FAQs for Gaming
Currently, excessive use of social media is not considered to indicate a gaming disorder. More research is needed to determine whether other excessive uses of the Internet would need to follow similar guidelines.
Excessive gambling online qualifies as gambling disorder, not gaming disorder.
More research is needed; however, some studies show that approximately 0.3 to 1.0% of the population may qualify for a gaming disorder diagnosis.
While some with a gaming disorder only require treatment for gaming, some are also likely to need to treatment for related mental health issues such as depression, ADHD, and OCD.
Initial studies suggest that those with a gaming disorder will play 8-10 hours per day or 30 hours per week, and display behavioral and emotional symptoms, such as loss of control, tolerance (needing to play for longer periods of time in order to achieve the same pleasure), and withdrawal. Frequency of play alone does not determine whether they have a disorder.
It is unclear whether the type of game influences the behavior and consequences of those with a gaming disorder. Some games with high addictive potential include Fortnite Battle Royal, World of Warcraft, Battlefield, Assassin’s Creed, Farmville, Call of Duty, Minecraft, Angry Birds, and Solitaire.
No. Many people who develop problems have been viewed as responsible and strong by those who care about them. Precipitating factors often lead to a change in behavior, such as major life changes, grief, or stress at school or on the job. Aspects of the games themselves, such as microtransactions, instant gratification, interactivity, and infinite possibilities have also been identified as potentially addictive.
Gaming disorder often includes a loss of control, tolerance (needing to play for longer periods of time in order to achieve the same pleasure), and withdrawal. These symptoms are analogous to the symptoms in substance use disorder.
Internet gaming disorder has been identified by the World Health Organization and by the American Psychiatric Association as a condition that warrants further study. Those with a gaming disorder are unable to control their gaming habits and experience negative impacts in their work, school, family, and social life.
Everyone who provides gambling or gaming opportunities has a responsibility to develop policies and programs to address problem gambling and gaming issues.
Although no substance is ingested, a person with a gambling or gaming problem gets the same effect from gambling as someone else might get from taking a tranquilizer or having a drink. The gambling or gaming alters the person’s mood, and the person keeps repeating the behavior attempting to achieve that same effect. But just as tolerance develops to drugs or alcohol, the person with a gambling or gaming problem finds that it takes more and more of the gambling or gaming experience to achieve the same emotional effect as before. This creates an increased craving for the activity and the gambler finds they have less and less ability to resist as the craving grows in intensity and frequency.