Although the AMA still have to vote on the issue of classifying videogame addiction as a mental disorder, it's clear that the majority of the physicians who make up the committee that votes on whether or not the issue makes it into the American Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders would rather postpone the decision until more information can be found.
Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more.Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting. They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games -- a problem that affects about 10 percent of players -- could be considered a mental illness.
Instead of trying to get the manual updated with video game addiction in it this year, the committee suggested the American Psychiatric Associated consider adding it to the manual in five years when the manual will be up for revision. Which is fine by me. In five years, I'll be so consumed with my alcohol-induced depression, I won't really have time to play video games. Kim Phu.
Addiction Experts Say Video Games Not an Addiction [Reuters]
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