A 'leading psychologist' has claimed that video games are addictive and cause depression in The Sun newspaper.

Steve Pope wrote in Saturday's newspaper that Modern Warfare was "highly addictive" and that games were "one reason we are becoming more violent" as a society.

Pope's claims come after actress-come-'sexpert' Julie Peasgood said that video games "promote racism" on ITV1's Alan Titchmarsh Show - a comment disputed by CVG on air.

Pope wrote: 'Last year a premier league football club called me in to try to find out why the players weren't playing well in away games. I found that on the coaches to the matches they were all playing computer games.'

He later adds: 'One of the games causing many problems is the warfare series Call Of Duty. It is highly addictive and people play for hours on end. They spend all day killing people, then come off it and have to go about their daily business. I believe such games are one reason we are getting more violent.'

In one final swipe, he comments: 'I've got several patients who are what would be clinically termed addicted to... computer games. These things set the brain up for a pattern of gross fluctuation, too many highs and lows. For a short time, they can make people feel valued and boost their self-esteem. When they realise these feelings don't last, some people - particularly youngsters - can become down, even having feelings of depression.'

Can just anyone be a psychologist these days? Or has The Sun been very selective about this guy's findings?

Games promoting racism? Wow I never saw that coming. I play strategy games all the time and never once has a racist though come into my head as I kill the vikings, or americans or what ever nationality is in my particular game.

Resi was accused of racism cos you had to shoot black zombies. In Africa, I believe

Presumably GTA is OK then, since I can murder people of every colour.

As long as your spree is indiscriminate then you have nothing to worry about.

How about multiple discriminatory sprees?

i.e. round 1, see how many black guys you can kill.
round 2, see how many Jews you can kill.
etc...

Sounds a lot like Snooker.

First you knock off the reds, then all the coloured saving the black till last.

At the end, only the white is on the table.

Sounds a lot like Snooker.

First you knock off the reds, then all the coloured saving the black till last.

At the end, only the white is on the table.

LOL! A civilised analogy for organised genocide.