Experts' take on WHO's decision to classify game addiction as mental disorder

ImagingRavi JadhavActor David Schwimmer was on to something when in an episode of Season 8 he directed for TV sitcom Friends he gave Chandler a frozen claw thanks to the hours he had spent perfecting Ms PacMan the popular arcade game of the 80s and 90s The claw was gone by the next episode but not before it had highlighted mdash in jest of course mdash what mindless gaming can do Fastforward to nearly two decades later and we are not just staring at the physical repercussions of indulging in video and online games but also its huge cost to mental health In the recently released beta draft of its 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases the World Health Organisation has included gaming disorder in its list of mental health conditionsThe final document is scheduled for publication in mid2018 The draft defines gaming disorder as a pattern of gaming behaviour digitalgaming or videogaming characterised by impaired control over gaming increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequencesHow bad is the situation in India Serious enough for the countrys premier mental health institution NIMHANS National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences to set up SHUT Service for Healthy Use of Technology Clinic in Bengaluru in 2014 it was the first such initiative in India to assess technology addiction A 2016 study coauthored by Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma additional professor of clinical psychology at NIMHANS and coordinator for SHUT Clinic explored the pattern of technology usage among 200 randomly selected participants from 13 to 17 years The results revealed that addictive use of gaming was the highest 195 per cent followed by addictive use of the Internet in general 18 per cent Its use was also found to be associated with difficulties in routine activities including academics sports socialising and emotional difficulties However while gaming is most popular among young adults its impact extends to younger and older age groups tooGaming is a major reason for seeking help in our clinic We see seven to eight cases of gaming addiction every week And among them we see 10 to 14 hours of technology usage per day shares Dr Sharma This recognition by the WHO will bring sensitisation among mental health professionals to screen the condition which would lead to intervention and the use of educational programmes to promote healthy use of technology he addsDracircAcircu00c2u0080Acircu00c2u0088Rohan SequeiraSeeds of addictionWhat starts as an innocuous pastime often because youngsters see others in their age group enjoy gaming may turn into an addiction if other factors come into play Stress loneliness boredom or lack of communication among family members tends to make gaming enthusiasts seek further solace in their consoles explains Dr SharmaKids especially in Mumbai live restricted lives With the pressure of studies and limited avenues for outdoor activities gaming becomes an outlet for many elaborates Mumbaibased consulting psychiatrist and author Dr Dayal Mirchandani Dr Rohan Sequeira consultant physician cardiovascular diabetologist and obesity consultant at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre explains the process Addiction starts setting in when there is a biochemical process already in motion which gives you physical or emotional satisfaction This sends positive signals to the brain which gets increasingly dependent on the activity or substance he says adding Addiction to gaming is based on the effect of gratification because when you score or reach a certain level in a game there is a false sense of achievement which feeds into the psycheDr Manoj Kumar SharmaThe experts also point to how games are designed to keep users hooked Most gamers start with offline versions until they get introduced to the world of online gaming with multiple users across continents which becomes highly competitive The availability of cheap or free WiFi has made gaming widespread too Some youngsters spend so much time gaming that they rationalise it by calling it their training to become game developers Others are enticed to turn game testers by trying out beta versions says Dr MirchandaniThe fallout The impact of gaming addiction varies across age groups but the common thread that runs through all cases is that it becomes a substitute for human relationships Dr Mirchandani recalls seeing a pilot who would come back from a flight and lock himself in a room His wife suspected him of having an affair But we ultimately realised that he had turned into a gaming addict he says The case of a 16yearold who was brought to Dr Sequeira by his parents highlights the physical impact of gaming addiction He was experiencing muscular pain to the point that he couldnt hold a penThe initial analysis indicated that he had cervical pain but then the parents told me that he would spend hours together before the computer and mobile until 4 or 5 in the morning Then he confessed to me that he was addicted to an online reality game which he was playing with people across continents so he was compromising on his sleep he says Nutritional and sleep deficiency extreme fatigue irritability muscle cramps headache and double vision also crop up Studies and performance at the workplace take a huge hit tooReclaiming normalcyLike any addiction gaming has its withdrawal symptoms Dr Mirchandani advises parents against stopping their childs gaming activity abruptly The SHUT Clinic too believes in weaning an individual off gaming gradually We recommend lifestyle changes better eating habits setting aside some techfree time every day and taking a fiveminute break after every half an hour of gaming It yields results says Dr SharmaDiscipline according to Dr Sequeira is the biggest help If you cant control your gaming time find an accountability partner in a family member he advises But prevention is better than cure says Dr Mirchandani Parents need to set an example by being mindful of their own screen time Dr Sequeira concurs All addictions were at some point obsessions and all obsessions begin as affectionCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news current affairs from Mumbai local news crime news and breaking headlines hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go