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    WHO lists Video Game addiction as 'Mental illness'

    The World Health Organization on their 11th International Compendium of Diseases classified not one, but two video gaming obsessions as mental illnesses. The first one as "Gaming disorder" and the other one as "Hazardous gaming".



    The news from the The World Health Organization has not been made official yet but it spread throughout the gaming community like a wildfire and was taken on a mixed note with some people saying that they don't really care if WHO makes video gaming addiction into a disease while others concerned that WHO might strip down and prescribe decreased playing hours for gamers. The announcement meant that doctors and other health physicians can now use the terms to point out diagnosis and disease among individuals in the name of video game addiction. While some people believe that the rapid enchancement and growth of the digital technology has been immense and widespread which includes mobile phone gaming, console gaming, pc gaming are to be blamed. It is also to be noted that the gaming disorder WHO has labelled for video game addiction has been placed on the same category as drugs, alcohol and gambling.



    WHO said that the disorder has been defined as “impaired control” where a certain individual spends too much time playing video games while keeping other important areas of lifestyle such as family, social, educational, occupational, personal things of very less importance, which may be online or offline. WHO also stated that an individual's daily activities and health gets affected when they give too much priority to video games to the point there is significant changes in mood and behavioral changes that takes place within them, which often results in negative consequences in their lives with  their family. WHO stated that the disorder needs at a minimum twelve months of observation on an individual for scientists to figure out whether that individual is facing symptoms of aggressive behaviour and other negative situations by increased period of time spend playing video games. If the symptoms and signs are spotted within an individual, expert help from healthcare professionals will be taken into consideration where the individual will be prescribed with certain scheduling and proper treatment. Who also compiled an entire list which is intended for scientists, in order for them to share health data and compare the disadvantages that lies within the listed symptoms, and to transfer the data and informations between hospitals and countries.



    There has not been much of an outrage from the gaming community as video gamers remain neutral with mixed emotions, there has been companies like the Entertainment Software Association or ESA who has asked WHO to reconsider their decision for labeling playing video games as mental disorders as it can immensely affect the video gaming industry or even the fan favourite Esports competitive genre which is also supposedly to take part in the next Olympic games along with other sporting events. While there has been addiction specialists such as Dr. Richard Graham who welcomed WHO's decision in listing video game obsession as illness and said it will create other opportunities for individuals outside their virtual screens. WHO's decision has not been finalized yet but it is being said that they are preparing for any finalized changes and tweaks in language and other materials before going official with theor decision. Will ESA's plea to WHO get paid with gaming being cut off from the list of diseases or will WHO's decision for listing Video Gaming as a disease make a significant change in every gamer's life ? guess we'll have to wait and find out.

    5 january 2018 12:01 1625
    1

    So.. we're basically talking about being addicted to games?

    12 august 2019 13:11 1625
    2

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