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WHO Classifies 'Gaming Disorder' as Mental Health Condition (cnn.com)

The World Health Organization has announced "gaming disorder" as a new mental health condition included in the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases, released Monday. From a report: "I'm not creating a precedent," said Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, a member of WHO's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, which proposed the new diagnosis to WHO's decision-making body, the World Health Assembly. Instead, he said, WHO has followed "the trends, the developments, which have taken place in populations and in the professional field." However, not all psychologists agree that gaming disorder is worthy of inclusion in the International Classification of Diseases, known as the ICD.

A diagnosis standard, the ICD defines the universe of diseases, disorders, injuries and other related health conditions. Researchers use it to count deaths, diseases, injuries and symptoms, and doctors and other medical practitioners use it to diagnose disease and other conditions. In many cases, health care companies and insurers use the ICD as a basis for reimbursement. Poznyak said the expectation is that the classification of gaming disorder means health professionals and systems will be more "alerted to the existence of this condition" while boosting the possibility that "people who suffer from these conditions can get appropriate help."

4 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. Great! One more by mark_reh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    preexisting condition that health insurance companies can use to deny coverage ...

    We are stupid and deserve everything that is happening to us.

  2. Neat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Now when are they finally going to classify religion as a mental disorder?

  3. I do not trust the W.H.O. by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1, Insightful

    The so-called 'World Health Organization' seems to be more of a political organization with an agenda than it is anything that exists solely for reasons of medical science, therefore I do not consider it to be trustworthy or credible.

  4. Re:Health condition? by gnick · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If the cure for your disease is "just stop doing it", then is it really a health condition?

    I drank so much over about 5 years that my liver failed and damn near killed me. That takes dedicated drinking to the level of mental illness. When I was in the hospital being rescued from liver failure, I would have kept drinking if I could have figured out how to get alcohol into the hospital. The drinking resumed when I was discharged. Is mental illness manifesting as suicidally self-destructive behavior a health condition? I think so.

    It's been almost 3 years since I "just stopped", but until you've been there you can't appreciate how difficult "just stopping" can be. For one, alcohol withdrawals are a bitch and weaning off requires control that most alcoholics don't have.

    Victim of my own choices? Sure. Just like every other suicide.

    --
    He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.