For the first time gaming may soon be classified as an actual mental health condition.
The world health organisation has listed a gaming disorder in their draft of the 2018 international classification of diseases
it currently says that a gaming disorder is “characterised by a pattern of persistent or recurring gaming behaviour which may be online or offline”.
Being added into the ICD (International Classification of Diseases)will mean that a gaming disorder will become an official health diagnosis that can be used by doctors, health care workers, and insurance companies.
But this does not mean that anyone who enjoys playing video games has a mental disorder, with the draft including a series of criteria to help identify when someone is suffering from gaming disorder, these include:
Impaired control over gaming, for example onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination.
Increasing priority given to gaming, to the extent that gaming takes priority over other interests and daily activities.
Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.
