General / Off-Topic World Health Organization adds video games in its list ...

[znôrt]

Of course, change is predicated on political will. There are multiple vested interests in keeping sectors of the public addicted and politically aligned. Originally, I held the view that a society based on rationality and backed by research would politically win out in the end because of its success, but recent events have changed things considerably.

this is the gist. that much of our behavior boils down to chemical reactions is clear. it is also clear that these are the result of millions of years of evolution and have big (really big) trouble adapting to the lightning fast changes in our way of life. and that's were trouble starts.

even if we devise a treatment for the neurological aspect of addictions, say a wonderpill that neutralizes any addiction like you would alleviate a headache, it will still only be symptomatic unless you want to vaccinate the whole population, and it's definitley not a good idea to mess with whole humanities pleasure pathways (reminds me of the 'betrization' process in 'return from the stars' from stanislaw lem )! so, the hardest part for any addict is acknowledging he has a problem. this is hard for chain smokers or junkies even if in the midst of miserable and rapidly deteriorating conditions made painfully obvious. good luck getting extremists, religious zealots, patriotic bigots and paranoid narcisistic moguls to acknowledge they have a problem and seek treatment.

that pill will indeed work wonders ... in some cases. all in all, the only real fix will be education. a kind of education we don't even know how to provide.

 

[Ian Skippy]

Please allow me to give my humble 2c as a trained clinical psychologist.

Historically speaking psychiatric/personality disorders have been consistently under diagnosed. This has caused profound suffering for those inflicted; when a medical reason for certain behaviors is unknown or not acknowledged, people will use alternative labels: sinful, possessed, criminal, lazy, you name it. Starting with, most notably, the DSM-IV psychiatry moved towards creating more labels to allow people to be given access to treatment which otherwise would be withheld from them. Remember that in many countries you dont get any kind of medical help unless there is an official diagnosis for it. As such, for example, the NOS (not otherwise specified) disorders came to be. Basically, it means "We know something is up (for example PDD related), but out primary labels dont really stick and if we dont give you anything you're screwed. So we'll label you with PDD-NOS and now you can get proper help from the system." When I was still active in geriatric psychology I wrote a lot of 'MCI' (Mild Cognitive Impairment) diagnoses:"You're old, something is up, you are technically not demented yet, but if I send you out empty-handed you're kinda screwed so let me give you this empty diagnosis."

It is a really good thing. I cant stress enough how many people have seen their lives improved by this!

The downside, however, is over diagnosis. Wherever there is a label, there is a big company going to try to sell you crap you cant afford and dont need. So it is really important that the public knows why certain labels exists, what their function is and how they should and also should not be applied. Labeling people with 'gaming addiction' can be profoundly helpful. People have literally died because of this: one famous example would be a guy who died in a (south-Korean IIRC) internet cafe by simply playing everquest until death by starvation. Less severe but more frequent cases exist; I personally know people who've gotten into trouble for skipping work to level their WoW character. The entire gaming industry is more and more intentionally fostering addictive behavior: bonuses for logging in every hour, lootboxes etc. Big corporations are spending excessive amounts of money intentionally abusing the frailties of our brains in an attempt to get you 'addicted'. Considering gaming is a bigger industry than Hollywood, and the excessive and cynical attempts to exploit people, it is potentially a good thing gaming addiction is formally recognized as a medical issue as it allows people to get access to much needed help.

 

[verminstar]

Please allow me to give my humble 2c as a trained clinical psychologist.

Historically speaking psychiatric/personality disorders have been consistently under diagnosed. This has caused profound suffering for those inflicted; when a medical reason for certain behaviors is unknown or not acknowledged, people will use alternative labels: sinful, possessed, criminal, lazy, you name it. Starting with, most notably, the DSM-IV psychiatry moved towards creating more labels to allow people to be given access to treatment which otherwise would be withheld from them. Remember that in many countries you dont get any kind of medical help unless there is an official diagnosis for it. As such, for example, the NOS (not otherwise specified) disorders came to be. Basically, it means "We know something is up (for example PDD related), but out primary labels dont really stick and if we dont give you anything you're screwed. So we'll label you with PDD-NOS and now you can get proper help from the system." When I was still active in geriatric psychology I wrote a lot of 'MCI' (Mild Cognitive Impairment) diagnoses:"You're old, something is up, you are technically not demented yet, but if I send you out empty-handed you're kinda screwed so let me give you this empty diagnosis."

It is a really good thing. I cant stress enough how many people have seen their lives improved by this!

The downside, however, is over diagnosis. Wherever there is a label, there is a big company going to try to sell you crap you cant afford and dont need. So it is really important that the public knows why certain labels exists, what their function is and how they should and also should not be applied. Labeling people with 'gaming addiction' can be profoundly helpful. People have literally died because of this: one famous example would be a guy who died in a (south-Korean IIRC) internet cafe by simply playing everquest until death by starvation. Less severe but more frequent cases exist; I personally know people who've gotten into trouble for skipping work to level their WoW character. The entire gaming industry is more and more intentionally fostering addictive behavior: bonuses for logging in every hour, lootboxes etc. Big corporations are spending excessive amounts of money intentionally abusing the frailties of our brains in an attempt to get you 'addicted'. Considering gaming is a bigger industry than Hollywood, and the excessive and cynical attempts to exploit people, it is potentially a good thing gaming addiction is formally recognized as a medical issue as it allows people to get access to much needed help.

Help? m8 I repped ye cos I know ye mean well but lemme just tell ye a wee story about asking fer help. The last time I went to my doctor and literally begged fer a referal to see someone about my personal anger issues, social services had the police at my door at half 7 the next morning and took it from its hinges to do a complete search of the house top to bottom looking fer morphine, among other things and herein the plot thickens...

That was a month after my wife died and the morphine had been hers which had been given to her be her doctor...but because I was a registered addict on my medical records and I had anger and alcohol issues at the time and there was a 6 year old child in the house...well ye can understand why and certainly justify it in such a case.

That being said, thats not how I translated it...but then Ive had a dark and not spoken much about history of my own with social services and I have a somewhat dim view about how effective they think they are...because in my case, they made it so much worse by provoking me when I was already angry but had nothing to focus that anger on...they became that focus. Thats why Ill never trust them....ever because the way I see it I was asking fer help and was punished fer it by almost losing the one reason I had to ask fer help in the first place.

A little example of the system working against itself and making something worse in the process...sadly not fer the first time either. Its why Im genuinely in real life a very private person who prefers staying the background as it were. In the beginning I even refused the support in school fer my daughter as she is autistic, but I keep those people at arms length to this day cos Im not having them make her worse like they did to me.

By making me angry at them, I used that focus to turn me life around on me own, with almost no support outta pure spite to prove everyone wrong...even me own family who disowned me decades ago.

These days, Ive managed to cure me own issues me own way, both mentally and more recently, physically. Ive got me daughter sorted out although I do accept help on her behalf and her school to be fair has bent over backwards to accomodate her needs. She has certain proximity issues and gets triggered by certain sounds and sensations, so school was difficult, but thats her sorted now...ongoing but hugely improved on say 3 months ago.

I did something a little rash, I intentionally provoked the system to get what I wanted which was special meds fer anxiety issues, something I fought fer years fer them to give her, but they refused just to spite me. At the time I did have a lot to lose cos gaming aint my only hobby these days so here was me saying ye know what? Ye got me banged to rights just please help me daughter in return...and they did when the school waded into the fray and backed me up.

She is much improved since then...tis a shame the past 4 years of her education was messed up because the system thought they knew better than I did. Tis also a shame that it was the system itself making me hate it so much that gave me the motivation to achieve the life I have and the life my daughter has.

Funny how things worked out in the end ^

 

[Arry]

... of the mental disorders.

The addiction for the video games is now considered as mental disorders by the organization.

The industry of the video games is very angry and the researchers are very divided.

Will the players be hurt, offended ?

It is simply recognised it as a possible addiction. Just like lots of other things, that humans can become obsessed with; such as gambling. It is not a psychical addiction, like drink, drugs of say food. It is a psychological addiction; which is still mind consuming, life shaping and have psychical withdrawal symptoms.

A bit like Imgur.

 

[Leadfoot]

... of the mental disorders.
The addiction for the video games is now considered as mental disorders by the organization.

Agreed. We've all seen reports of people in South Korea (and other locations) dying after playing something, usually an MMO, for three days straight.

Anything that locks you in where you forego food, drink, bathroom and sleep IS a danger. There needs to be a balance between "fun" and your actual real-life needs. The same thing happens to heroin addicts. I see very little difference (except of course for the fact that video games don't involve sticking a needle in your arm).

 

[Necronaught]

Video gaming is very addictive. Endorphins are a nice high and if you are pwning noobs, well that can feel pretty good. Not surprising people take it too far. The sedentary lifestyle, energy drinks, pizza, kebabs, munchies in general coupled with long hours in front of your preferred system is going to take its toll. Add to that the lack of sunlight and fresh air. Mentally you are going to decline, socially too. You'll become fat depressed and unable to cope with any kind of life pressure.

 

[Jacques d'Orleans]

That's not so much the problem. The big question is: why, of all things that people show addictive behaviour for, is gaming so explicitly singled out? The ICD-11 catalogue has exactly two entries under "Disorders due to addictive behaviours" : gambling (6C50) and gaming (6C51), and those are pretty much straight completions of the same template with only those two words differing including the differentiation into "predominantly on- or offline". Is there really nothing else on this entire planet and in the entire history of the human race that would qualify as addictive behaviour?

The ICD-11 subcategory "Disorders due to addictive behaviors" has the following subsections:

• 6C50 Gambling disorder
• 6C51 Gaming disorder

• 6C5Y Other disorders due to addictive behaviours

• 6C5Z Other disorders due to addictive behaviours, unspecified

So there is a way to categorize a different addictive disorder and some might also be coded under different sections of the ICD-11.
E.g. Excluded from a diagnosis under 6C51 is "QE22 Hazardous gaming" which is to be found under "Problems associated with health behavior".

 

[Iskariot]

... of the mental disorders.

The addiction for the video games is now considered as mental disorders by the organization.

The industry of the video games is very angry and the researchers are very divided.

Will the players be hurt, offended ?

Being addicted to anything is a health risk.
There is nothing new here that is really shocking.

 

[Deleted member 110222]

I probably am addicted.

But think for a moment... How bad does real life have to be for people to turn to virtual realms?

That's what I blame. A rubbish world. Humanity is horrible. I can't wait to be reborn a unicorn in my next life.

(I'm dead serious about the last part)

 

[Arry]

I probably am addicted.

But think for a moment... How bad does real life have to be for people to turn to virtual realms?

That's what I blame. A rubbish world. Humanity is horrible. I can't wait to be reborn a unicorn in my next life.

(I'm dead serious about the last part)

Nope: Not necessarily.

Give the choice; do something fun or do something 'we have to' and fun wins every time; with the undisciplined. This has been a fact of young peoples lives for generations. Be it playing for 'just another 10 minuets' with the train set, of the latest set of pixels.

Yes it can be a form of escape; but is down to the individuals, what they are 'escaping' from.

 

[Robin of Spiritwood]

I probably am addicted.

But think for a moment... How bad does real life have to be for people to turn to virtual realms?

That's what I blame. A rubbish world. Humanity is horrible. I can't wait to be reborn a unicorn in my next life.

(I'm dead serious about the last part)

Went for a chat with my PC builder friend. We said much the same thing.

Reality has GREAT 3D graphics and sound for such a crappy simulation.

 

[Manticore]

Every addiction works via a final common neurochemical pathway, mediated by delta FOSb protein.

Once we can establish that this pathway is activated, addiction is no longer a matter of opinion, politics, or religious belief, it is a simple biological fact.

The application of a scientific basis for addiction is reshaping how we categorize our human persuits. And it will eventually lead to a common treatment for every form of addiction, possibly in the form of a vaccine. Addiction may be found to be the basis of a host of maladaptive behaviors, including fanaticism and extremism, cult indoctrination etc, which we have no idea how to fix, so a potential treatment cannot come fast enough.

Also this:

[h=1]Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Focus on GABA, Ion Channels and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation[/h]

https://www.nature.com/articles/npp2011216

I think the operative word remains "addiction" though.

GABA re-enforcement of negative learning (addictive) behaviours etc.

 

[Leadfoot]

Went for a chat with my PC builder friend. We said much the same thing.

Reality has GREAT 3D graphics and sound for such a crappy simulation.

Repped because it's so true.

 

[EISENHORN01]

No need to panic some company will have a pill that can ‘fix’ the problem and all for the special price of $99.99

 

[Zetta]

With the amount of games using all sorts of psychological tricks to get people playing and keep on playing, is it any surprise that some become addicted?

I remember people quitting university, losing their jobs and losing relationships back when I used to play WoW.