Playing video games obsessively could soon lead to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is looking to add gaming disorder to its list of mental health conditions in 2018.
In the organisation's beta draft of its forthcoming , the disorder is characterised by a "pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour".
The draft report, which will be officially finalised in May 2018, states that the gaming pattern results in "significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning".
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"The gaming behaviour and other features are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months in order for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe," the report states.
By adding the disorder into the ICD, WHO opens the door for the condition to be official diagnosis by doctors.
WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told CNN the entry "includes only a clinical description and not prevention and treatment options".
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"Inclusion of a disorder in ICD is a consideration which countries take into account when making decisions on provision of health care and allocation of resources for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation," Mr Hartl said.
The was endorsed by the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, in 1990.
It is currently used by more than 100 countries around the world.
