Gaming & Mental Health

It’s a billion dollar industry.  It’s so lucrative, teens from across the world have become self-made millionaires by mastering the craft of gaming.  However, the average player in the gaming industry hasn’t figured out how to make a career out of gaming, most simply play because of the fun, adreneline, and addiction of the game.  Many gamers who play for fun can spend hours of their lives in front of the television completely engaged in their favorite video games.  We’ve even seen the violent reactions from players who’ve had their video game consols stripped away, or saved games deleted – players have a literal melt-down in front of our eyes.  For these reasons and more, the World Organization has classified Video Game Addiction as a disorder that may possibly lead to mental health issues.

As if we don’t have enough problems on planet earth, we now have a new mental disorder labeled “Gaming Disorder”.  As an official disease, Gaming Disorder is a “pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior (digital gaming/video gaming), online or offline.  Here are some symptoms of video game addiction or Gaming Disorder:

1. Impaired control over gaming (an onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context)
2. Increasing priority given to gaming.  It takes precedence over life interests and daily activities
3. A continuation of gaming despite negative consequences. The Addiction has a significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational relationships and functions.

Experts from the World Health Organization believe that this disorder will only affect a small percentage of gamers who play approximately 20 hours per day, without eating, sleeping, working, and/or any daily activities.

Now of course, the gaming industry isn’t buying into the concept that Gaming Disorder is now a mental illness.  Even some health officials are claiming the research is not specific enough, and conclusions are too vague. Video game groups around the world have requested the World Health Organization take a second look at their conclusion; according to the USA today, a joint statement was made defending the gaming:

“WHO (World Health Organization)’s guidance needs to be based on regular, inclusive, and transparent reviews backed by independent experts.  Gaming Disorder is not based on sufficient robust evidence to justify its inclusion in one of the WHO’s most important norm-setting tools.”

Although the gaming industry does not agree with the conclusion from WHO, many of us as consumers and users of video games, either know someone or have experienced how video games can take over a person’s life.  People get extremely emotional while playing a video game, or if a video game is taken away.

If you or know someone you love, knows anyone who may be affected by too much video game play, TEXT “SUPPORT” to 37420.

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