GAMING DISORDER: DOES STANTON HAVE IT?

SETH ABOUHALKAH|NEWS|SEPTEMBER 20. 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA) — The rise of popular video games such as “Fortnite” a player vs player shooting game, has led to the recognition of video game addiction as a common mental illness. In the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, “Gaming Disorder” was classified as a mental health disorder. According to the ICD, gaming disorder is defined as “an increased priority to gaming in which gaming takes precedence over other interest and daily activities,” and a “continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.” Despite these classifications, not all psychologists believe the disorder belongs in the ICD, with some claiming the diagnosis is not properly formed. 

Stanton College Preparatory School has its fair share of gamers, but some say it does not severely hurt them in any aspects of their lives. Sophomore Grant Kelsey claims he plays video games five hours a day.

“It makes me procrastinate a little bit,” said Kelsey. “But I still get my work done, so it doesn’t really matter. Overall, gaming is a positive experience for me.”

The idea that gaming brings positive results is popular among gamers. While some argue they have more negative effects than positive, gamers like Kelsey and Sophomore Andreus Chrisman describe a more advantageous side to gaming.

“It shouldn’t be a mental illness,” said Chrisman. “Gaming makes me more social, because I play with friends.”

A few students said they play a long number of hours during the summer but stop during school. Junior Owen Mitchell claimed to have played 20 hours straight one day in the summer.

“It can be distracting, but I can still keep up with schoolwork,” said Mitchell. “During school I only play like two hours a day.”

Like Mitchell, sophomore Nico Renella believes the positives of playing video games outweigh the negatives. According to Renella, he plays an average of five hours a day but says it doesn’t affect him in school or in his social life.

The self-control these students possess keeps them from becoming addicted. As Chrisman and Kelsey stated, those who play videogames often don’t play alone, they play with friends. While many students say gaming doesn’t affect their school performance, mental, and physical health, others say it has a more serious impact on their lives. Sophomore Alex Goins described an experience in which video games had a significant impact on his life.

“Last year I played this game Rainbow 6 Siege all the time,” said Goins. “I would rush all my homework until either the morning or right before I went to bed. I got so obsessed last year that it was all I wanted to do. It was my priority above everything.”  

According to the WHO, if a gamer cannot control themselves when gaming, that’s when the gaming addiction can settle in. Sophomore Brogan Denard knows the negative effects of gaming. He plays an average of four hours a day, and says it affects many aspects of his life.

“I don’t do work because of video games. It affects my schoolwork a lot,” said Denard. “Also, I don’t exercise at all.”

Despite his negative experiences, Denard does not think gaming disorder should be a mental illness.

“I play a lot, but so do all of my friends,” said Denard. “It’s a common thing for us. Why would it be a disorder?”

Many psychologists agree with Denard’s opinion, including Anthony Bean, a licensed psychologist and executive director at the Telos Project, a nonprofit mental health clinic in Fort Worth, Texas.

In a 2018 interview with CNN, Bean said, “It’s a little bit premature to label this as a diagnosis. I’m a clinician and a researcher, so I see people who play video games and believe themselves to be addicted.”

Bean explained that in his experience, people use gaming as “more as a coping mechanism for either anxiety or depression.”

Some psychologists say the classification of gaming disorder is not necessary, while others say gaming addiction has a serious impact on their lives. Regardless of how people view the classifications, they will continue to be divided until a factual conclusion is reached concerning the validity of gaming addiction.