Okaz newspaper
The World Health Organization recently classified “gaming disorder” as addictive behavior. Indeed, the dangerous addiction to games on the Internet is similar to the addiction to alcohol and drugs. This is a serious matter because there are adults and children who are addicted to these computer and video games on a daily basis. The addicted person is isolated socially and suffers from mood swings, limited imagination and an extreme focus on achievement in these games, which is measured by passing from one game level to another.
Addicts totally isolate themselves from real-life events. Gaming disorder was not classified as a disease in 2013 because of incomplete evidence. This year it was classified as a disease because the evidence is now completed. There is evidence of people in South Korea and the United States who bring their lives to a temporary halt because of these games. The overwhelming majority of those suffering from gaming disorder are students at the middle and high school level. While these addicts are teenagers, it has been reported that there is an increase of people in their 30s and 40s who are addicted to Internet games. It is not necessary for a person to suffer from gaming disorder for a long time to be classified as a sick person.
People are classified as suffering from gaming disorder when they are facing problems with relationships and at work because of their excessive involvement with games. For example, such people cannot control the amount of time that they play and to them, gaming is a priority in their daily life. Such people will neglect their work and study. If these symptoms continue for more than a year, then they can be classified as suffering from gaming disorder and they need help.
