Addiction to video games in the future will be treated as a mental disorder

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Most of us have, at least once, if not many times, found a situation where we would completely forget about time and allowed ourselves in video games to spend an unhealthy amount of hours. Sometimes it is difficult to resist the title that completely absorb us into its universe, so we often forget about our own physiological needs. However, in some cases, such occurrences are much more frequent, which ultimately results in the development of video game addiction.

Certainly, a condition that does not allow a free relationship with someone or something can be very harmful to the person that surrenders to it therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) - the United Nations agency dedicated to international health - has classified gaming addiction as a mental disorder, behavioral disorder or neurodevelopmental disorder / impulse control disorder. Thus, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) next year will receive a complement, after nearly three decades, in which it will be said that video game addiction is a mental disorder, and currently it looks like this:

A gaming disorder is characterized by a pattern of persistent or recurring gaming behavior that can be online (that is over the internet) or offline, and is manifested in:

1. Reduced control of playing (for example, start, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context);
2. Giving greater priority to gaming to that extent in which gaming takes precedence over other life interests and everyday activities;
3. Continuing or escalating of playing despite the negative consequences.

The behavioral pattern is serious enough to result in significant reduction / damage to personal, family, social, educational, professional or other important areas of functioning. Behavioral pattern can be continuous or episodic and repetitive. Gaming behavior and other features are commonly manifested over a period of at least 12 months to diagnose. However, the required duration may be shortened if all the diagnostic requirements are met and the symptoms are serious.

According to the current description we can conclude that the WHO knowingly ignores the fact that a huge number of people abnormal amount of time spend surfing the internet or typing on their mobile devices, which is not so different from playing games all day. Namely, the omission of such types of technological addiction makes us think that this is another way that all the lights of negativity move to the gaming world. Again.

But the work recently released by the American Psychological Society contradicts their vision of video game addiction as a mental disorder. Namely, in their work is the following:

In addition to suggestions for inclusion of "gaming disorders" in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Disease Classification, the concept of addiction to video games has received support. However, many aspects of this concept remain controversial. At the moment, there is little clarity regarding the diagnostic criteria and the corresponding symptoms. It is not clear whether symptoms involving problematic gaming behaviors should be reified as a new disorder or they are an expression of basic mental states.

Additionally, recent suggestions about gaming disorders appear to be among the most reputable bodies, such as the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Society, enlisting most of the applied research on a credible trajectory. From the DSM-5 proposal, research is increasingly focused on the application of the proposed criteria, as opposed to a general examination of the accuracy and necessity of a comprehensive construct. This opens a number of questions.

Firstly, the current approaches to understanding "gaming addiction" are rooted in the study of narcotics abuse, and accesses are not necessarily relayed to media spending. Secondly, some research shows that "gaming addiction" is not a stable construct and clinical damage can be low. As a third, pathologizing gaming behavior falls outside the therapeutic environment. In the light of continuous controversy, we claim that the currently proposed categories of disorder about addiction to video games are premature.

What do you have to say to all this? Should video game addiction be classified as a mental disorder or is it an exaggeration? Do you think their categories are inadequate and easy to knock? Does this mean that we will also other hobbies and activities that occupy us in fully classify into the class of mental disorders?

Tagged with: Gaming industry, Controversy

Replies • 22


These doctors/scientists have too much time on their hand.  Everything is a disorder these days.



Modest

I don't know that any condition would be specific to gaming. It seems to me that "problem gaming" would be a symptom or manifestation of something else.


Interstellar

Kinda millions of people suddenly will become mental disordered...



Existential

I wonder if in the future there will be legislation about game mechanics that encourage addictive type behavior.  


Here I am, ready to play. Gaming enthusiast without free time to actually play video games but eager to learn anything

Well it's already in the name, "video games addiction" if it's already an addiction I don't see why not treat it like any other addiction, in this case the devil is in the details "At the moment, there is little clarity regarding the diagnostic criteria and the corresponding symptoms".

Play too much video games do not necessarily mean an addiction unless there is an impluse that prevents you to stop doing it.


Planetary

That's stupid in my opinion.... just because you play a ton of video games doesn't mean you're mentally disordered....you just have no self control and should probably work on limiting yourself and stuff. I don't believe in nonsense like this...just like playing too much violent games makes you a serial killer...that's just an excuse - but what do I know. :P