World Health Organisation officially recognises gaming addiction as mental condition
In what can only be described as a sign of the times, the World Health Organisation has recognised addictive gaming as a new kind of mental health condition.
In the beta draft of the WHO’s upcoming 11th update of International Classification of Diseases due out next year, gaming disorder is now included as an affliction.
Gaming Disorder is said to be characterised by “a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior”.
Those who prioritise video games over other life interests and daily activities are said to show symptoms of the newly-classified disorder. Source: Getty, File
Those who suffer from the disorder are said to have “impaired control over gaming,” which is to say an inability to control the frequency, intensity, duration, and context of their habits.
The WHO also notes that those who prioritise video games over “other life interests and daily activities” and continue to escalate the amount that they play “despite the occurrence of negative consequences” are also showing symptoms of the newly classified disorder.
“The behavior pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning,” the draft reads.
“The gaming behavior and other features are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months in order for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe.”
The appearance of gaming disorder in the disease classification may have broader implications than we think.
Because the document stipulates the international standard for what does and doesn’t quality as a health condition, doctors can soon diagnose patients with gaming disorder. That means insurance companies could extend coverage for treatment of the ailment, although it is unclear how that would manifest itself.
So if you’re spending the holidays gaming away, you may want to take a look at just how much family time you’re de-prioritising in favor of those little avatars on your screen.
This story originally appeared on Digital Trends and is republished here with permission.
