AMA Pushes for Video Game Addiction As Diagnosable Disorder

Jun 21, 10:33 PM

Current Headlines: By Dorsey Griffith, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Jun. 21--Excessive video game playing sure can be a problem. But an addiction like any other?

The distinction is a matter of fierce debate, which is about to intensify as the American Medical Association prepares to push for a formal designation of internet/video game addiction as a diagnosable psychiatric disorder.

The addiction diagnosis is one of six video gaming recommendations the AMA will consider this weekend at its annual meeting in Chicago. The recommendations are part of a research report developed by the organization's Council on Science and Public Health.

Although adoption of the recommendations would not immediately change existing laws or pyschiatric diagnoses and treatment, a tough stand from the nation's largest doctor group eventually could have a big impact on everything from how games are rated to how doctors respond when patients complain about the effects of video game overuse.

"Maybe we can get parents to take a greater interest in what their kids are doing upstairs for several hours, not only to prevent addiciton, but to have better oversight over what they are watching on TV, what video games they are playing or reading on the Internet," said Dr. Martin Wasserman, executive director of the Maryland State Mediical Society, who introduced the proposal to the AMA in 2006.

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