WHO Classifies Gaming Disorder as an Official Mental Condition
Addiction to video games is about to be officially classified by the World Health Organization as a mental health disorder. Called "gaming disorder," addictive behavior linked to video games have been included in a draft of their list of diseases for 2018.
Next year's beta draft of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD) now includes an entry for "Gaming disorder," classified under "Disorders due to addictive behaviours" as updated on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
Following the description, Gaming Disorder as a mental health issue is less on the video games themselves and more on possibly self-destructive behavioral patterns some players may follow.
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It could manifest in one or more of three different ways, according to the draft. Gaming disorder behavior may show up as " impaired control over gaming," whether it's the time a player starts playing, to the frequency, duration or extent they indulge in video games both online or offline.
Gaming disorder may also manifest in "increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities," as the WHO describes the proposed mental condition.
Another important aspect is the way a gamer with Gaming Disorder continues or even steps up gaming activities despite any negative consequences from it, whether it's missed school, work, financial, or health problems.
As part of the ICD-11, this means that Gaming Disorder will now enter a list of diagnosis that doctors, health care professionals or insurance service providers can use to describe a client, as Forbes points out.
The ICD-11 is the eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases and will be released in 2018 with the new Gaming Disorder label. A similar label is now being considered for inclusion in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), according to Newsweek.
"By listing Internet Gaming Disorder in DSM'5 Section III, APA hopes to encourage research to determine whether the condition should be added to the manual as a disorder," the APA explained.
