According to the World Health Organization (WHO), excessive gaming may now be a mental disorder. In the new draft of the WHO’s 11th International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), which will be released next year, gaming disorder will now be listed. The symptoms include “impaired control over gaming,” as well as playing video games over “other life interests and daily activities,” resulting in “the occurrence of negative consequences.” Here’s the WHO draft:
The behavior pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The gaming behavior 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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