The World Health Organization (WHO) has just established video game addiction as a form of mental health disorder. Video game addiction is included in the latest version of the disease classification released by WHO on Monday (6/18).
In that classification, WHO defines addiction to play games characterized by repetitive patterns of game behavior, whether online or offline. Addiction to play can be seen from several manifestations of the inability to control the game, prioritizing the game over the interests of other lives and continuing the game even though it has negative consequences.
“What’s important is that this behavior (playing games) continues despite these negative consequences,” mental health and substance abuse experts for WHO Vladimir Poznyak, quoted by The San Diego Union-Tribunne, said.
Poznyak explained that a person can be qualified as a mental health disorder who is addicted to video games if repetitive play activities damage personal life, family, social, …
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