The World Health Organization now recognizes "gaming disorder" as an illness
The United Nation's World Health Organization has just voted to add "gaming disorder" to their list of officially recognized illnesses. This decision was voted on unanimously by 194 members of the WHO, as part of the eleventh revision to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, which is referred to as by the much easier to remember term, ICD-11. Many companies within the gaming industry strongly opposed the choice, such as the ESA, who claimed that such a classification would only serve to "recklessly trivialize real mental health issues" and that the WHO lacks the proper medical studies to come to such a conclusion.
According to the newly defined illness, the definition of "gaming disorder" is the following:
Gaming disorder is characterized by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour (‘digital gaming’ or ‘video-gaming’), which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by:
The pattern of gaming behaviour may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. The gaming behaviour 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.
- 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; and
- continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The behaviour pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
Gaming disorder is classified under addictive behaviors, next to excessive gambling, with the phrasing of the descriptions even being exactly the same between the two.
Gambling disorder is characterized by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gambling behaviour, which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by:
The pattern of gambling behaviour may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. The gambling behaviour 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.
- impaired control over gambling (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context);
- increasing priority given to gambling to the extent that gambling takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and
- continuation or escalation of gambling despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The behaviour pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
The Australian Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, essentially that country's branch of the ESA, denounced the classification of over-indulgent gaming as a mental disorder, claiming that "[The IGEA] are concerned they reached their conclusion without the consensus of the academic community". They also believe that parental controls and moderating a balanced amount of playtime is essential, further stating, "the consequences of today's action could be far-reaching, unintended, and to the detriment of those in need of genuine help".
The ICD-11 will go into effect on January 1, 2022.
Source