The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently released the 11th edition of its International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD). The handbook is used by medical professionals and researchers as a reference and to identify diseases, by following the descriptions of symptoms within. For the first time, in this edition, the ICD has named and described 'gaming disorder' in the section on addictive disorders. With gaming disorder in the ICD, it will help alert medical professionals so that people who suffer from the described condition can get appropriate help.
Gaming disorder rubs shoulders with conditions such as gambling disorder, substance abuse, and addictive hoarding in the ICD. If you are a video game enthusiast or at least know others that love to spend hours playing games you might be interested in the three major diagnostic features or characteristics of gaming disorder. These are bullet pointed below:
- Impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context)
- Increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities
- Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences
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