AMA decides videogame addiction is not psychiatric disorder (for now)

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently concluded its debate as to whether or not videogame addiction a legitimate medical condition.

The AMA had been debating as to whether or not “videogame addiction” should be classified as a psychiatric disorder akin to alcoholism or drug abuse. A report prepared for a vote at their annual policy meeting stated more than 5 million children were possible addicts.

“There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn’t get to have the word addiction attached to it,” said Dr. Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

Dr. Thomas Allen of the Osler Medical Center, however, said, “Working with this problem is no different than working with alcoholic patients. The same denial, the same rationalization, the same inability to give it up.”

But is that addiction, compulsion or just playing really bad games?

A support group, On-Line Gamers Anonymous, was created by Liz Woolley after her 21-year-old son shot himself to death while playing an online game she says destroyed his life.

Had it been classified as legitimate, sufferers would have been able to get insurance coverage for treatment.

Read [Joystiq] Also Read [On-Line Gamer Anonymous]

EDITOR’S NOTE: The AMA’s debated proposal would have classified videogame addiction as a psychiatric disorder, the first step required to allow physicians to create official (mental) health-based diagnosis. Regardless of the AMA’s finding, the final decision of the diagnosis and treatment of any mental health disorder is up to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).