How many people in the world have gaming disorder?
The estimated number of people in the world with gaming disorder is around 60 million, with up to 4% of gamers currently addicted to playing video games, and a worldwide prevalence of 3.05%. This number is expected to increase as the number of gamers worldwide is projected to pass three billion sometime in 2023, with 150 million to 231 million active gamers in the United States alone.
Understanding Gaming Disorder
Gaming disorder, also known as video game addiction or Internet gaming disorder (IGD), is a behavioral addiction that is characterized by a pattern of problematic gaming behavior. To better understand the scope of this issue, let’s examine some frequently asked questions about gaming disorder.
FAQs About Gaming Disorder
Q1: Is gaming disorder common?
Gaming disorder affects only a small proportion of people who engage in digital- or video-gaming activities, with studies suggesting that it is a relatively rare condition.
Q2: Is gaming disorder rare?
A little more than two young adults out of every 100 reported at least 5 of the behaviors and fewer than one in 100 said they were distressed, indicating that gaming disorder is indeed a rare condition.
Q3: What percentage of US gamers are estimated to have gaming disorder?
With an estimated 150 million to 231 million active gamers in the United States and a global prevalence of gaming disorder between 1.96% and 3%, there are estimated to be between 3 million and 6.5 million disordered gamers in the United States.
Q4: How many gamers have mental health issues?
Up to 89% of problem gamers are also diagnosed with depression, and up to 92% experience anxiety, highlighting the significant comorbidity of mental health issues with gaming disorder.
Q5: How many gamers have a disability?
Nearly a third of gamers identify as being disabled, which is nearly double the 16% of disabled people in the general population.
Q6: How many kids have gaming disorder?
8.5% of children and teenagers below 18 have some kind of gaming disorder, with the age bracket of young adults — from 18-24 years old — being the most likely to suffer from video game addiction.
Q7: What percent of gamers have anxiety?
Up to 92% of problem gamers experience anxiety, which is a common comorbidity with gaming disorder.
Q8: What causes gaming disorder?
The aetiology of gaming disorder is complex and multifactorial, involving gaming-related factors, environmental factors, and individual factors, including demographic risk factors, personality traits, and genetic predisposition.
Q9: What percentage of gamers are female?
49% of video gamers in the United States are female, with the remaining 51% being male.
Q10: What percent of people have gaming disorder?
Up to 4% of gamers are currently addicted to playing video games, with a worldwide prevalence of gaming disorder of 3.05%.
Q11: Is being a gamer genetic?
Genetic traits account for substantial variation in time spent playing video games, indicating that there may be a genetic component to gaming behavior.
Q12: How common is gamer rage?
56.3% of regular gamers experience bouts of extreme, uncontrollable anger at least once a week, highlighting the significant issue of gamer rage.
Q13: Is playing too many video games a mental disorder?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes gaming disorder as a behavioral addiction, and it is characterized by a pattern of problematic gaming behavior that can have negative consequences for an individual’s mental and physical health.
Q14: Is gaming disorder a disability?
While gaming disorder is not typically recognized as a disability, it can have significant negative effects on an individual’s daily life and overall well-being, and may be considered a disability in certain contexts.
Q15: Can gaming cure anxiety?
Video games can act as distractions from pain and psychological trauma, and can also help people who are dealing with mental disorders like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), highlighting the potential therapeutic benefits of gaming.