Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.
Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting. They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games--a problem that affects about 10 percent of players--could be considered a mental illness.
"There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn't get to have the word addiction attached to it," said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
A committee of the influential physicians' group had proposed video game addiction be listed as a mental disorder in the American Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, a guide used by the American Psychiatric Association in diagnosing mental illness.
Such a move would ease the path for insurance coverage of video game addiction.
View: news.com
Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting. They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games--a problem that affects about 10 percent of players--could be considered a mental illness.
"There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn't get to have the word addiction attached to it," said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
A committee of the influential physicians' group had proposed video game addiction be listed as a mental disorder in the American Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders, a guide used by the American Psychiatric Association in diagnosing mental illness.
Such a move would ease the path for insurance coverage of video game addiction.
View: news.com
Bingo. They are producing "disorders" on the daily basis anyway, together with drugs to "treat them". A great business model. Kind of like if the anti virus software company was writing viruses.
then you have Real life addiction could be considered a mental illness.
Anyone can become addicted to anything. It doesn't mean you have a mental disorder. Scientists (and people) just like to slap labels on things so they can feel like they've accomplished something.
Healthline defines addiction as "a physical or mental dependence on a behavior or substance that a person feels powerless to stop." I would add that the dependance or behavior is damaging to oneself or others.
I have personal friend that was addicted to video games until he made the choice to get rid of them altogether because they were too much of a temptation to have around. Most of the time people don't want to cut out what is damaging to them. They made him a non-socialite and very depressed. Now he's very sociable and is very happy. He just knows that he can never play video games.
I find addictions interesting because what one person might be easily addicted to another may have no problem with.
Last edited by QuarterSwede on 26 Jun 2007 - 21:28
make sure they will add Neowin in top 5
this is my thought, lets find what these Doctors enjoy doing and then say because you enjoy it, we think you should stop, you might get addicted.
How about self-aggrandising promotion of a non-scientific branch of "medicine": psychiatry?
Pretend to murder, do drugs, and drink on the PS3.
OR quit playing games....
and then actually go out and do it.
Which is one of a problem I wonder.
End sarcasm.
If someone plays games until dies from dehydration, then this person is just simple stupid. There is no cure from stupidity except education. All these excuses will create even bigger army of weak-willed sissy morons. Parents must tell children that without water you will be "disconnected" from your game after 3 days forever so you can make smart choice if you want to play longer. Human beings belong to the mammalian species "Homo sapiens" (Latin: "wise man" ). It means that we are wise enough to make smart decisions which can save our life but goes against things we want. Our ability to think and make life saving choice even if we don't like it is what separates humans from animals (who mostly act purely on instincts). Event smart dogs can be trained to restrict themselves from things they would like to do but seems like some humans are wiling to give up "Homo sapiens" title.
Last edited by EJocys on 27 Jun 2007 - 13:52
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