Gaming Disorder

Gaming disorder could soon join the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of official mental health issues. This impending inclusion is due to a revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problem (known as IDC-11). This list is heavily used by doctors for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Similar to other addictive disorders such as gambling addiction or drug abuse, gaming disorder would be diagnosed for individuals whose lives are severely impacted by their obsessions with video gaming.

While WHO has emphasized that most gamers wouldn’t fall under this diagnosis, some controversy has arisen from the decision. Critics have pointed out that similar technology addictions — the internet, smartphones, and social media — aren’t included on WHO’s list of addictive disorders. They say gaming has been unfairly singled out.

Even more problematic is the implication that WHO is being pressured to include gaming disorder on the list. Rather than it being for clear and definitive medical reasons, it appears that political pressure, particularly from Asian countries, could have played a part. WHO denies these claims.

Source:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/06/whos-afraid-of-virginia-wolfenstein/563843/