WHO Adds Gaming Disorder to the List of Recognised Illness

The World Health Organization has recognised gaming disorder as an official illness. The 194 members of the group made the decision at the 72nd World Health Assembly. WHO has agreed to adopt the eleventh revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, which is also known as ICD-11. This new revision of the ICD includes gaming disorder as an illness.

According to WHO’s ICD-11 this is the definition and characterisation of gaming disorder: “A pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior (‘digital gaming’ or ‘video-gaming’), which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by: impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context); 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. The behavior pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.”

This classification and recognisation of gaming disorder by the World Health Organization is a big step forward in the debate surrounding gaming addiction.