Gaming Disorder Becomes an Official Diagnosis

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated "Gaming Disorder" as an official diagnosis to be included in the next revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Currently, ICD-10 is in use and Gaming Disorder, as part of the ICD-11, was approved in June, 2018 and will be formally implemented on January 1, 2022.


The description for Gaming Disorder is:

    "Hazardous gaming refers to a pattern of gaming, either online or offline, that appreciably increases the risk of harmful physical or mental health consequences to the individual or to others around this individual. The increased risk may be from the frequency of gaming, from the amount of time spent on these activities, from the neglect of other activities and priorities, from risky behaviors associated with gaming or its context, from the adverse consequences of gaming, or from the combination of these. The pattern of gaming is often persists in spite of awareness of increased risk of harm to the individual or to others."

The criteria for diagnosis is:

Gaming disorder, predominately online, is characterized by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior (‘digital gaming’ or ‘video-gaming’) that is primarily conducted over the internet and is manifested by:

1. impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context);
2. increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities;
3. and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The behavior pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

​The pattern of gaming behavior may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. The gaming behavior and other features are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months in order for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe.

Additionally, Gaming Disorder can occur offline with all criteria being the same, for it is not primarily conducted online.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5th Edition (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognizes "Internet Gaming Disorder" as a problem yet designated it as a "condition warranting more clinical research and experience". The DSM-5 (published in 2013) lists the diagnostic criteria as:

- Preoccupation with gaming
- Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
- Tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge
- Inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming
- Giving up other activities, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming
- Continuing to game despite problems
- Deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent on gaming
- The use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness
- Risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming

For additional information and reading, please go here:
https://www.who.int/features/qa/gaming-disorder/en/
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/internet-gaming