Are you a fan of Video games? If yes and you're probably more on the extreme end as a fanatic, please chill because we don't mean to spill the news no one wants to hear, but the World Health Organization says that's definitely not a cool lifestyle to keep, at least not the most desirable there is.
The WHO last Saturday, updated its list of International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which saw "gaming disorder" added to its database of modern diseases.
The World Health Organization initially included video game addiction to its category of potentially harmful technology-related behaviors, in the June of last year. Which also got extended to excessive computer, smartphone and internet activity amidst a myriad of others. However, over time this action taken by the WHO didn't go down well with trade groups, who upheld the benefits of video games and highlighted arguments favoring the use of gaming devices. But, the latest ICD was the last straw which broke the Carmel's back and lead to its official approval at the 72nd World Health Assembly.
"Gaming disorder" fits into "disorders due to addictive behavior" section of the ICD. It's defined as "a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior, which may be online or offline, manifested by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences."
That's too bad for chronic gamers all over, as early reports of 2007 from the American Psychiatric Association, and its most recent ones, listing the topic up for discussion (PDF) in the latest version of its diagnostic bible, the DSM-5, seem to have both lent credence to the efforts of the WHO.