'Videogame addiction' update

The committee of the American Medical Association that proposed designating videogame addiction as a mental disorder like alcoholism “backed away from its position” even before debate on the subject began at the AMA’s annual meeting, Reuters reports. Instead, the committee “recommended that the American Psychiatric Association consider the change when it revises its next diagnostic manual in 5 years.” Reuters adds that later, during the debate, addiction experts “strongly opposed” such a designation. Listing “videogame addiction” as a mental disorder in the American Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders would “ease the path for insurance coverage of video game addiction.” Excessive use of videogames affects about 10% of players, according to Reuters. Here’s Gamasutra.com’s coverage.