The World Health Organization recently announced that Gaming would be classified as a “disorder” by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). In response, the gaming industry went up in flames. Some of the most notable names in the industry, including European Games Developer Federation (EGDF), Interactive Games South Africa (IGSA), Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), and Entertainment Software Association (ESA) put out a two-and-a-half page joint statement. It read:
Video games across all kinds of genres, devices and platforms are enjoyed safely and sensibly by more than 2 billion people worldwide, with the educational, therapeutic, and recreational value of games being well-founded and widely recognised. We are therefore concerned to see ‘gaming disorder’ still contained in the latest version of the WHO’s ICD-11 despite significant opposition from the medical and scientific community.”
The Rise & Rise Of Gaming
The debate surrounding the addictive nature of video games is not new. Parents have always been concerned about how much time their children spend online. Nonetheless, the age at which children are introduced to the internet is decreasing daily. Even if parents want to encourage offline recreational activities, schoolwork will likely demand internet usage from children. Moreover, the best way to get children to do something is to forbid them from doing it.
News headlines have compared gaming addiction to every other addiction — from alcoholism to gambling to crack cocaine. A part of this is an exercise in grabbing attention. It is concerning, however, that studies conducted across the globe have found teenagers suffering from gaming addiction. A study in Canada found that thirteen per cent of Ontario teenagers displayed symptoms related to video game addiction. In the UK, estimates point to around eight percent of children and teens being affected. Similar studies have been conducted in Japan, Norway, and South Korea, with similar results.
Kids Will Be Kids! Right?
All right, so kids are addicted to video games. Is this such a bad thing? After all, it is just something they do to fill their free time. They will not be able to devote as much time to gaming when they have full-time jobs. Psychology professors Christopher J. Ferguson and Patrick Markey penned an opinion piece in The New York Times titled ‘Video games aren’t addictive.’ They said:
“Playing a video game or watching an amusing video on the internet causes roughly about as much dopamine to be released in your brain as eating a slice of pizza. By contrast, using a drug like methamphetamine can cause a level of dopamine release 10 times that or more. On its own, the fact that a pleasurable activity involves dopamine release tells us nothing else about it.”
Ferguson and Markey were making a larger point about pathologising normal behaviour. This does not mean children can spend hours playing video games without being penalised. The solution, however, does not require doctors or medication. Adolescence is a confusing time. Is there anything wrong with children finding solace in video games when their hormones are going haywire?
The simple answer to that question is yes. The level of dopamine released in the brain while playing video games may well be lesser than when using drugs. But nobody playing video games expects the same effect from them as drugs. The UK’s National Centre for Gaming Disorders has treated children for addiction to Call of Duty, Fortnite, Angry Birds, War Zone, and Minecraft. It has been found that no one game is more addictive than any other. Besides, the WHO assesses gaming disorder by determining how an individual plays video games instead of how much time they spend playing them.
Not A Black & White Situation
If children are using video games as an escape, their use must be monitored. It is worth considering that the creators of these video games want you to be addicted to them. Mayo Clinic lists the following symptoms of gaming addiction.
- Having intense urges for screen time or to play video games, and these urges block out other thoughts.
- Spending money on video games or screens, even though they can’t afford it.
- Cutting back on social or recreational activities because of preference for screen time or video games.
- Continuing to play video games or participate in screen time, even though they know it’s causing problems in their life, such as poor performance at school or work or letting household responsibilities go.
- Displaying signs of irritability, anxiety or anger when forced to stop playing, even for brief periods.
- Lying to others about the extent of your use.
- Needing more screen time over time to get the same level of enjoyment.
- Neglecting your appearance, including lack of interest in grooming or clothing.
These are modified symptoms of substance addiction. However, when put in the context of gaming, specific symptoms indeed point to addiction. For instance, if their urge to play video games blocks out any other thoughts, it is definitely not a good sign. On the other hand, if a teenager is spending money on video games even though they can’t afford them, addiction might be a harsh conclusion to draw. After all, teenagers cannot afford anything.
When it comes to gaming, there are many stakeholders. There are parents and children; then there’s Big Gaming; and then there are scholars and psychologists studying the effects of gaming on human behaviour. All stakeholders are obviously watching out for their interests. In such a milieu, it is best to monitor your own or your loved one’s gaming habits and, like most vices, enjoy it in moderation.
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