The World Health Organization has announced that it considers gaming disorder a mental health condition.
It has listed and defined gaming disorder as a condition warranting further research in the 11th edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), citing an increase in the development of treatment programmes across the world.
Gaming disorder is defined as a pattern of gaming behavior characterised by impaired control over gaming, as well as increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other daily activities.
For gaming disorder to be diagnosed, the behaviour pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.
The statement has been praised by some while others argue it may risk stigmatizing too many young video game players.
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