Online gambling addiction: When games become a disease

The World Health Organization who conducts online gambling addiction as its own disease. Experts warn: diagnoses could be abused and gamer pathologisierted.

Online gambling addiction: When games become a disease
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  • Page 1 — when games become a disease
  • Page 2 — a pathologising of playing
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    It already killed people after 20, 30 hours of nonstop computer games dead. A 24-year-old in Shanghai 2015 about, who was 19 hours at World of Warcraft online, or 2012 a teenager in Taiwan who had der40 hours without interrupting Diablo 3gespielt. At beginning of last year, a 35-year-old died in Virginia Beachin USA during a world of tanks marathon.

    Such extreme cases are rare. But doctors suggest DerWeltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) alarm because y see more and more spielsüchtigePatienten. That's why DieWHO now introduces online gambling addiction to alseigene disease. The "International Classification DerKrankheiten" (ICD-11) comes out on Monday. Some scientists Sindskeptisch, some mocking.

    Anyone who has ever had to grind something different when playing – house cleaning, tidying up or or annoying work – must urgently go to doctor, said DerKommunikationswissenschaftler Thorsten Quandt sarcastically, when plans DerWHO came to light a year ago. "You could be seriously ill! ... You should also report bustling blogger from next door in order to be forced to be instructed. "

    To define excessive online gambling as an addiction to slippery slope, he warns: "From cell phone addiction to social media depression, much alseigenständige ' media ' disease could be conceivable. As a result, children, adolescents and adults wärenzahlreiche definition of today to rapy in need of tomorrow. "

    Scientists warn against classification

    The psychologist Andy Przybylski of Oxford University, who researched effects of games in past, warned about 30 colleagues in an open letter before WHO step last year. "There is a risk of applicant diagnoses being abused," y wrote. It should be examined wher underlying problems wieDepression or social anxiety disorders would have to be treated in case of excessively playing patients.

    Vladimir Poznyak of WHO programme looks different. "There are clear boundaries between normal playing and gambling addiction," he says to German press agency. In ICD-11werden three criteria are mentioned: slipping control for example at frequency undDauer of playing, increasing priority of playing ahead of or activities continue even with negative consequences.

    "Addicted to game is someone who neglects friends and family, Derkeinens normal sleep rhythm, feeds on constant Spielensschlecht, or whizzes off sporting activities," he says. The player doesn't have any fun anymore, but he doesn't get away with it. "EinTeufelskreis", says Poznyak, who mainly concerns young people.

    Date Of Update: 18 June 2018, 12:02