Internet video game addiction pondered

MEMBERS OF the American Medication Association are ruminating over whether internet or video addiction can count as an illness.

Next week's AMA's national meeting in Chicago will vote if "Internet/video-game addiction" be classified as a formal diagnosis.

The AMA, which is like the older BMA, but appears earlier in any encyclopaedia, has the ear of US society and most of its recommendations get accepted.

An AMA report notes that the heaviest game players are those who play MMORPGs — massive multiplayer online role-playing games such as World of Warcraft. Such types more likely to be socially isolated and therefore addicted.

However it is worthwhile noting that the same claim was made for comic books, movies, television and chocolate.

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