Experts Oppose Classifying Gaming Addiction As Mental Disorder

News.com reports that despite earlier rumblings that addiction to videogames could be classified a mental disorder similar to alcoholism, experts have stepped back from that analysis. The decision by the AMA is that psychiatrists should make further efforts to study the phenomenon, while addiction experts strongly opposed the idea at the organization's annual meeting. "Even before debate on the subject began, the committee that made the proposal backed away from its position, and instead recommended that the American Psychiatric Association consider the change when it revises its next diagnostic manual in 5 years. The psychiatrist group has said if the science warrants, it could be considered for inclusion in the next diagnostic manual, which will be published in 2012. While occasional use of video games is harmless and may even help with some disorders like autism, doctors said in extreme cases it can interfere with day-to-day necessities like working, showering or even eating."

Comments

Gambling?

[NJVil]

If the uncontrollable desire to play games of chance (gambling) is classified as an addiction, how is an uncontrollable desire to play games of any other sort not? Can online gambling be considered an addiction?

The only meaningful difference is the money involved. And even then, between gold farming and monthly fees for WOW, is it really that different?

Re:Gambling?

[achilles777033]

Yes, there is a difference. Fees for WoW cost $15/month at worst. And if you don't break the Terms of Use, you won't be buying gold. And trust me, the true Addicts have no need for bought gold. On-line gambling can completely drain anyone's bank account if they are sufficiently addicted. WoW costs $15 a month... on-line gambling costs rent/food/gas/everything else money. Big Difference. Gaming isn't addictive by itself, not everyone who touches it get addicted. Not even a sizable percentage. Gaming gets a bad rap off of people who naturally have addictive tendancies, who also happen to play games. Every leisure activity has it's members who abuse them. The difference is that MMO's are finally getting a large enough following that people are starting to take notice of the abusers.

Re:Gambling?

[clifyt]

"it's probably got alot more to do with how the number of people that would be diagnosed would effect the economy."

Actually, you are right on track with this way of thinking. The DSM regularly accounts for items such as social and economic pressure...certain drugs that 'cured' certain 'illnesses' are pushed by big business, and thus if Big Pharm can get to enough psychologists to vote (and they aren't above paying people off), you get inclusion. It has happened more than once, and it will happen again.

This also works in the social aspects. The biggest example was that the DSM classified homosexuality as a deviance until the mid-70s (err...I think, I never paid much attention to the history aspects of abnormal psych). It was mostly the psychs from the US propped up by conservative Christians (err...one could argue in the 70s, even the liberal christians weren't too willing to go to bat for these people) along with rightwing politicians. Europe had long since stopped calling this a classifiable deviance. And even after it was stricken, there was a LOT of debate over physicians that refused to go by the revised edition because it didn't follow their moral ethics.

So yeah, economic, social and other pressures state what becomes diagnosable. Heck, and sometimes its right...its looking for deviance from the norm. If there are enough people away from the center, even though in another time, another place they'd have been perfectly 'normal' -- it occasionally merits inclusion, so this isn't a bad thing in and of itself. Most of psychology is trying to help folks fit in and understand themselves. Don't want to fit in, not causing any harm to others...then you are perfectly fine! I love my quirks and wouldn't do anything to change them (and all my studies in psychology have proven to me that I'm actually much more normal than most who think I'm some sort of deviant freak!)

Re:Gambling?

[furball]

Video game addiction is very different than gambling in my eyes. Video games are pursued by those addicted to it to fulfill a psychological. The players feel more powerful. They have a sense of impact on their world. They are the hero saving the world, doing something important. If you look at the games people are addicted to playing, they aren't likely to be Bejeweled. The players are more likely addicted to FPS or MMORPG.

People in general have a desire to feel effective within the confines of their world. Players addicted to video games aren't really addicted to video games. They're addicted to being successful. Video games just give them an avenue to feel successful while the rest of their life falls apart.

Gaming addiction = Gambling addiction

[popo]

Push a button a hundred times... wait for the payoff.... DING. Yay!

If anyone thinks there's a difference between gambling and WoW they just don't understand either....

Re:Is the AMA turning neocon?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lovely, let's add another meaningless disorder to the DSM so that people can take real mental illnesses even less seriously.

Addicted to anything

[brunes69]

While occasional use of video games is harmless and may even help with some disorders like autism, doctors said in extreme cases it can interfere with day-to-day necessities like working, showering or even eating.

So can watching TV.

Or jacking off

Or mowing the lawn.

This definition is so broad it's useless. Anyone can be addicted to anything. Why the need for special categories?

Re:Eating ...

[Himring]

I saw 'not eating' and nearly fell out of my chair. These guys have obviously never attended a LAN party. Not eating is obviously NOT a problem....

The South Park WoW episode depicts this fact very well....

Re:Eating ...

[PackRat Q. Winnebago]

True, but then at a LAN party you're also in the presence of other people, so the stock-standard argument about addictive gaming being anti-social doesn't hold either.

Re:Have there been any studies?

[The One and Only]

Yeah, and I can spend days and weeks drinking booze and not feel the slightest twinge the next week when I have to be a responsible human being. That doesn't mean alcoholism doesn't exist.