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.