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Game Addiction Classified a Behavioral Disease by World Health Organization

In a new report sent out by the World Health Organization, they have voted to classify game addiction as a behavioral disease moving forward. The vote was made to adopt the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, also known as ICD-11. This specifically gives game addiction a proper classification under their guidelines, but like all articles made by the World Health Organization, it only classifies it, it doesn't give any advice on how to diagnose, treat, medicate, and other areas that fall under a physician's care, that's for different countries to decide. We have the full classification for you here.

Game Addiction Classified a Behavioral Disease World Health Organization

Gaming disorder is characterized by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour [sic] ('digital gaming' or 'video-gaming'), which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by:
  1. impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context);
  2. increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and
  3. continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The behaviour pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
The pattern of gaming behaviour may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. The gaming behaviour and other features are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months in order for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe.

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Gavin SheehanAbout Gavin Sheehan

Gavin is the current Games Editor for Bleeding Cool. He has been a lifelong geek who can chat with you about comics, television, video games, and even pro wrestling. He can also teach you how to play Star Trek chess, be your Mercy on Overwatch, recommend random cool music, and goes rogue in D&D. He also enjoys hundreds of other geeky things that can't be covered in a single paragraph. Follow @TheGavinSheehan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vero, for random pictures and musings.
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