The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has identified gaming addiction as a disorder. Banaras Times delves into the issue...From the Times of India
sychologists say that gaming addiction earlier was seen in a specific set of people, which comprised of teens and people in their 20s. Today, they see children and older adults as people suffering from gaming addiction. Psychologist Sandhya K says, This shows how everyone today, irrespective of age, has no other means of keeping themselves occupied and are increasingly addicted to gaming on their handhelds or computers. Recently, a four-year-old in England was registered as the youngest tablet addict.The DSM does tend to go a bit overboard in its analyses and classification of mental disorders. Sexual fetishes such as an attraction to feet, S&M and exhibitionism are all included as unusual behavior in the manual, though it stops short of explicitly suggesting such desires arise from a mental disorder.A US clinical psychologist, Dr. Michael Fraser, says video game addiction often goes hand in hand with other more serious psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities and difficulties socializing. When it comes time to bear down and concentrate, rather than work through that frustration they escape into gaming, like a drug, Fraser said.<a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-30/health/40285354_1_gaming-addiction-statistical-manual-mental-disorders" >Read more here. </a>
sychologists say that gaming addiction earlier was seen in a specific set of people, which comprised of teens and people in their 20s. Today, they see children and older adults as people suffering from gaming addiction. Psychologist Sandhya K says, This shows how everyone today, irrespective of age, has no other means of keeping themselves occupied and are increasingly addicted to gaming on their handhelds or computers. Recently, a four-year-old in England was registered as the youngest tablet addict.The DSM does tend to go a bit overboard in its analyses and classification of mental disorders. Sexual fetishes such as an attraction to feet, S&M and exhibitionism are all included as unusual behavior in the manual, though it stops short of explicitly suggesting such desires arise from a mental disorder.A US clinical psychologist, Dr. Michael Fraser, says video game addiction often goes hand in hand with other more serious psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities and difficulties socializing. When it comes time to bear down and concentrate, rather than work through that frustration they escape into gaming, like a drug, Fraser said.<a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-30/health/40285354_1_gaming-addiction-statistical-manual-mental-disorders" >Read more here. </a>
