Video game addiction to become a formal diagnostic disorder

Actions against video games are getting stronger – even the American Medical Association (AMA) is making a move. However, this isn’t all about banning games branded as murder simulators or preventing games from defiling church grounds. Video game addiction is now being seriously considered to be categorized as a formal diagnostic disorder.

First of all, what’s considered a gamer? Mohamed K. Khan’s “Report of the Council on Science and Public Health: Emotional and Behavioral Effects, Including Addictive Potential of Video Games” reads:

Historically, a gamer was someone who played role-playing games or war games, but more recently the term has come to include computer and video game players. Although the term technically includes those who do not necessarily consider themselves gamers (ie, casual gamers), it is a commonly used colloquial term to identify persons who spend as much of their leisure time as possible playing or reading about games.

Furthermore, the report defines the “prototype gamer” as a 30-year-old male who averages between 6.8 and 7.6 hours weekly playing video games. Hardcore MMORPG players are included too (WoW and them 7-hour raids), though research shows that they only make up 9% of the population. It also added that “75% of heads of households played video games, while 35% of gamers were under age 18 years”

More on this after the jump!

Actions against video games are getting stronger – even the American Medical Association (AMA) is making a move. However, this isn’t all about banning games branded as murder simulators or preventing games from defiling church grounds. Video game addiction is now being seriously considered to be categorized as a formal diagnostic disorder.

First of all, what’s considered a gamer? Mohamed K. Khan’s “Report of the Council on Science and Public Health: Emotional and Behavioral Effects, Including Addictive Potential of Video Games” reads:

Historically, a gamer was someone who played role-playing games or war games, but more recently the term has come to include computer and video game players. Although the term technically includes those who do not necessarily consider themselves gamers (ie, casual gamers), it is a commonly used colloquial term to identify persons who spend as much of their leisure time as possible playing or reading about games.

Furthermore, the report defines the “prototype gamer” as a 30-year-old male who averages between 6.8 and 7.6 hours weekly playing video games. Hardcore MMORPG players are included too (WoW and them 7-hour raids), though research shows that they only make up 9% of the population. It also added that “75% of heads of households played video games, while 35% of gamers were under age 18 years”

What’s so bad about games? Apparently, violence in video games are tied closely to aggressive behavior in children. Gaming also supposedly “provokes epileptic seizures.” The research gives examples of games which have induces these side effects. Other physical negative effects include musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities and increased metabolic rate. Looks like gamers are seen as skinny and lanky by this report.

Another term, internet addiction, is attributed to cause negative psychosocial effects and defined as “the phenomenon of internet and video game overuse, or excessive time spent using these media. It [internet addiction] began to cause other aspects of their lives to become dysfunctional.”

To counter this kind of addiction, the Council on Science and Public Health suggests to implement the following rules:

• AMA should take part with the Federal Trade Commission, parent organizations, and the ESRB, regarding the current ratings system to make it more accurate.
• AMA along with organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians should educate physicians on public health risks concerning media, and educate families on usage of video games.
• AMA should support the recommendation of 1 to 2 hours daily screen time, including gaming.
• AMA should tell parents about monitoring content of games suitable for 17 years old below.
• AMA should encourage research about effects of video games and the internet by children under 18.
• AMA should include “Internet/video game addiction” as a formal diagnostic disorder.

Beside that, if video game addiction becomes a “formal diagnostic disorder,” doctors will be giving medication, therapy and all that to fellow gamers convicted of being addicted. It’s for our health so it’s all good, right?