The World Health Organization (WHO) already classified ‘gaming disorder’ as a mental illness back in June 2018. Now the organization is going to debate over whether or not video game addition is going to be an official disease. WHO provided 3 factors that would indicate that someone is addicted to video games which are mentioned below.
- Impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context.)
- Increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities.
- Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.
Next week WHO will decide whether or not an addiction to video games is going to become a legitimate disease. The International Game Developers Association which represents employees working in the industry has shown its concern and has mentioned that this definition of gaming disorder is “prejudicial against gaming as a hobby and interest.”
I have to admit that addiction to games has become a real thing since games like PUBG and Fornite have come out but I have to say that I have been gaming for around 15 years now and there were times when I would lose sleep over games and play games whenever I could. I do not have a gaming disorder. As I have grown up I have learned to best use my time for work and keep a portion of the day for gaming.
I think that what people are calling an addiction to gaming is a phase in life that all youngers that are interested in gaming go through and that it gets better over time as we learn and realize other responsibilities in life. This could also be a first-world problem. All things considered, it is going to come down to a vote and we will have to wait until next week to find out what the final result is.
Let us know what you think about WHO considering to make video game addiction a legitimate disease and whether or not you think this actually is a disorder.