[ad_1]
-
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A man plays a game at the Paris Games Week in Paris in 2017. L & The World Health Organization says that compulsively playing video games now qualifies as a new mental health condition, in a move that some critics believe may stigmatize its young players.
<! –
~~
->
<! –
~~
->
GENEVA >> The World Health Organization says some obsessive gamblers may have an addiction.
In its June review of a disease classification manual, the United Nations health agency said that condition. The statement confirmed the fears of some parents but led critics to warn that it might stigmatize too many young video players.
The WHO has described a "gambling disorder" as a separate condition that will help governments, families, and caregivers to be more vigilant
The agency and d & # 39; other experts have quickly noted that cases of this disease are still very rare, with up to 3% of all players supposed to be affected.
Dr. Shekhar Saxena, director of the WHO Department for Mental Health and Addiction, said that the agency accepted the proposal that gambling disorder should be listed as a new problem based on scientific evidence, in addition to need and treatment. the world. "
Dr. Joan Harvey, a spokeswoman for the British Psychological Society, warned that the new designation could cause unnecessary concern for parents.
" People need to understand that this does not mean that every child spend hours in his room playing. "1965-19006 DECISION APPLAUDIE
Others welcome the new classification of the WHO, saying it is essential to quickly identify people hooked on video games because they are usually teenagers or young adults who are not looking for help.
"We meet parents who are clueless, not only because they see their child drop out of school, but because they see a whole family structure, "said Dr. Henrietta Bowden-Jones, a spokesperson for behavioral addictions at Royal College of Psychiatrists of Grande-Br Bowden-Jones stated that gambling addictions were generally better treated with psychological therapies, but that some drugs could also work.
The American Psychiatric Association has not yet considered gambling disorder as a mental health problem. problem. In a 2013 statement, the association said it was "a condition warranting more clinical research and experience before it can be included" in its own diagnostic manual.
The group noted that much of the scientific literature on problem gamblers relies on "Studies suggest that when these individuals are engrossed in Internet gambling, some pathways in their brains are triggered from the same Direct and intense way that the brain of an addict is affected by a particular substance, "the association said in this statement. "The game causes a neurological response that influences the feelings of pleasure and reward, and the result, in the extreme, manifests itself as addictive behavior."
Dr. Mark Griffiths, who has been studying the concept of video game disorder for 30 years, said the new classification would help legitimize the problem and strengthen treatment strategies
"The video game is like a non-financial gaming game. a psychological point of view. "said Griffiths, a prominent professor of behavioral addiction at the University of Nottingham Trent. "Players use money as a way to keep points while players use points."
He guessed that the percentage of video game players with a compulsive problem was probably very low – much less than 1% – probably other underlying issues, such as depression, bipolar disorder or the # 39; autism.
SMALL PERCENTAGE
However, Saxena, of the WHO, estimates that 2 to 3% of players could be affected.
Playing video games, for the vast majority of people, is more about entertainment and novelty, citing the overwhelming popularity of games like "Pokemon Go."
"You have these short and obsessive bursts and yes, people play a lot, Saxena said that parents and friends of video game enthusiasts should always be aware of a potentially dangerous problem." "Lookout," he said, noting that worries should be high if gaming habit seems to take over.
"If (video games) interfere with the expected functions of the person – whether it's studies, whether socialization or work – then you have to be careful and maybe look for help, "he said.
[ad_2]
Source link
