"Gaming Disorder" Is An Actual Disease, World Health Organization Says

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"Gaming Disorder" Is An Actual Disease, World Health Organization Says

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/g...rld-health-/1100-6455852/?ftag=GSS-05-10aaa0a

The World Health Organization, the public health division of the United Nations, has released its newest list of classified diseases--and "gaming disorder" is included. A draft of the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD) describes this as being characterized by a "pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour" online or offline.

The description goes on to say that gaming disorders can include the following: "1) impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context); 2) increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and 3) continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences."

People suffering from the so-called "gaming disorder" run the risk of "significant impairment" to their personal, family, social, education, and occupational lives, according to the WHO. The description goes on to say that "gaming disorder" can be a continuous condition or it can be episodic or recurrent in nature. For it to be suggested that a person has "gaming disorder," they would display these behaviour patterns for a year or longer.

The WHO also has a listing for "hazardous gaming," which the organisation says "refers to a pattern of gaming, either online or offline that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the individual or to others around this individual."
 

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