Gaming disorder and other behavioral addictions
- Disorder
When gaming or another activity escapes control and harms daily life for a long time; only gambling and gaming have firm diagnoses.
What it is
A behavioral addiction is a pattern in which a rewarding activity, not a substance, is pursued with loss of control and continues despite harm. ICD-11 places gambling disorder and gaming disorder in its grouping of disorders due to addictive behaviours; gaming disorder requires impaired control, gaming taking priority over other interests and activities and continuation despite harm, normally for at least 12 months, with significant impairment. DSM-5 includes gambling disorder among substance-related and addictive disorders but lists internet gaming disorder only among conditions for further study. Other proposed addictions, such as problematic social media use or compulsive sexual behaviour, are debated; ICD-11 places compulsive sexual behaviour disorder among impulse control disorders.
Key facts
- Problem gaming shows reward-system changes resembling those in gambling and substance use disorders; loot boxes and microtransactions are linked to gambling-like behaviour.
- Impairment is the threshold: time spent gaming alone does not define the disorder.
- In one study about 60% of people diagnosed had a different diagnosis a year later, so labelling should be careful.
- Treatment research is still limited; cognitive behavioral therapy has the best trial support, and family therapy is also used.
Behavioral addictions and how the classifications treat them
| Behavior | ICD-11 | State of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling | Disorder due to addictive behaviour | Strongest; also an official DSM-5 diagnosis; most programmes use CBT |
| Gaming | Disorder due to addictive behaviour (since 2019) | Growing; about 1–3% of people; DSM-5 lists it for further study |
| Compulsive sexual behaviour | Impulse control disorder | Debated whether it is an addiction |
| Social media use | Not in the addictive behaviours grouping | Studied as a related problem; overlaps only partly with gaming disorder |
| Online shopping, pornography use | Not in the addictive behaviours grouping | Research interest; evidence limited |
Clinical notes
- Assess the pattern (control, priority, harm, duration) and its effects on sleep, school or work, family and mood rather than counting hours.
- Screen for ADHD and for mood and anxiety disorders, which often come with problematic gaming.
- Use motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral techniques: monitoring, limits agreed with the person, replacing activities and handling triggers.
- With children and adolescents, involve the family, agree rules on devices and sleep, and avoid shaming.
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Which behavioral addiction is an official diagnosis in both DSM-5 and ICD-11?
Gambling disorder.
How does DSM-5 classify internet gaming disorder?
As a condition for further study, not as an official diagnosis; ICD-11, by contrast, lists gaming disorder as a diagnosis.
What are the three core ICD-11 features of gaming disorder?
Impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities, and continuing despite negative consequences, with significant impairment.
Which psychiatric conditions should be looked for in a teenager with problematic gaming?
ADHD, mood disorders such as depression, and anxiety disorders.
Elsewhere in DurgiPedia
Connections
Educational content on behavior and the clinical relationship; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for assessment by a health professional. If you or someone near you is at risk, seek help now from an emergency service or a mental-health helpline.
Sources: Addictive behaviours: Gaming disorder (World Health Organization (WHO), 2020); Gaming disorder in the ICD-11: the state of the game (BMC Psychiatry (PubMed Central), 2025); Emerging experience with selected new categories in the ICD-11: complex PTSD, prolonged grief disorder, gaming disorder, and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder (World Psychiatry (PubMed Central), 2022); Longitudinal Assessment of a Manualized Group Treatment Program for Gambling Disorder: The Ohio Problem Gambling Treatment Model for Adults with Co-Occurring Disorders (Journal of Gambling Studies (PubMed Central), 2022).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.