Do you find it hard to resist picking up the controller, even when it's at the cost of other important things in your life? You could be suffering from a mental disorder according to the World Health Organisation, which has just published its 11th International Classification of Diseases - the first of its kind since 1992.
The BBC reports that in the new guide, gaming addiction has been listed as a mental health condition for the first time ever.
According to the guide, symptoms of this ailment include:
- impaired control over gaming (frequency, intensity, duration)
- increased priority given to gaming
- continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences
The guide comes at a time when many nations are struggling to deal with the issue of increased levels of game time among its younger citizens. In South Korea for example, where online gaming is incredibly popular, the government has introduced a law banning access for children under 16 from online games between midnight and 06:00 AM. Meanwhile in China, internet giant Tencent has introduced limits on the number of hours children can play its games.
Despite these moves, there is still some doubt as to whether gaming addiction is as widespread an issue as some would have us believe. The University of Oxford in the UK recently conducted a study which suggested that increased screen time didn't stop children from successfully managing other aspects of their lives.
Researcher Killian Mullan said:
People think that children are addicted to technology and in front of these screens 24/7, to the exclusion of other activities - and we now know that is not the case.
Our findings show that technology is being used with and in some cases perhaps to support other activities, like homework for instance, and not pushing them out.
Just like we adults do, children spread their digital tech use throughout the day, while doing other things.
Where do you stand on this issue? Do you think gaming addiction is a real concern, especially when you consider how much time we spend glued to screens watching TV, surfing the web or posting on social media? Given that gaming has positive benefits too, do you think this new guide could cause more harm than good, or do you feel (as with many things in life) too much of a good thing can be harmful?
Let us know with a comment.
[source bbc.co.uk]
Comments (134)
Old news but this is interesting. I think it's possible to be addicted to gaming, sure, I just don't know anyone personally who is suffering.
All of these conditions where the treatment involves some type of AA like meetings are not diseases. It's lack of willpower.
No different than gambling or any other vice (or anything really, humans can turn anything that brings escapism or pleasure into an addiction really) really. The key with everything in life is moderation and don't use it as an escape rather than dealing with the problem of life. Often easier said than done depending on the person, but it can be done if you want it badly enough.
If it is, none of my gaming friends have it. I can imagine people like that but it seems to be rarer at least in the western world. South Korea is crazy though :/
I waggle my joystick as much as I want, but thanks 😊
why do they need to "certify" specific addictions? people can get addicted to literally anything and the symptoms are always the same for every type of addiction. it's just that some people are more susceptible to addictions than others. and those that are also like to jump between different addictions where a new addiction just replaces the old addiction. (for example a drug addict might switch to alcohol or a gaming addict to porn)
@JHDK I respectfully disagree. Dopamine greats a very addictive feeling and can be very addictive. Some people are more disposed to this than others and so may need more help. Also most of the time this would be treated like other mental conditions now instead of AA-style meetings which is why it is interesting that they have upgraded game addiction. However, I have found the times a have been addicted t was masking other problems and that would be the case I think for a large junk of the population.
Dear God.
This means every game developer and QA Tester suffers from a mental health disorder.
Spending hours daily playing games with no overtime and letting other aspects of their lives fall to the wayside for 20 hour days playing games.
Except you know. Thats their job.
Does this include Youtubers? Journalists? Its deliberately vague
Hi, I'm Xaessya and I'm a gaming addict!
middle finger oh, sorry, it's a addiction of mine.
@JHDK That's a little over simplistic, don't you think? I mean they actually have the physical processes by which people end up addicted to pretty much most stuff down at this point, so to say it's a lack of willpower is to be ignorant of the mechanics of addiction. And that's also to wholly overstate our understanding of willpower, but that's a whole other kettle of fish.
If the WHO say so, then it must be true. I think we all kind of knew this. I'm sure some of us here are addicted to gaming.
Wow alot of people have disorders then
Achoo.
In my 31 years on this earth.. I have never met a mug who was addicted to video games! Lol
That's like somebody who's addicted to horse riding.. See how silly that sounds!? I just made that up lol.
@loyalroyal1989 This guy, right here
i haven't read the guild about International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organization in years. its nice to know that i have another version of it to read. i need to stop switching careers ever so often.
at least this new "mental disorder" does not get in the way of my love life...lol it makes me know that i have at least 1 thing that i have a priority over video games....
and @YummyHappyPills i disagree with you about how every game developer and QA Tester suffers from a mental health disorder. it just seems as though they give it to everyone else.
@stevenw45 Thats the point. Yes its obvious they DONT suffer from a diaorder.
But under these vague guidelines....they seemingly do.
See the issue? Thats why i said it.
@JHDK I understand that for people who have never suffered mental health issues (lucky you) it's hard to understand these things, but please don't spread non-sense like that around.
Listing gaming addiction as a disorder is long overdue
I think i am also, but not by Joy Cons, but by DDR Dancing Pad.
Sometimes, when i hear Catchy tunes, i pretend to Stepping on the floor like i play on DDR Arcade.
But i did that when i'm alone, not in the public. It will embarass me.
Well, better admit than keep the secret, right ?
If it really starts to interfere with your life in unhealthy ways, then I think its clear you have a problem. If you like to game for a half hour to an hour (or more) on any given day and its just a part of your day and life and not your life, then I would imagine you aren't suffering from an addiction.
I also don't get how anyone can sit here and suggest or imply this is silly or some kind of joke.
Just like anything else in the world, of course there can be too much of it. Find a good balance that works for you, and don't let it interfere with things you need to get done.
And people aren't MORE addicted to their smart phones? Which in my opinion is worse than gaming
@JHDK addiction is more than willpower. Have you ever taken a biology or psychology course? perpetuating stereotypes is not helpful.
Well, obviously. You can be addicted to anything.
Silly European spellings. It's organization! With a "Z" and not "zed."
@Bunkerneath people can be absolutely addicted to their phones. In fact, app developers apply psychological principles to hook people.
I mean, I get that... but couldn’t you say that about anything? What about the people who read books all day long? Usually unless I’m at a party, I only play games for about 1-2 hours a day if I even have time for them.
@YummyHappyPills
i figured that. a lot of disorders have vague guidelines. and to make things worse they are updated every year and the terms for them are not even used properly. at least the terminology for this disorder is being used properly. (at least for now) however, in my opinion it seems to be a form of OCD.
Obviously a person can be addicted to anything. Haven't read any of the literature on this, but, off the top of my head, I would say gaming is different insofar as the software can be designed to encourage addictive behaviors from the player, creating potentially destructive feedback loops.
These are already commonly employed in microtransaction-driven mobile apps. The more you keep a player "plugged in," the more opportunities you have to "encourage" the use and purchase of microtransactions.
@crackafreeze I have the same problem as you.
@crackafreeze that's true for me too, all the time at work, mainly because i can't play games there
Way too many people in this thread seem to be taking this personally, as though it's an affront to videogames. Nobody is going to take your games away, let's make sure we help those who need & want it!
@YummyHappyPills I respectfully disagree. QA testers are not addicts under the guidelines. The article states one of the symptoms being "impaired control over gaming", so if the QA tester can control their gaming urges after work, they aren't considered addicts. Similarly, if they are playing something other than what they are testing while at work, they may have a problem.
It really only becomes a mental disorder when it interferes with your ability to function. Like, you can express mild forms of the symptoms, but if you can still function on the level of someone without those symptoms, then you are not suffering from the actual disorder, just expressing the symptoms. Also, an official classification would make it much, much easier for someone that suffers from the disorder to get treatment.
Gaming implicates the dopamine system, just like gambling and the drugs that lend themselves to substance abuse disorders, so I can fully get behind this notion. It'll be interesting to see if gaming addiction is added to the next revision of the DSM.
I might be getting real close to meeting the diagnostic criteria myself, I prioritize gaming above everything else except for bills, and even then, I often take a hit to my grocery expenditures because my brain rationalizes that I NEED the newest games immediately. I lost my mind when I couldn't get the SNES Classic at launch and became obsessive looking for one. Then when I did find one, I spent money I didn't have to get it. I do nothing but game in my free time and get angry when I have other obligations that cut into it. When I'm not gaming, I'm reading about it, watching videos about it, and listening to podcasts. I'd say that it interferes with my social life, but I never had a social life to begin with. I have a problem.
@joedick Thats the joke.
Congratulations. You buried it.
The joke was with a little work you can spin anything into an addiction.
The ides gaming impairs your ability to do other tasks. Sounds like having gaming as a job doesnt it? When at work all you do is game, no time for other tasks allowed.
As I said, the joke was that with the right words you can make anything out to be anything.
This is some of the stupidest crap I've ever heard.
Chance would be a fine thing.
I wish I still had the time for the sixteen hour Civilization Revolution binges I did when I was 19 and should have been looking for work.
The good old days.
It's like the word hobby has been replaced with addiction.
I'm certainly not going to let a bunch of Eggheads tell me whether or not it's a disorder now. People can abuse anything, it says more about the person than the substance
Well, this disorder can be applied to actually everything.
My god, this comment section is a disaster zone. Two things:
1) The WHO is NOT saying that gaming is inherently bad for you. Just that, like many things, it can become an addiction. Hopefully this official classification will eventually make it easier for those who actually have a problem to find the help they need.
2) Many things can cause addiction, and some people are more susceptible to this, in general, than other people. But please do not suggest that these people just don't have enough "willpower" or don't "want to stop enough." Depression is a real mental ailment, and is not something that can be powered through. There are people close to me who suffer from depression and anxiety, and have had suicidal thoughts. They are also some of the strongest people I know. Please don't imply that them being at a higher propensity for addiction makes them weak.
Strangely enough, I'm more addicted to gaming news than actual gaming. I can manage my gaming time, but not my "check online for new gaming news time". I even check it in working hours...
Look, someone somewhere judges you by arbitrary standards! Quickly comply!
Or, you know, use your head the same as almost all gamers.
What's with this regulator mind towards entertainment and expression?
I'm surprised none of the defensive folks have brought up the core concern to all this. It's not the classification that's the problem, but the people who will abuse this newfound power.
We've already been through our share of anti-video game advocates in the 90s and 00s. We dont need to go back to those times where a bunch of old dudes and ladies are campaigning and spending our tax dollars trying to decide how we consume our moving pixels.
But all that said, and as long as it's not being abused, the classification should help those who need help. If "anything can be an addiction", we should be sympathetic to those who are addicted, not flippant towards their "lack of will power" or throwing around whataboutisms.
@JHDK That's simply not true.
@YummyHappyPills Hey man, don't blame me if your joke didn't work
As someone who actually went through real addictions in my teens and early twenties- cocaine, heroin and opiates, benzos... I can't really take this seriously.
It reminds me of that scene from Half Baked lol. Only video games is even more proposterous! Your body isn't going to physically go into withdrawal when you stop playing. You're not going to be throwing up for two weeks straight with knives feeling like they are stabbing your stomach, as if a cat is trying to claw its way out from the inside. You're not going to sell your car to pay for your next video game, or rob a liquor store... come on
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ybPnY1Ehc
This is old news, but it's absolutely true that one can be addicted to video games. Playing in moderation is the key.
No. There are people who exhibit addicting behavior, and that's it. Sorry.
Looks like the conservatives won this round... for now. You know it was pushed by a group of older adults who don’t understand technology... well at least we will outlive them and then we can delete this “disorder”
Not sure what to think about this, but I feel like it's fair to say that in this day and age, all kinds of companies (think Netflix and so on) are battling to expand their pie of the 'screen-time' cake for each and everyone of us.
Impairing the consumers control over their consumption,
increasing the priority given to that consumption and
continuing or escalating said consumption despite negative consequences seems like the overriding goal for most if not all major players in the entertainment industry.
In other words, this disease classification suggests that the gaming industry has become more proficient as of late. I mean, when does alcohol and tobacco become recognized as significant medical and societal issues? Well, once the industry producing, advertising and selling them starts seeing wide-spread success of course. That is what ultimately leads to interest among researchers and politicians and so on and so forth.
As long as the groups consuming these good or services is marginal (as gaming was for a long time), it's unlikely their behavior will be considered an issue, even if on the individual level there most likely have always been instances of this behavior being problematic or even destructive.
What I am trying to get at is that at first glance all of this seems like a bug, but in fact, I think it's much more like a feature. It's the flip side of the industries more and more prominent role in the entertainment industry. More users, and more 'engaged' users drive revenue and profit after all, at the same time, any issue related to your product and services becomes more apparent.
Obviously though, I'm not trying to say that games can or should be compared to alcohol or tobacco in general, but as far as the political and economical logic behind it goes, I don't see that much of a difference either. Doesn't take a cynic to argue, that this can probably be considered a milestone for the success of the industry at their own game.
@JaxonH I see your point, but at the same time, that is really just semantics unless you want to rule out any and all addiction-like behavior not related to external neurochemical stimulation. I mean, going by your argument, gambling addiction for example, has be considered bogus to - or not taken seriously at least.
I find that stance dubious as their is a plethora of research, even 'hard' science, aka neuroscientific research, suggesting that yes, people can get addicted to all kinds of behavior/stimuli and certainly intense stimuli like gambling or sex.
Frankly, your point reminds me of people who like to tell folks going through depression to "just pick themselves up" and stuff like that. After all, with depression, it's not like with cancer, where you have a physiological issue you can point to, so obviously those people must be either faking it, or just be "weak" in one way or another.
Maybe it's a vastly different form of addiction that demands a different form of diagnosis and/or treatment, but brushing it of because it's not cocaine ... well, seems uncalled for. Just my 2 cents though ...
....Everything should be a disorder at this point.
Oh sure but I bet there won’t ever be such thing as a ‘reading disorder’
@JaxonH I'm glad, from what I assume, it appears you got your life on track. But are you saying because a video game addiction may not have the same withdrawal symptoms as a substance abuse addiction or if the means of supporting the addiction might be different, its not a valid addiction?
I remember playing Mario Kart Wii for 24 hours straight, years ago...
...Unless of course, I left it alone on the HOME screen...
Hm.
@JaxonH I can't take the concept that some addictions are real and some aren't seriously.
@manu0 My original post didn't say anything about my personal struggles. You are taking a leap to state I never went through anything like that.
And that's why I deleted Pocket Camp
@iLikeUrAttitude Just another one to add to the list
In the title pic... are those the hands of @alexolney?
I promise I'm not a serial killer.
I said this years ago.
It is a very real thing.
I’ve seen people’s health at risk over their excessive gaming habits.
I’ve seen people stop washing, eating properly, sleeping very little, and having poor hygiene and having emotional detachment from family and friends. Most who have this will never own up to it, or even realise it as a problem, but it’s very real and I find it almost comical how defensive these gaming addicts get.
No one should be surprised, ANYTHING can become addictive and therefore a hinderance to oneself, gaming in excess is definitely a very real problem.
As someone with Asperger's Syndrome (an actual mental disorder) who suffered from depression as a teenager and younger 20's, and even once thought of jumping out of the third story window of my father's house onto a wooden deck to escape doing homework... Such an intense focus on gaming to the exclusion of important activities is always,
Let me repeat that,
ALWAYS,
indicative of a symptom of some other, real and significant issue.
Gaming itself is not the same as gambling. There are elements within gaming that can be similar to gambling, such as paid loot boxes, but gaming as a whole does not lend itself to full blown addiction. The closest thing to that is someone relying on the release of endorphins and other natural chemicals the brain releases while enjoying a game, to cope with other, real issues, instead of forming a true addiction to all of those antidepressant medications and related drugs that the medical industry sells.
Whoever is responsible for this decision probably did it with some political as well as monetary influence. This reeks of the 1990's era US political scapegoating against gaming for society's ills. It's all too easy to label a problem by it's symptom, instead of investigating and uncovering the underlying set of issues behind each problem. Mental disorders are truly defined by conditions, not necessarily by activities.
@UmbreonsPapa
Essentially, yes. Once you've been through a real addiction you can't help but scoff at the things people try to pass off as addictions nowadays.
There's a stark contrast between a classic addiction and things such as this. And I think it's time we come up with a new word for it, so as to not dilute the impact of "addiction"
I would love to see more research into this.
Personal experience, I used to drink alcohol, more so in my youth days but never got addicted or ever felt I couldn't spend a night out without it. Gaming though to me was completely different.
IMO, gaming does feel like a release from when I want to avoid or delay doing something else. Sometimes I know I need to do housework or something similar and my mind does wonder towards playing a quick game (when I say games, we do need to include mobile too, not just 3DS or PlayStations).
I think gaming really hurts me the most on say, Sunday afternoon. I used to spend lots of time gaming at night and over the weekends and I get this massive feeling of guilt come Sunday afternoon knowing I hadn't done much productive.
My gaming habits have gone down a lot now though. From playing 3-4 hours of league every weekday evening (6-7 hours each weekday), I've managed to cut this down to 0 hours of league by uninstalling it (and other factors). I still get the odd sensation to install it and have a quick game (least once a day), but have gone cold turkey on it for over a year.
I hope I'm only say, 0.0001% of the gaming population who feels this way, and I agree with what other people say in saying anything can be addictive and need to be taken in moderation.
All I know now is that, when I have kids, I'm making sure I either don't give them games or moderate the f out of it until they're older.
Again, would like to see more research on this before this becomes the law or something.
Video games are 100% addictive and a total waste of time. Everyone reading this is an addict. Face it.
That said, video games are still a lot of fun.
Isn't basically every addiction? Isn't that kinda the whole point?
Disorder or not, playing too many video games is detrimental. I would know. What too much is can be quite subjective, but I believe everyone should agree with my first statement.
good new if your a child. trying to get out of cleaning your room. but mum i'm a gaming addict lol.
@PlywoodStick you are completely missing the point.
You are taking your own one sided experience and trying to debunk this legislation which has been founded on many individual cases not just a one sided bias.
This is a very real thing, and of course ALL addictions stem from a root cause that’s just psychology 101, but that does not detract from the FACT that gaming in excess is harmful. Some have the emotional intelligence to combat it by living healthy lifestyles physically and mentally so it does not affect them as easily as it would someone with depression or someone who has suffered some sort of emotional trauma. This is no conspiracy, this is not the illuminati lol this is a good thing that it’s being recognised as I know quite a few people who’s lives would change for the better if there were not hermits living only in their gaming world. So I for one applaud the action of recognising this as a very real problem as it’s only going to get worse if not bought to people’s attention.
Wow still the media will go to any length's to discredit gaming in any way they can and especially gamers in general. I'm willing to bet people spend more time even now watching the poo TV programmes that are still on but why should that be brought to attention as a negative eh?once again gamers are the easy target!
@ALinkttPresent
Just want to congratulate you on a wise choice. It takes a real strength to admit and abstain from something that can be a problem.
For me personally, i have a big issue binge watching anything. Was bad enough that I was up in the AM watching infomercials just so I can watch something.
Now does that mean TV is evil and we need to all stop? No. I’m certain most of you here would have no issues at all. For me, I have no cable and I stay away from netflix and such.
I implore everyone to really take to heart that anything that is in your life that threatens to take over your time and energy at the expense of your quality of life, that is potentially an addiction, regardless how it affects others. At least, it means you need to show some self restraint. At most you may have to take stronger measures.
Any addiction is pathological - that's what makes fanship inherently detrimental in the first place. Being widespread or not is probably beside the point in terms of pure classification - I mean, medics don't wait for worldwide outbreaks to call a virus a virus, do they?
And no, acknowledging the issues of gaming addiction doesn't make it any more or less of a problem with directly concerned people than social media addiction. Heck, even excessive obsessive bibliophilia can cause problems for whoever still manages to fall prey to it in this day and age.
@Deathwalka I saw your previous comment, and thought about replying to it, but I decided not to, because I figured it would result in something like your own ironically one-sided response. Which is exactly what you just did, on your own. Not to mention, you're saying that anyone who happens to encounter depression is lacking in "emotional intelligence." You do realize you're not going to win anyone's hearts and minds that way, right? For someone who claims to hold the high ground,
You have no idea what you're talking about.
@pokedmund dude no research is needed if everyone was as honest as you. Your gaming habits are quite minor from what you describe compared to some more severe cases. You at least are self aware of this and have guilt which automatically gives you a power from getting in too deep. Some people lose this guilt by becoming emotionally detached, they don’t feel love, happiness with the same potency as they once did, as their emotions become diluted. The lighting from gaming is very unnatural and absolutely will have some effect on the brain, which overall affects your way of thinking and your drive to to do things.
@PlywoodStick lmfao how is mine a one sided response?
Why have you just regurgitated what I said, I’m sorry if you took offence that you were using your own one sided experience to cry conspiracy but that is the truth. Your reply says that anything other then your own truth will make you uncomfortable, I should have known this.
You should also know this is a good thing that they recognise this, many of us suffer depression and think it makes us all experts...it does not. Also it’s almost comical how you took my comment and twisted it saying anyone with depression has no emotional intelligence.
Mods: Please be more respectful of your fellow users.
Any addiction is potentially harmful. So what?! Its sad if people have nowhere to turn to but gaming but at least they got something.
@jomo32 that’s what I’ve also read, it’s a shame as it’s more widespread then they think, but it’s good they recognise it.
@JaxonH Interesting how this topic brought out the life stories in us!
You know, it's funny. People say that others shouldn't be armchair executives, but there's a whole lotta armchair neurologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in here, who may not have gone through such bad conditions mentally, and believe they understand it. Granted, that doesn't mean one person can totally understand everything absolutely 100% either... Multiple people must contribute to a complete understanding. But I suspect many here have not gone through a diagnosis process over the course of many years to see what it really looks like.
As for the WHO... well... their funding by the UN has been drastically cut back in recent years, and word has been that they have turned to pharmaceutical corporations to make up the difference. Which, if true, means the WHO's decisions are influenced by the decisions of those highly profitable pharmaceutical corporations.
@Anti-Matter at least DDR is a good way to excercise. I used to dance very often when I had DDR on my ps2 back then. Everytime i listen to one of the songs, my feet wouldn’t stop tapping nonstop lol. Sadly, I stopped long ago though.
@Deathwalka The fact you're looking for, or even mentioning a debate, not to mention insulting someone else's intelligence, reveals your true desires and intentions here. You don't really care, you just want to be correct. I don't know if this issue has any real significance to you, or if it's just a passing fancy, but you're not helping anyone here.
Gaming addiction is like shopping addiction and social network addiction. It is a mental addiction which shouldn't be confused with physical addictions like drug addictions.
As with everything in life, it’s aboit balance.
I’ll sit and play Mario for an hour with my little one , providing we’ve been on the park for an hour or more running about and playing. Providing we’ve sat and read some books, cooked together or played board games, drew etc
Mind you, I’m a massive hypocrit - left to my own devices over Xmas I played Mario O Solidly for two days I’d have worn a diaper / nappy if I could
@PlywoodStick
Ya. Lotta people who have no experience in this sort of matter. For sure.
I think they want to make everything a "disorder" nowadays. Because it then justifies the behavior. It's ok, as long as the govt says it's "an addiction" which thus means it's "a disorder" which thus means no responsibility for a perso's choices.
Even the "mental addiction" argument is weak, I think. Because anything could be classified as a mental addiction.
@PanurgeJr
You were already warned, and Mr Dickens has instructed me to inform them if it continues.. Your post will be reported.
I will not be harassed and bullied by you for voicing my opinion here.
Well, anything can make you have an obsession over it. Not just games.
We have a term for "workaholic", after all.
I don't claim to know everything about people but obsessions and addictions encompasses so many things. Gaming is just one of them, it just so happens that it's very popular across the world.
@PlywoodStick wow you just don’t get it do you
Reading the posts so many don’t understand it all
NOONE is attacking your gaming freedom, NOONE is putting legislation on you.
All this article is about is the VERY REAL problem of certain individuals who are addicted to gaming to an unhealthy degree.
Anyone who thinks this is made up or an excuse well that’s your opinion, but it’s also shows how ignorant you can be. Maybe your defensive because your the exact type of gamer that has these symptoms, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen this.
Opinions are fine, but have some real thought into what this is, so stop getting defensive like someone has just broke your dpad lmao
No one is taking your gaming freedom away!
So please everyone stop being such dramatic queens 👸
Gaming isn't an addiction, it's a lifestyleeee~

@NinChocolate Is that a reference to Fahrenheit 451, about the Post-Literate Society?
@FinalFrog Sounds more like Soma than gaming...
@KingdomHeartsFan The thing is, the WHO is applying their definition to gaming as a whole, not just MMO's and such. The insinuation made by this decision is that gaming is inherently associated with destructive and antisocial activities such as the action-reward effect that is well documented in gambling. The answer the WHO will tell doctors in response to this will be to prescribe and sell additional drugs/medications, which in many cases will not assist the patient significantly or at all. It could even worsen their situation.
What the WHO does not mention is that in truth, many people who play XP-based multiplayer and especially MMO titles really do so to fulfill their social needs, of which may not be so easily fulfilled in the real world. Many of those titles actually can have positive social benefits- I should know, I'm one of the people who have used it expressly for that purpose. (But of course the WHO wouldn't mention that wrinkle, because that would indicate there's more to this than it seems at first glance, therefore selling even more drugs/medications may not be the answer.)
Granted, that doesn't mean everything's hunky-dory as it is, and of course one can only form true relationships with other people face-to-face. But for those who find it very difficult to communicate in such formats, gaming can be a useful tool for those people.
@frogopus It's a constantly evolving field, and your wife is at the forefront! Glad to hear you're so proud of her!
Technology is changing very quickly now- too quickly for governance and laws to keep up with proper classifications. Personally, I think the correct term in many cases is "attachment," not "addiction." Behavior over time can be changed by the way people interact with each other. The brain's chemistry and how it wires itself is changed by constant stimuli- including the nearly constant cell/smartphone use people have now.
I'm surprised to hear that any debate would be focused on gaming, when the focus really should be on cell/smartphone use. It's become so pervasive, that it's changing the way people operate and think. Wouldn't that be the really important and urgent topic of research to focus their time, money, and efforts on? The condition of being overly attached to gaming covers a much, much smaller range of people than those who are overly attached to phones, smart devices, and the Internet of Things.
In particular, I would think it would be a hugely important and urgent issue of study to figure out whether or not, perhaps, human beings' brain chemistry is largely incapable of making a fully intact and smooth transition to a life dominated by the Internet of Things, like The Jetsons presents, and like all the big telecom corporations want consumers to think would happen. Any musings on gaming being directly associated with "addiction" or not are peanuts by comparison.
People can be addicted to anything in daily life. Food, television, exercise, etc. It's all about balance.
@Banjos_Backpack What @FinalFrog said, in a nutshell.
And thank you for the vote of confidence Froggy! Some people just want to be correct, and don't care about other perspectives. To be honest, I've been guilty of that in the past, myself. So I'm trying to expand my boundaries and keep my mind as open as possible!
@frogopus Well, the thing is, a lot of problems are really complicated, and have multiple layers.
Canadians have a lot of guns too, but their death rates by gun per capita are much, much lower than in the USA. They also don't have as much economic inequality.
Too much wine can ruin your health, and some people such as pregnant mothers should avoid alcohol consumption, but having some wine in moderation can actually provide antioxidants, which are definitely good for your health. Wine can also be good for lightly alleviating stress after a hard day, instead of opting to overmedicate- don't need a doctor to know that!
Overall, I'm just saying that there is more than one or even two sides to this and many other issues.
I find it interesting the WHO takes this stance on gaming while still taking zero stance on the effects of something like porn.
At the end of the day, an unhealthy fixation on anything can have negative side effects.
@Deathwalka "NO ONE is putting legislation on you."
Not yet. During these times with what's going on in the US Government? It could easily get worse in a hurry. A lot worse. The ones who got elected to the top are already itching to erase as much funding/support as possible for departments dealing with mental health issues. An extra classification like this can be used to focus help on someone who needs it... or it could be used as an excuse to stop supporting people who need it because they can now be labeled as having yet another preexisting condition, thus potentially removing health care coverage.
Why did this happen? Follow the money. That's one of the best things one can do to read between the lines and see what's happening here. It has nothing to do with "gaming freedom." But rather, who holds the money purse (i.e. makes the decisions) and how that changes what the public can and cannot do in response.
Oh no, I am diagnosed as gamer
Addiction is a real thing, whether by processes in the body, psychologically self inflicted, or both. With that said, I have shown some of these symptoms while gaming in my lifetime, but fortunately for me, it was never prolonged and just specific and temporary. I was self aware of what I was doing, and was able to stop if I so chose to. I guess the takeaway is, if you recognize a problem, and you can't stop it, seek help. If you see someone having this problem, seek help for them. And if you are self aware of what you're doing and CAN stop a bad habit, you should do so. We can all learn something from this article.
Man, some Blizzard servers must have epidemics on their hands! Some folk on World of Warcraft play it like a lifestyle choice.
A lot of people seem to be misunderstanding this. This isn't saying "If you play a lot of video games you have a mental disorder!" It's a little too vague, sure, but gaming addiction is a real disorder. Not sure how prevalent it is in the west, but I've heard that it's a much bigger concern particularly in Asian countries.
@Ryu_Niiyama sure, just hope it doesn't get policed outside of parental controls for kids, like a 3 hour limit with hopefully auto save.
It isn't different from any kind of addiction. If you are mismanaging your life just to play games, gamble, etc. Then you need help.
But playing a lot if you have free time isn't an addiction, its a hobby.
@JHDK It is not a disease, but it can still be a mental disorder, and if it is negatively affecting someone's life then rather than saying they're fine, we should be helping them.
“increased priority given to gaming
continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences”
Same things apply to many pursuing sports sports too which lead to actual brain injuries and severe disorders subsequently. But no, continue the contact sports traditions which are borderline abuse to children in certain age leagues
@NinChocolate Adults should know what they're getting themselves into, and professionals accept that they may sustain permanent injuries in exchange for their pay. But yeah, those who don't implement flag tagging for high contact sports played by kids are irresponsible idiots.
I really hope this is an actual study and not just some tactic to ban gaming.
While I think that some people might get addicted, everything that produce pleasure may addict someone, the 3 symptoms are so generic that fail to confirm and prove anything. It's just another way to sell us more and more medicine and treatments.
I'm a psychologist so take this as some kind of professional opinion.
@PlywoodStick lol are you still going on about this?
Your talking about what ifs, and it won’t happen, none of your gaming will get effected...it’s a small blimp on the problems of the world. Honestly calm down and just enjoy your gaming lol
theres a lot of gamers that certainly have a disorder but its definitely not the games fault.
@Deathwalka Now who's the one missing the point? Also, don't upvote yourself, it's bad etiquette.
@PlywoodStick there you go making your own rules, bad etiquette my ass, it’s called loving yourself
I love everything I do, if I don’t who will? 😝
Well, in that case I better get myself admitted, stat
All things in life have to be taken in moderation including video games, TV and just about anything else recreational. it’s just a matter of structure & managing your time. Sometimes i don’t play for a whole damn week straight with running a business and supporting my family! But...Business before pleasure as they say. 😊
@TonyCrispy
Ooh... i still play DDR on Arcade until today. I have been playing DDR for more than 14 years, still never stop playing. I play DDR X2 USA Arcade every Sunday at my local Game Arcade TimeZone Super Mall Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.
Also, i got back my PS2 Slim + DDR EXTREME Japan PS2, so i can practice again at home.
@PlywoodStick
"Behavior over time can be changed by the way people interact with each other. The brain's chemistry and how it wires itself is changed by constant stimuli- including the nearly constant cell/smartphone use people have now."
Interesting...
Because i realized people nowadays are very busy with their own business. They don't care with other peoples, like was in 80's , be Individualist, be Selfish. Even say hello on the street or helping other peoples immediately are very Rare to be happened. Instead, when there was an Accident, most people nowadays will take a shot with their smartphone, not helping the situation, just be a Bystanders.
I think to myself how does the technology changed their brain and mindset to become Apathetic peoples like that.
@MrVariant The ERSB does what it can to moderate, but it isn't something you can accurately predict the effects of like say alcohol (and even that depends on the person, I for instance am a featherweight...the smell of even beer at hockey games GO 'CANES makes my head hurt and me feel light headed) so this doesn't do much aside from allow the medical profession to diagnose a person and try to intervene before somebody wrecks their life. This issues is addictions are usually symptoms of a greater issue...this just allows a vice to be named and then controlled for an addicted person.
Then again don't forget that medicine is a practice and not an exact science.
Really depends entirely on what else you do. If you only play video games, you've got issues. Just like if you only watch TV or only listen to music.
Much more about the time spent doing something (as a proportion of your entire week) than it is about the actual nature of the thing.
Not surprising. Dopamine is released according to enjoyment, potentially bringing with it addiction and withdrawal side-effects from very often doing things that release it. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy such things, but it's helpful to understand the potential consequences behind them, in case you need to recover from them (or don't want experience them at all).
These quacks must be desperate for patients seeing as there's a new "disorder" being invented every day.
@JaxonH And I won't stop responding to opinions with the exact level of respect they deserve. Also, the guy running to the mods every time he's resisted is the actual bully.
Okay, simple solution: ban humans and let cats rule the world.
I don't think kids or adults should be told when and when not they can play on they're games. Think about the people who work for gaming companys they work on games but they also have play a lot as well. Some of them play them in work (while designing them) they have to do that if they want a payment. Do you think that's adiction? They do that for living you know.
I eat a meal 3 times a day. Something must be wrong with me, I must be addicted to food.
@JaxonH
Addiction doesn't have to be a physical addiction. People are addicted to Ecstacy but their bodies don't go into withdrawal. They'll come down but they won't get sick if they don't get any more of the drug. Cannabis isn't a physical addiction either. There's psychological addiction. Your claiming to be an ex addict but your comment is telling me you know very little about addiction if you cannot recognise psychological addiction.
@Mart1ndo
I already addressed the mental addiction aspect, and it's weak. Anything can be classified as a mental addiction.
But I've been through those too. REAL ones. Where your body starts shaking and you start violently throwing up just from looking at a bag. Not from some withdrawl but the mental addiction. And if something can't make you do that then I don't see it as a real mental addiction.
@JaxonH
What about gambling? You get a win, you get a rush. Shopping addiction is another one. I actually have a shopping addiction. I can buy 2 or 3 of the one item because I got a good feeling from buying the first one I want that feeling again. I buy something and I feel fantastic. We do things that make us feel good. Addiction is very complex. Nothing is black and white.
@Mart1ndo
Gambling is a grey area, but I have friends who couldn't stop.
I still think a new word is in order though. There should be a distinguishment between substances that cause addiction and habits that bring out already compulsive behavior.
I think there's two different things going on, but we just haven't yet learned to properly differentiate them yet.
@JaxonH
See that's where your wrong. The two are intertwined.
@Mart1ndo
And I say that's where you're wrong. Maybe they are intertwined, maybe not, but you can't convince me playing video is an addiction and never will. Otherwise, any behavior people enjoy can be addictive. And there's a stark contrast between substances and behaviors that truly cause addiction, with real symptoms, and those which don't.
Withdrawl is the key piece to the puzzle. If it doesn't cause physical WD symptoms or mental withdrawl which manifests physically, then it's something else entirely.
@JaxonH
I'm surprised at your opinion but we'll leave it at that.
@Mart1ndo
No worries. I think habits are a good example of something that's not really an addiction, but something you continue to do, sometimes even when it's bad for you (bad habits). Addictions are usually different inasmuch as you are unable to break it despite your most sincere efforts.
And in alot of cases, people just don't give it a sincere effort. They like it, they might even compulsively engage in it, but if they decided "I want to stop and am going to do everything in my power to do just that" I think the behavior would easily be dropped. It's often a matter of the exact opposite of addiction- instead of being unable to quit despite the sincerest desire to stop, people have the sincerest desire to continue despite being perfectly able to quit.
Sorry, didn't mean to keep it going, just wanted to elaborate a bit more on how I see the matter.
The NHS pick and choose who has a mental disorder anyway...how is playing games too much a disorder...video games, at least the ones I play are good for...
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