The number of New Zealand video game addicts who turn to the Problem Gambling Foundation for help is increasing, because most district health boards do not offer treatment for the problem.
Earlier this year, in June, gaming disorder was officially classified as a mental health condition by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO described gaming disorder as a condition when gaming takes precedence over other activities and a player no longer can control their gaming habits in spite of the fact that they experience negative side effects because of their gaming.
The problem is that health authorities will not be required to document diagnosed gaming disorders until January 2022, most district health boards in New Zealand are still not offering treatment for the condition or are collecting data about the number of people who seek help for it.
Andree Froude, a spokeswoman of the PGF, revealed that 53 people reached the Foundation, seeking professional help for their problem video gaming, in the period between November 2012 and November 2018. More than 50% of the total number of inquiries were made from people who were worried about the gaming habits of a member of their family or a friend. The charity organisation revealed that the number of people asking for help had risen since 2016, and the demand is expected to continue to increase.
More People Seek Help from Gambling Charities for Problem Video Gaming
The Problem Gambling Foundation’s spokeswoman also explained that it is difficult for people who are concerned about a family member to know where to get help. Ms. Froude further noted that the organisation’s concern is that the people who seek help are only what she called “the tip of the iceberg” and that competent authorities and charities do not really know the actual extent of the problem.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board revealed that it received 11 referrals for video gaming addiction last year. All of the inquiries were accepted. In 2018, it saw 28 referrals of this kind, of which it accepted 27. The patients were from 11 to 18 years of age.
South Canterbury District Health Board was unable to confirm the exact number of referrals who had reached it for help with their video gaming addiction during the last five years, because of its data encoding. Still, it revealed that it had accepted “no more than four” people for treatment of their compulsive video gaming on an annual basis.
No referrals for video gaming addiction were accepted by Counties Manukau District Health Board.
According to specialists, problem video gaming could have a massive impact on people’s lives like any addiction. What is even more dangerous is the fact that it can start at a younger age and grow to another kind of addiction, including an addiction to gambling, when a person gets older.
- Author
Daniel Williams
