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Regional | Technology

Gaming no longer child's play

Multimedia gaming- It's everywhere but it's no longer child's play.  This week, the World Health Organisation declared gaming addiction to be a mental disorder.

Women gamers outnumber men in the 45 and above bracket.  The average age of a gamer is 34-years-old and 98 percent of New Zealand homes with children have digital and video gaming.

Psychotherapist Daniel Harrison told Native Affairs that this week’s findings bring awareness to a growing trend.

“We don’t want to go trigger happy and pathologise people with having a gaming disorder [when it's] really a hobby and interest that they have.  The uniqueness of gaming is that it can be quite covert.  It’s really difficult to pinpoint if this is an issue.”

Jordan Pene, a gamer, says he can balance his life around his passion for gaming.  But he says parents should be aware of their children showing signs of gaming addiction.

“If you’re spending too much time, the person themselves will not be looking as healthy.”