The NHS will open a clinic to treat people between the ages of 13 and 25 on video game addiction. This comes after the World Health Organization classified this addiction as a disease.
As part of the National Center for Behavioral Addictions in London, the clinic is the first of its kind. Starting today, the clinic can be consulted, and treatments will begin next month. However, in London, patients will also be able to consult Skype online.
Health needs are always changing, which is exactly why the NHS should never be cross-border,” said Simon Stevens, chief of NHS England. “This new service is a response to a growing problem. Children and young people are constantly exposed to it these days.
Stevens added that the game industry also has a responsibility to its users to prevent this addiction. The Royal College of Nursing further emphasized this claim through a statement of its own:
Although the NHS has a responsibility to adapt to these modern changes, taxpayers cannot raise the bill alone,” said Fiona Smith, head of the Children and Young People department at RCN. “Online gaming and social media firms make millions of pounds in profits and consequently have to take responsibility for securing their platforms and presenting ways to reduce the financial burden of health insurance.
Smith also mentioned the problem of lack of nurses, which could lead to problems for this new health service. The clinic will need mental health nurses, but there are now 40,000 such positions that are still vacant in England.
A Canadian law firm is currently suing Epic Games for endangering two young people who have created Fortnite addiction. The firm believes Epic should warn players of the dangers to their mental health.
These cases and many more prove that video games really have a health impact on young people, and it’s good to see that measures are being taken slowly.
