WHO to Formalize Addiction to Video Games as Mental Disorder

It will appear in the International Classification of Diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will collect the disorder caused by the misuse or misuse of video games in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which is updated for the first time since 1990 next year.

However, it will not have a heading entirely dedicated to its development; instead, it will be included within the range of "digital games". Although there is not yet a fixed definition, the NewScientist portal has listed some of the behavioral patterns that doctors will use to determine when video games begin to have a negative effect on a patient's life, including the inability to control the frequency, intensity, duration, or context of a play session; the priority given to the game over other interests in everyday life; or the continued use of the game despite having a negative impact on the user.

Vladimir Poznyak, head of the WHO's Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department, explains that most gamblers do not suffer from disorders of any kind, as do alcohol drinkers. However, their misuse can lead to a disorder. On the other hand, Helena Matute, professor of Experimental Psychology at Deust University, explains that it is necessary to distinguish "addictions from their inappropriate use, whose behavior leads you to harm yourself or others.