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WHO Gaming Disorder Listing a 'Moral Panic', Say Experts (bbc.com)
The decision to class gaming addiction as a mental health disorder was "premature" and based on a "moral panic," experts have said. From a report: The World Health Organization included "gaming disorder" in the latest version of its disease classification manual. But biological psychology lecturer Dr Peter Etchells said the move risked "pathologising" a behaviour that was harmless for most people. The WHO said it had reviewed available evidence before including it. It added that the views reflected a "consensus of experts from different disciplines and geographical regions" and defined addiction as a pattern of persistent gaming behaviour so severe it "takes precedence over other life interests." Speaking at the Science Media Centre in London, experts said that while the decision was well intentioned, there was a lack of good quality scientific evidence about how to properly diagnose video game addiction.
My God! They've stopped watching television commercials. Something must be done! Think of the childrens' revenue!!
When children play role-playing games, they aren't learning about real life.
Children also are not learning about real life when they listen to pop music, watch sitcoms on TV, or play with Legos. Nothing in real life is as simple and logical as Legos.
Most children don't have fully competent parents, apparently.
Competent parents don't join in moral panics. There is no evidence that video games are particularly harmful. I use "positive parenting", so my kids have a list of required things (homework, chores, enrichment activities) and not a list of prohibited things. Their free time is their own.
What they are saying is not that gaming leads to addiction but rather some addicable people make gaming their addiction.
This is unquestionably true.
You can say the same thing about cleaning your ears with a Q-tip or sucking on a lollypop.
People who use drugs are not neccessarily addicts. People who abuse drugs often are addicts.
And so we need a category to describe, Q-tip fixation, drug addiction, and gaming addiction.
Unwanted compulsive behaviour is also different than compulsive behaviour. If it's unwanted but not under control it is a problem and so they classify it as such.
okay everybody can calm down now.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.