develop their communicative skills and socialization to others. There are some instances that they do not know the player behind each hero with this they could make friends. During the battle they could communicate with their ally and at the same time with their opponent. B. Causes Parents have also responsibilities to check their children. They must have personal interaction to limit the playing hours of their child. They could provide other recreational activities for their family like having out of town, playing sports, etc. It is not avoidable that some of them do not know what this game all about or what could be the effect of this. This game is not familiar to them and it was not born during their time. Availability of money is also considered by students whether they will play or not. This can be a reason also to commit unlawful acts like stealing. This is not a problem to those who can afford. Sometimes DOTA is also another way to have money. They use their expertise to gamble and win the game. The stake could reach Php 1,000 to Php 1,500. This shows that DOTA is not only for pleasure but also to earn money.

To ease stress and depression is also the reason of some students or teenagers. After exams or frustrations in their relationships, they feel DOTA is their friend that comforts them. They have this mindset that their girlfriend or boyfriend can leave them but not in DOTA. III. Operant Conditioning Burrhus Frederic Skinner received Bachelor of Arts in English in Hamilton College, New York. He earned his masters in psychology in 1930 and his doctorate in 1931 in Harvard University. Skinner called his theory as Operant Conditioning. The organism undergoes a process where the environment is operated. The organism encounters a specialized stimulus, also called the reinforcing stimulus or simply as reinforcer. This stimulus increases the behavior to occur just before the reinforcer, called as operant. In his theory, the behavior is followed by a consequence and it has a tendency of repetition. If we apply this to the condition of the gamers, they find pleasure after every game they have so they will do it repeatedly. Pleasure is the fun and bonding between their friends or classmates. IV. Conclusion DOTA is not just a game but it can be the source of addictive behavior among teenagers. It could help for the development of the child but considering the other side, the child becomes uncontrollable and harmful for the society. They become threats for the safety of the people in the society. The aggressive behavior of drug addicts can be scene and this can applied to DOTA addict. The gamers mimic the behavior of their favorite heroes. They apply their learning to real life where there is no hero and no allied creeps. Their character in the game is to defeat their opponent and this desire can be done towards their enemies. For instance, the gamer is in school

and he got angry or upset to his classmate. There is a possibility of unconsciously hurting his enemy.