World Health Organization released ICD-11, i.e., 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases in 2018. The edition identified and included a new kind of disorder known as Gaming Disorder. It is considered as deadly and addictive as drugs and alcohol addiction.
We can say that an individual is afflicted with this disorder when an individual prioritizes work gaming over other essential functions for living a balanced life such as eating, sleeping, taking care of loved ones, shunning responsibility. The gaming community did not take the inclusion with much enthusiasm and the disorder itself garnered doubt from gamers around the world.
Gamers were not sure whether this kind of disorder existed in general and can be compared to other widespread disorders in the light of recent studies where playing video games had a positive impact on the minds of the people. Video games have been seen to help patients in making progress in mental health.
Whatever may be the case, gaming addiction is real. Excess of anything can be fatal and have negative consequences. Everything has pros and cons. Similarly, gaming is being used in developing a new type of therapy session for patients who have been suffering from mental disorders.
Research and studies have shown that gaming can reduce stress and levels of anxiety in people and it can help people in improving the functioning of the brain. Gaming is used in therapy along with medication to cure patients having mild mental disorders and serious mental disorders such as depression and PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Therefore, gaming has n number of health benefits and it can revolutionize mental therapy.
Most of the people in the USA suffer from mental disorders of anxiety. It affects approximately 40 million people in the USA according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Only one-third of people afflicted with the disorder reach out to medical assistance and the rest of them go undiagnosed and untreated. Mental health professionals are always endeavouring to devise new ways to search for new ways of treating such disorders and they are actively exploring the possibility of finding treatment in video games.
The first instance of video games to be used in therapy and treatment traces its provenance to the Game Theory. It was propounded in 1975. According to Bradley University, playing video games help people to get relieved from the daily pressures of life. They feel unencumbered and can express themselves without feeling heavy.
Children are generally shy and sceptical. They do not open up easily and are unaware of their problems. Games can help a doctor to assess the problem. For instance, the doctor can allow the child to play a CBT game which is used to see the level of cognitive functions of the player.
Therefore, video games can help a lot in treating mental disorders.