Is Video Game Addicting?

The World Health Organization generally recognizes too much video gaming as Gaming Disorder.

Based on the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), video game addiction is a pattern of continuous or recurrent behavior towards gaming. Whether online or offline, this is usually reflected by the compromised control for gaming. Moreover, such gaming habit already overtake other life activities despite of the negative consequences that it may bring.

Yet, it is good to know that despite of billions of people playing video game eveyday, the percentage of video game addicts is not that high. In fact, the WHO estimated about 3 to 4% of video game addicts as a whole.

Causes of Video Game Addiction

The following are the possible factors that may trigger the onset of video game addiction:

1-State-of-the-art Design

All video games have designs aligned with the psychological behavior of getting hooked with it. Being an immersive experience, video game may elicit dopamine from the gamers’ body.

2-The Expectation of Instant Gratification

Because video games are highly immersive playing them just takes an easy step. That way, you wouldn’t able to notice that time is passing.

3-Manipulative Game Features

Loot boxes, in-app purchases, and microtransactions are some of the game features that are considered manipulative. They are also an illegal form of gambling.