
A major new study suggests that people who play a lot of video games may actually have a mental health condition.
The World Health Organization will add “gaming disorder” to its 2018 version of the International Classification of Diseases, the first time the WHO is updating the document in nearly three decades. It’s a recognition of what many health professionals have been documenting over the years when it comes to gaming addiction.
Now, the WHO will classify gaming disorder as a serious health condition. It hasn’t been set what wording the ICD will use, but gaming disorder most likely will be defined as when an addiction to video games becomes so extreme that other necessities and relationships are neglected.
It’s certain to raise some eyebrows in video gaming circles, who have bristled at the notion that video games can be harmful to people’s development or their social lives. This move will certainly raise awareness in the medical community about a little known disorder, leading to more research on the issue.
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