Severe dependence on video games is now recognized as a disease. The WHO has specified that it is not just playing video games, but having addictive and harmful behaviors.
For years the World Health Organization (WHO from now on) has been trying to put video game addiction on its list of diseases and addictions to treat. Today it has finally been added and many players have shouted to the sky, but they would not be considered addicts or mentally ill.
What is video game addiction according to the WHO?
To begin with, the definition that the WHO has given of video game addiction is that it is shown in three ways: not having own control over the need to play, giving priority to video games over other social and vital needs, and a deterioration significant in personal, family, social, educational, work, and other important areas of functioning. For the diagnosis of addiction to be considered valid, 12 months of these behaviors would have to happen constantly but the time could be less if the symptoms are severe.
Simply put: no, you spend eight hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays playing Fortnite u Overwatch because your friends are playing it doesn't say you have a video game addiction. It would be cases of physical and mental dependence behaviors such as having a gambling routine and abandoning it produces a certain withdrawal syndrome, or severely stopping eating and sleeping or having social and family relationships for preferring to play. Clearly, they are examples of having mental problems caused by playing video games, not just playing a lot because it is the main entertainment of a person. And the addiction itself would be evaluated to see if it is a symptom of other more serious mental problems such as depression or is used to hide anxiety.
Upon acceptance, WHO member countries will have until 2022 to adopt support and treatment measures for video game addiction. And as much as we like video games, we must take seriously its addictive components that can cause harm to people who can generate a dependency and not laugh at those who need a real treatment.
Source: PC Gamer
