Many of us may be familiar with the game “Fortnite”, as pictured above. Do you recall the viral Fortnite dances that kids, adolescents, and adults partook in? Perhaps “flossing” or the “floss dance” might jog your memory?
Video games can be a fun, accessible hobby for many. This is evidenced by the sensation of Fortnite sweeping the globe in 2018; I’ve personally witnessed children doing popular Fortnite dances on stadium jumbotrons and heard of countless anecdotes from friends whose partners are fully absorbed in gaming and neglecting their relationship (see: gamer widows).
However, can video gaming be considered addictive?
In mid-2018, the World Health Organization added “gaming disorder”, otherwise known as video game addiction, to the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), a diagnostic manual used by medical professionals globally. The ICD-11 states that gaming disorder is
“characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The behavioral pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months.”
In other words, gaming disorder, as a diagnosis in the ICD-11, may be appropriate for an individual who, over a 12 month period, exhibits a lack of control over gaming, prioritizes gaming over interests and activities, and continues to game despite harmful negative consequences.
So yes, the short answer is, video game addiction is now a very real and diagnosable condition.
Given that gaming disorder is a newer, emerging condition, more research in this field is needed. Research suggests that the prevalence of this disorder can range from 0.7-27.5% (or 1 in 100 to 28 in 100 people). Several studies have shown that the prevalence rate of gaming disorder is 1-10% in North American and European populations.
As researchers across the globe try to fully tease apart the key to gaming disorder, we will be able to understand and be able to treat individuals with gaming disorder more effectively as clinicians and mental health professionals.
Stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll dive into the nitty gritty of gaming disorder. What do we know so far about this emerging condition? What are the benefits of gaming (if any)? The negative consequences?
Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
