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By Bob Gaydos
What many parents around the world have proclaimed for some time now is official: Some people – especially young men – are literally, and not only figuratively and annoyingly, addicted to video games.
The World Health Organization, which, after many studies and debates, recently added gambling disorder to its International Clbadification of Diseases, the leading source of information for physicians worldwide [19659004]. one day) about what would be considered an addictive game, but rather, place the video game in the same category as gambling addiction – a behavior that becomes "a priority" and that the individual is unable to. stop despite many negative consequences. These include the loss of a job, the loss of friends, broken relationships, poor health, poor grades and other problems that could arise for someone who has played, for example, Fortnite, the current raging of the video game for 14 to 16 hours a day. work, school, food, sleep, family, friends, showers … real life.
Although this clbadification may seem late to some, it is not without controversy. On the one hand, the WHO has focused on video gaming, both online and offline, but did not include the use of the Internet and smartphones, which are certainly vectors of obsessive behavior. For another, the American Psychiatric Association did not include the game in the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, choosing to call it a "condition for further study." "
Some critics of the WHO clbadification suggest that targeted because of the intense lobbying of some countries, such as China and South Korea, which have a large population of video players and are desperately seeking to But some mental health professionals say that the official designation of the WHO could improve public education, research, insurance coverage and program development of treatment, which are currently rare and expensive.They say they include the game industry – with its legion of experts on creating reward and reinforcement scenarios – in the conversation can only help
Unsurprisingly, most video game creators (who have an economic incentive to consider) and their legion of players responded negatively to the clbadification, arguing the methodology of some studies and saying that the results were far away. to be conclusive. They also say that gaming studies are relatively new and that some studies have shown benefits for video games, including improved thinking processes (many strategies), greater motivation (many levels to reach and competition). to win). and improved memory and eye-hand coordination (essential for a good game). In this respect, they say, the game is apparent to young people who play sports or who join clubs.
Finally, mental health professionals do not agree on the question of whether gambling is the cause or the effect of these common disorders. Yet, whether it is an official mental health disorder or a study deserving of further investigation, no one claims to play video games to the point that the player suffers negative consequences in other areas of life is good for his health. So, while the APA did not rank the game as a disorder, it found nine criteria to identify it, should it make that official decision. They are similar to those used to identify other officially clbadified dependencies:
1. Concern. Do you spend a lot of time thinking about games, even when you're not playing, or planning when you can play next?
2. Withdrawal. Do you feel restless, irritable, moody, angry, anxious or sad when trying to reduce or stop playing, or when you are unable to play?
3. Tolerance. Do you feel the need to play more and more time, play more exciting games or use more powerful equipment to get the same level of excitement that you had used to # 39; get?
4. Reduce / stop. Do you think you should play less, but can not reduce the time you spend playing?
5. Abandon other activities. Are you losing interest or reducing your participation in other recreational activities because of gambling?
6. Continue despite the problems. Do you continue to play games even if you are aware of the negative consequences, such as not getting enough sleep, being late for school or work, spending too much money, having arguments with children? Others, or neglect important tasks?
Deceiving / covering up. Do you lie to your family, friends, or other people about how much you play, or do you try to prevent your family or friends from knowing how much you play?
8. Escape from unfavorable moods. Do you play to escape or forget personal problems, or to relieve uncomfortable feelings such as guilt, anxiety, helplessness or depression?
9. Risk / lose relationships / opportunities. Do you risk or lose meaningful relationships or employment, education or career opportunities because of gambling?
Obviously, the more "yes" answers, the more people have problems with video games. dependence or not. To deny it by shame, guilt or fear will be useless. In fact, the WHO clbadification aims to remove these barriers and provide a pathway for help. If the video player has difficulty stopping or reducing their expenses, consider consulting a professional addiction counselor.
There is also online help from those who understand the problem:
• Online gamers Anonymous, 12 "support and recovery organization" for players and their loved ones who suffer the harmful effects of excessive computer games ": olganon.org
• Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous (CGAA)," a recovery scholarship, based on the Alcoholics Anonymous model ": cgaa.info
Whatever you do, Be honest If you or a loved one are talking about it, if it's a concern, if it's been causing problems, then it's a problem, an official addiction or not.Not expect that the debate be resolved.
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