The World Health Organization (WHO) has added video game addiction to the list of mental illnesses. The description of the new disease was added to the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) along with 55 thousand other disorders, injuries and other ailments.
According to the WHO definition, gaming disorder can be said if a gamer does not control the frequency and duration of gaming sessions, prefers video games to any other activity and does not give up his hobby despite its negative impact on personal, family and social life. Gaming disorder as a diagnosis is made if such behavior lasts for at least one year.
According to scientists, a small percentage of people suffer from gaming disorder. Nevertheless, WHO urges gamers to pay attention to this problem and monitor how their hobby affects the state of the body and psyche.
For the first time, WHO included gambling addiction in the draft of the new edition of the ICD in February 2018. Researchers of the disorder noted its similarity with the behavior of people suffering from gambling cravings.
Earlier, the associations of video game manufacturers in the United States and Great Britain expressed skepticism about the WHO initiative, calling on experts to better study the phenomenon of gaming addiction before officially classifying it as a disease.
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