Page 16 - Bexar County Medical Society Purchasing Directory

MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY

VID EO GAMING:

Harmless American Pastime or Public Health Crisis?

By Tristan C Fielder

3
People of all ages and walks of life across the United States have ularly. video game playing is an enjoyable pastime that acts as a
drastically increased the amount of time they spend in front of healthy source of entertainment for many young Americans. Al-
1
screens in recent years. These increases in screen time have led though gaming does bring joy to many, the scientific community
many to question if at some point or threshold excessive screen has been finding increasing amounts of evidence to suggest that
time can have pathologic effects. Screen time can come in many fla- video game use has the potential to negatively affect gamers’ lives.
vors such as traditional television, video streaming, social media, In some cases, these negative effects manifest themselves as a sort
gaming, internet surfing, and more. The breadth and depth of the of addiction. This addiction, termed Internet Gaming disorder
internet and its associated entertainment modalities continue to (IGd), was listed in the diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
grow and evolve around us every day. One area of particular interest disorders 5th edition (dSM-v) in 2013 as a “Condition for Further
to me is internet gaming and how it may affect our youth. Study.” It is important to note that the American Psychiatric As-
4
data from the Pew Research Center suggest that in 2015, 59 per- sociation (APA) has stated that “there was not sufficient evidence
cent of female and 84 percent of male teens surveyed (ages 13-17) to determine whether the condition is a unique mental disorder or
indicated that they play video games online or on their phone. This the best criteria to classify it at the time the dSM-5 was published
2
study was repeated in 2018, and this time 83 percent of female and in 2013.” Since the APA’s 2013 designation of IGd, many studies
5
97 percent of male respondents reported playing video games reg- have been performed and published in an attempt to better under-
16 San Antonio Medicine • April 2019