WHO classifies gaming addiction as mental health disorder
LONDON: Many parents will have thought it for a long time, but they now have a new argument to limit their children’s “screen time” – addiction to video games has been recognised by World Health Organisation (WHO) as a mental health disorder.
The WHO’s latest reference bible of recognised and diagnosable diseases describes addiction to digital and video gaming as “a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour” that becomes so extensive that it “takes precedence over other life interests”.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which has been updated over the past 10 years, now covers 55,000 injuries, diseases and causes of death.
It forms a basis for the WHO and other experts to see and respond to trends in health.
“It enables us to understand so much about what makes people get sick and die, and to take action to prevent suffering and save lives,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement as the ICD was published.
The ICD is also used by health insurers whose reimbursements depend on ICD classifications.
This latest version – known as ICD-11 – is completely electronic for the first time, in an effort to make it more accessible to doctors and other health workers around the world.
Vincent Allen, a 21-year-old American who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and enjoys playing video games in his spare time, believes that the ruling undermines other serious health conditions.
“Great, let’s make it worse for people who actually have a real disease/disability to get the help they need!” he tweeted.
“I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and depression, let’s see how many more dumb conditions become a reality.”
ICD-11 also includes changes to sexual health classifications.
Previous editions had categorised sexual dysfunction and gender incongruence, for example, under mental health conditions, while in ICD-11 these move to the sexual health section.
ICD-11 is scheduled to be presented to WHO member states at the World Health Assembly in May next year for adoption in 2022. – The Independent/Reuters