WHO to declare Gaming Addiction as Mental Disorder

washington Jan 6: In a move to recognize the gaming addiction as the mental disorder the World Health Organization is in advanced stages of discussions and would soon be releasing a new list.Sources said that "The disorder will be listed in the 11th edition of the international classification of disease, to be published in June."

The officials have said that the definition of mental gaming disorder would be modified as "a pattern of gaming behavior, that can be digital gaming or video gaming, characterized by impaired control over gaming, increased priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests."

The WHO would also frame specific guidelines that may be followed before declaring gaming addiction as a mental disorder and these include "that an individual should demonstrate an abnormal fixation on gaming for at least a year before diagnosed with the disorder, which will be classified as an addictive behavior."

The decision would impact a lot of younger generation as these days many people are getting addicted to digital gaming including video games at home and the situation has reached an alarming state with the advent of blue whale game which has claimed many lives of children.