A rather hot topic in the gaming community and health today is related to the decision of the World Health Organization WHO to classify excessive gaming as a psychological disorder. Most recently, professor Douglas Gentile of Iowa State University, USA has studied game addiction for three years and he has found that game addiction, especially for those under 18, can be seriously affected.
The professor’s research includes more than 3,000 children across the United States. It shows that more than 90% of children can play video games and do not develop game psychopathy, but those who start to have a habit of game addiction, will experience depression, fatigue, and fear of social interaction. Gentile also notes that children with video game addictions have poorer academic performance in school.
However, Gentile also noticed that some kids who were able to control their gaming addiction were less likely to experience depression, fatigue and social anxiety symptoms, and they also improved their grades.
Gentile’s research shows that gaming in children can have serious effects, but we should note that, according to his results, more than 90% of players do not suffer from this psychological disorder. However, it is still important to have a treatment plan for this disorder, especially for those who have been diagnosed with the disorder.
With ongoing research, it is certain that different therapeutic approaches will be developed. For the time being, treatment for gaming disorders is similar to that of drug or alcohol addiction.
Whether traditional addiction treatments are effective when applied to game addiction, we have to wait and see. Gaming disorder is a new diagnosis, and more research is needed to better understand this pathology.
according to WHO TV
Source link: Children addicted to games can increase depression, fatigue
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