OREANDA-NEWS. Computer game addiction is officially recognised as a disease and listed in the eleventh update of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. As experts point out, such a diagnosis can only be made by a qualified medical professional.

The ICD-11 recognises gambling addiction as a new type of mental disorder. At the same time, according to experts, signs of the disorder affecting family, social, educational, professional and other spheres of life for the diagnosis must be manifested for at least a year.

"The diagnosis of gambling addiction can only be made by trained medical professionals. Therefore, one should not apply the diagnostic description of gambling disorder to one's relatives or friends,"- explained Vladimir Pozniak, a WHO expert on psychoactive substances and addictive behaviour.

He noted that the signs of gambling disorder include the desire to play to the detriment of other interests and damage to other areas of life within 12 months. The expert stressed that many people spend time in front of computers and, in particular, games during holidays and holidays, but even intensive gaming for several days (not in a row) is not a characteristic of gaming disorder.

Earlier, the habit of playing computer games before going to bed has been called unhealthy. According to experts, such a hobby "slows down life" and negatively affects the psyche.