(WSVN) - Playing video games too often will soon be recognized as a mental health disorder.
The World Health Organization is planning to add “Gaming Disorder” to the official list of diseases in 2018.
The classification means doctors and insurance companies will recognize it as a disorder.
The symptoms include the inability to control when and how to play video games.
The disorder designation identifies the persistent and recurrent use of the Internet to engage in games, often with other players, which leads to clinically significant impairment or distress.
Another red flag is when someone chooses games over other interests in life and keeps playing despite negative consequences.
The decision does not mean that playing video games itself is a problem; rather, experts say it should be seen in context, showing where, why and how much a person plays.
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