Internet Gaming Disorder, Illegal Electroshock Therapy, and Gaming Culture in China

I would like to preface this by saying this blog post will touch on sensitive topics like suicide and self-harm. Please click off of this post if it is uncomfortable for you.

What is Internet Gaming Disorder?

The American Psychological Association (APA) considers Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) to be a disorder warranting more research and attention - but did not include it in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), citing insufficient evidence. The World Health Organization, however, considers it a disorder, including it in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). The ICD-11 defines IGD as lack of self-control over gaming.

Symptoms of IGD include the irresistible urge to game, gaming affecting sleep, school and memory. Though the diagnosis is still controversial, there are already camps that treat IGD in much of Asia.

Since the APA does not consider IGD to be official enough of a disorder, the diagnosis has not taken off in the United States and most of the Western world. But up to 10% of Chinese adolescents have IGD, according to a recent meta-analysis. Higher prevalence of IGD is reported in Asia, but is it really because Asians are predisposed to IGD, or because the disorder is a common diagnosis in Asia?

Why is internet gaming a problem?

Past research has found that internet gaming disorder might contribute to the following bad mental health consequences for youth: academic decline, sleep deprivation [12], interpersonal relationship problems, family conflict [13], physical health problems, loneliness, suicidal ideation [14], aggression, depression [15], social withdrawal, dissociative experiences [16], cybercrimes [17], and future decline in workplace competitiveness [18]. Therefore, as of 2018, the World Health Organization formally enrolled internet gaming disorder as a mental disorder. Accordingly, there is a strong need for diagnosing IGD earlier and providing effective early treatment strategies for gaming-addicted youth.

Gaming is, obviously, not a problem in moderation (although it is very difficult to define "in moderation").

Some other problems with gaming, though this psychological and more governmental, is the lack of regulation of interactions with bad actors. Breck Bednar, a young man from the United Kingdom, was murdered after he was lured to the apartment of a man he met online.

Gaming Cafes

Gaming/Internet Cafes are incredibly common in China, especially for young people. They are places for young people to eat and have a safe space to sleep at if they are kicked out of their home. Unfortunately, breaks are not enforced, and there have been instances of people dying at the computer.

Although youth under 18 are not allowed, these rules are not strictly enforced, and owners desperate for more money are seeking customers wherever and whenever. When I visited China last summer as part of my internship, I was able to enter one of these dingy cafes, situated in the top of an otherwise futuristic mall, even with the large signage in the front saying "NO MINORS ALLOWED" in messy handwriting. Owners put profit over everything, and with today's economy, that is understandable.

These spaces are not necessarily harmful - in fact, "third spaces" are often important to young adults and older ones alike. However, the lack of government regulation on these cafes is abhorrent, and more should be done regarding illegal activity.

Yang Yongxin

When there's a will for evil, there's a way for evil.

At least that's what I thought when I first heard about Yang Yongxin. He is a highly controversial (that's putting it very lightly) Chinese psychiatrist and researcher.

In the early 2000s, he began to research internet addiction, eventually opening up a camp for those supposedly addicted to the internet using electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) without anesthesia or muscle relaxants. He claimed tremendous success rates and had official recognition, with the government awarding him several prestigious awards.