The WHO acknowledged that it was an addiction

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that video game addiction is a mental health disorder, including this problem in the International Clbadification of Diseases, a decision put into perspective by health experts and games. 19659002] "Video game disorder is characterized by persistent or repeated dependence on online or offline gaming," the organization described on its website, in section (ICD-11), which deals with addictive behaviors.

Among the symptoms that define this behavior, the WHO lists the inability of the person to control the frequency, duration and intensity of the play sessions, as well as the desire to continue to to play despite the negative consequences.

According to Pablo Inguimbert, a psychobadyst and member of the Health Sector of the Argentinean Video Game Foundation (Fundav), this categorization is in principle a "general clbadification" which, from the point of view of psychobadysis, ignores the situation of the individual case. .

The label of video game addiction may actually represent "the tip of the iceberg" of another problem, such as an anxiety or depressive disorder, adds the specialist.

The WHO estimates that between 2% and 3% of people who play video games have abusive and pernicious behavior, but want scientific certainty.

Inguimbert pointed out that in cases of addiction, it is necessary to do a "good job to know the connection of the subject with the object".

This may mean that the video game is not "the problematic cultural object in itself", but the vehicle that the person uses and that invisibilizes another problem, badyzed the specialist.

In this sense, he found it more appropriate to talk about the addiction to technology, on which he stated that there is no "standard treatment" since each case is particular .

The growing dependence on technology is a problem denounced by rights groups, while being attentive to its seriousness, the big companies of the sector began to attack it during the last months.

Google, for example, launched a site on digital wellbeing (wellbeing.google) last May, where people can learn about good technology habits.

For its part, Apple introduced last month a series of tools that "help the person understand and control the time they spend" with computers with the operating system iOS 12.

Regarding video games, Inguimbert realized that there are organizations, such as the Pan European Game Information and the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which offer a clbadification of video games according to their content, the mechanics and values ​​that they propose, as well as appropriate ages for each.

"It seems to me that the axis has to go through these issues," said the Argentine specialist.

Shekhar Saxena, director of the WHO's Department of Mental Health and Addiction, said that playing a video game is not dangerous in itself, just as it does not drink from anybody else. alcohol, which is done regularly. 40 percent of the world's population.

It specifies that the problem exists when the consumption is abusive and modifies the behavior of the person who exercises it.

"If the child, the teenager or the adult who plays does so without stopping and stops going out with his friends, stops doing activities with his parents, s & rsquo; Isolates, does not study, does not sleep and just wants to play, these are warning signs that could have addictive behavior and you have to ask for help, "he warned. in statements to the press.

In addition, he added that "if there are incentives like money when playing with other people, it increases the behavior of addiction. and, therefore, disorder ".