Increase in Internet Gaming Disorder among children, young adults

Colombo, June 26 (Daily Mirror) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized excessive addiction to the Internet or computer games as a mental illness or as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), consultant psychiatrist at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Dr. Rumi Ruben said.

He told the Daily Mirror that IGD was accepted in the 11th edition of Psychiatry and the American Psychological Institute's Classification of Diseases.

Addiction to computer games on the Internet is similar to drug addiction.

"The person gets used to thinking of the game even when he is not in front of a smart device while giving more priority to the game. They get used to watching similar videos related to the addictive game during their spare time. Such people are very aggressive, get angry easily, do not pay attention to lessons in school, education, or other day-to-day activities, and are disappointed with their lives," Dr. Ruben said.

After stopping the game, they experience an overwhelming desire to play again. If they are unable to control the overwhelming desire, they may yell, shout, attack the nearest person, or hurt themselves, he said.

The lack of control over time spent gaming; prioritizing gaming over other interests, important tasks, and daily responsibilities; continued or escalated gaming despite negative consequences significantly impairs functioning in personal, family, social, work, or school life; denying or concealing gaming habits or the amount of time spent playing and using video games to escape negative emotions were identified as symptoms of the IGD.

The behavior of children becomes violent when they continuously watch video games, and he said that even the parents of children who are addicted to such activities see them as a group of enemies. There is a risk of memory loss among children due to their severe addiction to mobile phones and the internet.