I understand why people worry. You play every day. Listen to their concerns though, if they start telling you that you are neglecting your non-game life, hear it. If you bail out of going to hang with friends once, that's not a tragedy, but if you keep doing it, take a good look. Be concerned, when you realize that game obligations start becoming more important than real life obligations, or when you find yourself thinking about game all the time. One of my young game-friends played so much he flunked his exams at university - and with that he also lost the scholarship, and his family could not afford to pay for him to go to school without that scholarship. And he really didn't care, that was scary.

The way I understand the game addiction it happens when people escape from life into a game. When someone neglects their life in order to play, the temptation to just hide in a game becomes stronger, and life gets even more messed up. It's a vicious loop.

On the other hand, our GM for years was a single dad who played with his 2 sons. They played almost daily, for some hours, but dad made sure there was a good life/game balance, the boys were active in sports, were doing well in school. Dad made sure they got to bed on time, made sure they've done their responsibilities, cleaning house, homework, etc. They played at least for 7 years, the kids growing into young men, and gone on their own ways. I never believed they were addicted, this was just something they were doing together, and their dad was one of the best PvP group leaders on the server, with stats to prove it. It was really cool.

Actually gaming could be a good exercise in learning life skills and discipline. Practicing commitment to your life by keeping game in balance with real life. Keeping your agreements with yourself and with your non-game life. Resisting temptation to indulge, to play a little longer than you ought to on a school night, or skip something you should have done, and perhaps didn't want.

For all that you need to believe your life matters. That is another game-addiction trap. People think, "I don't care. I don't matter anyhow, except in game. I can flip burgers for a living, and as long as I get to play the game afterward, that's all I need". The game will end, it must eventually, even if there will be another game after it, it may never be the same, and they will be in stuck in a life they don't like.

Hey, life is a really cool game too!