Level Up or Level Out? What is Internet Gaming Disorder?

The official description of video game addiction, or more accurately, internet gaming disorder (IGD), is a relatively new condition that is still being debated among experts.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) includes IGD in the section recommending conditions for further study in the latest edition of their diagnostic manual, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) (Eisert, Bean, Oehler, & Lovell. 2023; Yao, Potenza, & Zhang, 2017).

The reason IGD isn't yet a formal diagnosis is that there is still ongoing debate about whether gaming can be truly addictive in the same way as substances like drugs or alcohol.

However, the DSM-5-TR does outline some proposed symptoms of IGD, which include:

• Preoccupation with gaming

• Withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (sadness, anxiety, irritability)

• Tolerance over time—needing to play more or more powerful games to achieve the same satisfaction

• Inability to control gaming

• Loss of interest in other activities that were once enjoyed

• Excessive gaming despite negative consequences, personally or professionally

• Deception about gaming habits

• Gaming to escape negative emotions

• Jeopardizing or losing a relationship, job, or other opportunity due to gaming

If you are concerned about your own gaming habits or those of someone you know, it is important to seek professional help. A therapist can help you develop healthy gaming habits and cope with any underlying mental health issues that may be contributing to your gaming addiction.

References

Yao, Y. W., Potenza, M. N., & Zhang, J. T. (2017). Internet gaming disorder within the DSM-5 framework and with an eye toward ICD-11. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(5), 486-487. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28457151/ 

Eisert, B. C., Bean, R. A., Oehler, L., & Lovell, T. W. (2023). Internet Gaming Disorder in Adolescents: Clinical Considerations and an Attachment-Based Treatment Approach. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 1-17. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376431397_Internet_Gaming_Disorder_in_Adolescents_Clinical_Considerations_and_an_Attachment-Based_Treatment_Approach