Addicted to Pokemon Go? This quiz can tell if you're suffering from Internet gaming disorder

Don't take your love for Pokemon Go or Candy Crush lightly. You could be suffering from this mental disorder.

Sarwat Fatima Sarwat Fatima
अक्टूबर 03, 2016
Gaming addiction might be a new disorder in the making, but it does threaten with consequences. Photo: Shutterstock/IndiaPicture

My daily commute to work consisted of about 1 hour, both ways, which made me super bored. With nothing better to do, I often sought the company of games, which were installed in abundance on my mobile phone.

So, with no intention whatsoever, I gradually gave birth to an odd pattern. As soon as I had a few dull moments on hand, my first response was to grab my phone and resume play. A harmless habit--or so it seemed then--I gradually progressed to do the same even when I had company.

After my close friends pointed out my 'impolite behaviour', I realized that I had been spending more than a couple of hours every day, playing with my digital buddies.  And that got me thinking.

Was I addicted to mobile gaming? Yes. Was it harmless? No.

Dr Era Dutta, consultant psychiatrist, Fortis Hospital, Mumbai, says, "Internet gaming disorder or IGD is a condition in which one maybe excessively playing Internet games. These could be multiplayer games or online games."

"Internet gaming disorder is classified in the appendix of DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), that is sort of a bible of all mental illnesses. If you're wondering whether you're suffering from it, take this quiz", she continues.

If you have answered more than 50 per cent of these questions with a big YES, then it may be a matter of concern and you may need professional counselling.

In case you are an ardent fan of Internet gaming and think what's wrong with it anyway? Well, here's the answer.

"A lot of common health problems often present themselves with gaming addiction. These include: headaches, watering eyes, cramping of fingers, digestive problems, and severe sleep disorders", says Dutta.

Apart from the physical symptoms the addiction also causes social isolation, family conflict, and neglect of work/study related responsibilities.

Gaming addiction might be a new disorder in the making, but it does threaten with consequences, many of which may hamper your health.

So, the next time you are waiting in a queue or travelling, keep your phone locked in your bag. Instead, carry a book.


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