Gaming disorder
Why would a 15-year-old boy behead himself with a chainsaw after losing a computer game? Should this be of grave concern to parents, researchers and general population?
Ever had to compete for attention with your partner over computer gaming? As a parent, how many times have you yelled, ceased, destroyed or returned the game you generously bought/gifted to your kids, because of it's interference with school work, assigned chores, socialization with family and friends?
Many parents especially have watched helplessly as a the games elicit interest, excitement and then take a u-turn to addiction! Others describe it as a "digital heroin," likening the flashing images to one of the world's most addictive substances. Is playing computer games harmless fun or another silent type of high?
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The World Health Organization(WHO) recently granted validity to "gaming disorders" as a new mental health condition included in the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), released in recent times.
Common types of games include; combat, action, simulations, Stealth Shooter, adventure, Real-Time Strategy (RTS), puzzle, First Person Shooters (FPS), Sports, Role-Playing (RPG), Educational and Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO).
Russian media cited local sources saying that he was addicted to a computer that his single mother had bought for him. It was unclear what 'game' he was playing. A criminal case has been opened into incitement to suicide after Pavel Matveev's body was found in the village of Mogochino in Tomsk region.
Read Also:Who is Truly well:Raise the Alarm
Renowned-cardiologist|Professor commits suicide
Plohie Novosti and Novosti V Tomske quoted news sources saying his death came after playing a computer game. 'This is what killed him,' He 'spent hours at his computer' and his 'nerves' gave in after a game".
This latest incident has brought to the fore online groups that incite children to kill themselves. In Russia, there are groups known as ‘death groups’. Russia has had a spate of cases where so-called death groups allegedly incite children and teenagers to take their own lives in social media games - but it is not clear that this was involved in this tragedy.
Some 'death groups' feature a so-called game called Blue Whale in which they are 'brainwashed' by sick online mentors to complete 50 steps - involving exhaustion and self harm - which culminates in suicide.
130 suicides of children in Russia between November 2015 and April 2016 almost all were 'members of one group or other on the internet (Novaya Gazeta newspaper).
Major-General Alexey Moshkov, head of anti-computer crime K department in the Russian Interior Ministry, has warned that in 2017 a total of 1,339 online suicide groups were uncovered, with an audience of more than 12,000 users and over 200,000 posts.
He revealed 230 criminal cases had been opened and 19 masterminds - called 'curators' or 'administrators' - were detained (Source Mail Online news)
MMO games are frequently played over a local area network (LAN) or via the web. Individuals can rely on a network and engage other players in a virtual gaming room. Players can compete with other players from around the world. The development of these games requires hours/days of programming, providing you with the best gaming experience ever.
Quick Facts
- Gaming disorder is defined in the ICD-11 as a pattern of gaming behavior (“digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized 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 consequences.
- Principally, the new disorder can be diagnosed with three key signs:
- Impaired control over gaming (e.g. onset, frequency,
intensity, duration, termination, context)
- Increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that
gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities
- Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the
occurrence of negative consequences
- Why is gaming disorder being included in ICD-11? For gaming disorder to be diagnosed, the behaviour pattern must be of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and would normally have been evident for at least 12 months
- The effects as specified above share common ground with other similar addictive activities (may involve both online and offline behaviour.”) including gambling disorder:“Disorders due to addictive behaviours are recognizable and clinically significant syndromes associated with distress or interference with personal functions that develop as a result of repetitive rewarding behaviours other than the use of dependence-producing substances,” writes the WHO.
Online Death Groups
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| Pavel Mateev: credits 2east2westnews |
15 year-old Pavel Mateev went out into his yard and 'switched on a chainsaw and sawed off his own head', after losing a computer game on morning of September 3, 2018.
Russian media cited local sources saying that he was addicted to a computer that his single mother had bought for him. It was unclear what 'game' he was playing. A criminal case has been opened into incitement to suicide after Pavel Matveev's body was found in the village of Mogochino in Tomsk region.
Read Also:Who is Truly well:Raise the Alarm
Renowned-cardiologist|Professor commits suicide
Plohie Novosti and Novosti V Tomske quoted news sources saying his death came after playing a computer game. 'This is what killed him,' He 'spent hours at his computer' and his 'nerves' gave in after a game".
This latest incident has brought to the fore online groups that incite children to kill themselves. In Russia, there are groups known as ‘death groups’. Russia has had a spate of cases where so-called death groups allegedly incite children and teenagers to take their own lives in social media games - but it is not clear that this was involved in this tragedy.
Some 'death groups' feature a so-called game called Blue Whale in which they are 'brainwashed' by sick online mentors to complete 50 steps - involving exhaustion and self harm - which culminates in suicide.
130 suicides of children in Russia between November 2015 and April 2016 almost all were 'members of one group or other on the internet (Novaya Gazeta newspaper).
Major-General Alexey Moshkov, head of anti-computer crime K department in the Russian Interior Ministry, has warned that in 2017 a total of 1,339 online suicide groups were uncovered, with an audience of more than 12,000 users and over 200,000 posts.
He revealed 230 criminal cases had been opened and 19 masterminds - called 'curators' or 'administrators' - were detained (Source Mail Online news)
What Can Parents do?
Parents especially will not want to wish away the dangers associated with their ward's addiction violent games or belonging to the online death groups targeting children and adolescents.
Perhaps Pavel Mateev case highlighted earlier is an added credence to WHO' labeling gaming as a new mental health disorder?
The major concern for parents and other loving ones should be to take preventive/curative measures to secure the mental health and overall well-being of their children.
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Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, a member of WHO's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, which proposed the new diagnosis to WHO's decision-making body, the World Health Assembly said; "the expectation is that the classification of gaming disorder means health professionals and systems will be more "alerted to the existence of this condition" while boosting the possibility that "people who suffer from these conditions can get appropriate help."
The first-step for parents or others is to get familiar with the genre or type of games.
"That's by far the number one thing that comes in with parents who have concerns is, they don't even know what games are being played," he said. The first question to ask, then, is "Why is this interesting to you?"-Anthony Beans, a licensed Psychologist.
"That's by far the number one thing that comes in with parents who have concerns is, they don't even know what games are being played," he said. The first question to ask, then, is "Why is this interesting to you?"-Anthony Beans, a licensed Psychologist.
For treatment options when "danger"/"addiction" on gaming, email us at 9jamindworks@gmail.com or joyceanthonia@gmail.com.
Not all psychologists agree that gaming disorder is worthy of inclusion in the ICD-11.
The inclusion of gaming disorder in ICD-11 follows the development of treatment programmes for people with health conditions identical to those characteristic of gaming disorder in many parts of the world, and will result in the increased attention of health professionals to the risks of development of this disorder and, accordingly, to relevant prevention and treatment measures.
Critics of the Gaming disorder classification
Not all psychologists agree that gaming disorder is worthy of inclusion in the ICD-11.- Health professionals argue that the term is overly broad and subjective, with difference in potential impact individually and game to game.
- "The mild, moderate or severe versions of the disorder have not been adequately delineated. Diagnosing a patient with gaming disorder, then, would be based on the "very subjective experience of clinicians-Bean"
- "Its a little bit premature to label to label this as a diagnosis". Only small proportion of gamers fit the criteria
Conclusion
Should all people who engage in gaming be concerned about developing gaming disorder?; Studies suggest that gaming disorder affects only a small proportion of people who engage in digital- or video-gaming activities. However, people who partake in gaming should be alert to the amount of time they spend on gaming activities, particularly when it is to the exclusion of other daily activities, as well as to any changes in their physical or psychological health and social functioning that could be attributed to their pattern of gaming behaviour.The inclusion of gaming disorder in ICD-11 follows the development of treatment programmes for people with health conditions identical to those characteristic of gaming disorder in many parts of the world, and will result in the increased attention of health professionals to the risks of development of this disorder and, accordingly, to relevant prevention and treatment measures.
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