Hobbies. Everybody has some sort of hobby, whether it be knitting, coin collecting,  or even reading. Furthermore, children seem to have the most hobbies. After all, they have the most free time as they do not have to worry about bills or taxes. Moreover, a ‘hobby’ that has been concerning many parents is video games. Many kids worldwide have parents complaining about their addiction to video games. Many parents bring them to the doctor’s office to run tests to see what is wrong with them. Henceforth, doctors use these tests to prove that this video game addiction should be diagnosed as a medical condition. Video game addiction should not be a diagnosable medical condition. 

The first reason why video game addiction should not be a diagnosable medical condition is that there is no evidence as to whether changes in a person are a result of video game addiction or a pre-existing factor. To demonstrate, the article, “Teenagers Aren’t Losing Their Minds”, proclaims that “It is entirely possible that teenagers who are more anxious and unhappy to start with are more drawn to smartphones to deflect their negative emotions” (Friedman 2). In other words, if people are already experiencing anxiety, they could be more drawn to smartphones and should be treated for their anxiety, not for their addiction because the anxiety is what is causing the addiction to video games. Subsequently, the article, Teenagers Aren’t Losing Their Minds, asserts that “...studies cannot tell us whether the brain abnormalities are the result of excessive internet use, or a pre-existing risk factor for it” (Friedman 2). For this reason, due to the fact that the people who had the brain abnormalities and also happen to have an addiction to internet use should not be diagnosed with video game addiction because this addiction could just be an add-on to what they are already experiencing due to their brain abnormalities that had existed before they were addicted. Likewise, the article, Video Gaming Disorder Is a Disease? Sounds Like Cultural Bias…, states that “...gamers who experience symptoms of a disorder could arise from other mental health disorders the individual is already suffering from like depression or anxiety” (Green 2). Therefore, this shows that video game addiction should not be classified as a medical condition because these gaming addicts who already have depression or anxiety could have gotten attached and addicted to gaming due to the behaviors and symptoms that come with disorders like depression or anxiety. Many could not know they had that disorder and could think their psychological changes or mental health issues were all due to video game addiction and could give doctors a reason to diagnose them with video game addiction. However, what they really should be doing is seeing if there are any pre-existing risk factors and should treat them for those pre-existing conditions rather than video game addiction. 

The last reason why video game addiction should not be a diagnosable medical condition is that video game addiction has too many similarities to other addictions. In fact, the article Video Gaming Disorder Is a Disease? Sounds Like Cultural Bias… pronounces that, “...you could substitute gaming for any behavioral addiction plaguing society, like online shopping, exercise” (Green 1). Henceforth, there is no reason to single it out and diagnose it as a medical condition, because according to the logic that video game addiction should be a diagnosable medical condition then so should every other behavioral addiction that is known. Following, the article Video Gaming Disorder Is a Disease? Sounds Like Cultural Bias… it states “Radio addiction was eventually cured by a modern-day medicine, television. Of course, radio addicts became television addicts and television addicts become computer addicts and computer addicts became gamer addicts and now all addicts are some version of internet addicts … Unlike depression, which is at any time point in history, gaming disorder can only happen now” Thus, it shows that again, gaming disorder’ is too similar to other addictions and is very subjective to what is popular now and that it has only evolved from other addictions similar to it. It should not be diagnosed as a medical condition as it is only subjective and only applies to this time period since it evolved from all those other addictions it would be unreasonable to make it diagnosable. After video games evolve the condition would not exist anymore and doctors would have to keep making every new addiction similar to video game addiction a diagnosable medical condition. In contrast, some may argue that M.R.I studies show that children with gaming addiction have enhanced activation in their reward pathway (Friedman 2). However, according to the article Teenagers Aren’t Losing Their Minds proclaims that “If I scan your brain while showing you whatever it is that turns you on, ... chocolate or money ... your reward pathway will light up ...” (Friedman 2). In likeness, video game addiction is too similar to other addictive behaviors and should not be set apart from other addictions because that would mean anyone who is addicted to anything, even caffeine should be also diagnosed with a similar medical condition. It should not be singled out just because it is about video games.  

To summarize, video game addiction should not be known as a diagnosable medical condition due to the fact that it is too similar to other addictions and there is no evidence that differences in a person are a result of video game addiction or a pre-existing factor. Despite those who believe video games pose a threat to those addicted and believe it should be diagnosed as a medical condition, the evidence presented has proved otherwise. If parents do not stop supporting doctors who are diagnosing video game addiction as a real medical condition, parents could have the wrong idea about video game addiction and not try and treat their children for the actual problems they have that are causing their addiction to video games.