Video game addiction now classified as mental disorder

MIAMI – Once considered to be more annoying than nuisance, video game addiction has now been classified as an official mental health disorder.

The World Health Organization included "gaming disorder" to the list of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.

USA Today reports the list, known as ICD-11, goes into effect in January 2022.

The WHO classifies video game disorder as continual video game playing that leads to "impaired control over gaming," adding that gaming takes over other priorities in life.

As expected, video game officials reject the WHO classification, but surprisingly, so do some health officials who claim there has not been enough research performed on the subject.

According to the report, the American Psychiatric Association also believes the evidence is not available yet to say video game addiction is a true mental disorder.