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📵 Digital Wellness
Is your gaming a disorder?
WHO-recognized Gaming Disorder screening.
Rate how often each applies: 1 (never) to 5 (very often).
1I think about gaming even when I'm not playing.
2I need to spend increasing time gaming to feel satisfied.
3I feel restless, irritable, or sad when I try to reduce gaming.
4I have tried to control my gaming but failed.
5I have lost interest in hobbies or activities I used to enjoy because of gaming.
6I continue gaming despite knowing it causes problems in my life.
7I have lied about how much time I spend gaming.
8I game to escape negative feelings or relieve stress.
9Gaming has caused conflict with family, friends, or at work/school.
10I have neglected sleep, meals, or hygiene because of gaming sessions.
Gaming Disorder: WHO-recognized since 2019
Gaming Disorder was added to the ICD-11 by the World Health Organization in 2019. This quiz adapts the IGD-20 (Internet Gaming Disorder) framework from Pontes et al. (2014).
Score interpretation
- 10-18: Healthy gaming — it's entertainment and recreation
- 19-28: Average gamer — moderate use with occasional excess
- 29-38: At risk — gaming is starting to interfere with life
- 39-50: Likely disorder — meets multiple WHO criteria
The science
- WHO prevalence estimate: 3-4% of gamers meet Gaming Disorder criteria
- Average gamer plays 8.5 hours/week — disorder cases average 30+ hours
- Gaming releases dopamine at levels comparable to amphetamine use (Koepp et al. 1998)
- South Korea, China and Japan have government-run treatment programs since 2010
- Loot boxes use variable ratio reinforcement — same mechanism as slot machines
Note: This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Most gamers are healthy. Consult a professional if you score high.
Sources: WHO ICD-11 (2019), Pontes et al. (2014, IGD-20), Koepp et al. (1998, dopamine), APA DSM-5 Section III.