The World Health Organization added internet gaming disorder to the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases June 18, causing many mental health professionals to scrutinize whether the disorder actually exists, according to an op-ed written by science reporter Benedict Carey for the The New York Times.
The recent gaming disorder classification means 9 percent of gamers, which equates to tens of millions of people, now have a mental disorder that is still disputed by physicians, according to Mr. Carey. He believes this classification opens the door for excessive overdiagnosis.
Multiple studies have been carried out to test the validity of the gaming disorder to further separate it from other disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder. Mr. Cary believes "I.G.D. is a case study in what happens when researchers become convinced that a bad habit has become something different: a disorder," according to the op-ed.
Scott Lilienfeld, PhD, professor of psychology at Atlanta-based Emory University, said it can be difficult to differentiate between a disorder and bad habit.
"The question is, what's the difference between a bad habit and a disorder, and where do you draw that line," he said Scott Lilienfeld, PhD, professor of psychology at Atlanta-based Emory University told The New York Times. "Some, like me, believe there's often no reliable way to do that. Others disagree. The point is, you need to be very careful in doing so."
However, Clifford Sussman, MD, a psychiatrist in Washington who treats gaming disorder, argued it's more important to get these individuals help, than classify their disease.
"It doesn't much matter what you call it, the point is to give them tools," he told The New York Times.
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