Online Gamers Anonymous
Encyclopedia
On-Line Gamers Anonymous (OLGA) is a twelve-step program
for recovery from video game addiction established as a non-profit organization
in the United States
. OLGA was founded by Elizabeth (Liz) Woolley in 2002 after her son, Shawn Woolley, committed suicide
while logged in to EverQuest
. It provides a variety of message boards, several on-line meetings and other tools for people (gamers as well as friends and family) to use for their own healing and to support each other. OLGA is volunteer run organization and fields approximately 500 Internet and phone inquiries per day. Currently, On-Line Gamers Anonymous has an active face-to-face 12-step meeting in London, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in November, 2008. There is also a chapter in Washington, DC. It was started in October, 2009.
Twelve-step program
A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...
for recovery from video game addiction established as a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. OLGA was founded by Elizabeth (Liz) Woolley in 2002 after her son, Shawn Woolley, committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
while logged in to EverQuest
EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
. It provides a variety of message boards, several on-line meetings and other tools for people (gamers as well as friends and family) to use for their own healing and to support each other. OLGA is volunteer run organization and fields approximately 500 Internet and phone inquiries per day. Currently, On-Line Gamers Anonymous has an active face-to-face 12-step meeting in London, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in November, 2008. There is also a chapter in Washington, DC. It was started in October, 2009.