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Tag: world health organization

  • Video Game Addiction Is Officially Classified As A Mental Disorder

    Video Game Addiction Is Officially Classified As A Mental Disorder

    WHO’s decision has been met with opposition from the gaming industry and other critics. 

    The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that “gaming disorder” will be included in an upcoming revision of its International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11).

    The disorder is defined as a “pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior” which manifests itself in a variety of symptoms, including “impaired control over gaming.” The decision has garnered controversy from both the entertainment software community and some mental health professionals, who have described the decision as a “junk diagnosis.”

    Gaming disorder will be listed in ICD-11 as part of its chapter on “mental, behavioral or neurodevelopmental disorders.”

    As Polygon noted, the language for the disorder – which was finalized in 2018 and formally adopted May 25, 2019 – is nearly identical to ICD-11’s description of “gambling disorder,” which precedes it in the chapter. 

    Gaming disorder applies to behavior exhibited during “digital gaming” or “video-gaming” which may be online or via gaming systems. Those diagnosed with “gaming disorder” may exhibit “impaired control over gaming,” as well as “increased priority” to gaming “to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities.”

    The revision that will include gaming disorder will take effect on January 1, 2022.

    Response from the gaming industry has been largely negative; a joint statement issued by European industry members and seven other nations noted that the disorder “is not based on sufficiently robust evidence to justify its inclusion in one of the WHO’s most important norm-setting tools.”

    The Entertainment Software Association also voiced its opposition in 2018, writing that the inclusion in ICD-11 “recklessly trivializes real mental health issues like depression and social anxiety disorder.”

    Some mental health providers have also voiced opposition to the WHO’s decision. “It’s really a junk diagnosis,” said Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D to Polygon 2018. Ferguson co-authored a journal article, which was published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, which said that the organization’s definition of gaming disorder showed “little clarity… regarding diagnostic criteria and appropriate symptoms.

    Ferguson’s co-author, Anthony M. Bean, also suggested to Polygon in 2017 that the WHO was pressured into adding gaming disorder to ICD-11 by Asian member states, where gaming addiction is widely considered to be a serious problem to be dealt with through strict, often draconian measures. The WHO responded to the article by noting that their decision was based “entirely on the available scientific evidence and experiences with such health conditions in different countries, not limited to Asian countries.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • World Health Organization To UN: Reclassify Cannabis

    World Health Organization To UN: Reclassify Cannabis

    WHO is calling for the classification to be updated to reflect the medical uses of marijuana.

    The World Health Organization is calling on the United Nations to change the classification of cannabis to acknowledge that the drug does have some medicinal purposes. 

    According to Futurism, cannabis is currently considered a Schedule IV drug by the UN. This designation is the most tightly controlled, and reserved for drugs that show “particularly dangerous properties.” It was set by an international drug treaty passed in 1961. 

    However, according to information published in the journal BMJ, the World Health Organization is calling for the classification to be updated to reflect the medical uses of marijuana. 

    “The World Health Organization has proposed rescheduling cannabis within international law to take account of the growing evidence for medical applications of the drug, reversing its position held for the past 60 years that cannabis should not be used in legitimate medical practice,” the report authors wrote. 

    According to the report, The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence started reconsidering marijuana’s classification last year. The committee released a report with its findings and recommendations. 

    “The Committee concluded that the inclusion of cannabis and cannabis resin in Schedule IV is not consistent with the criteria for a drug to be placed in Schedule IV,” the report reads. 

    It goes on to recommend that marijuana and its compounds be reclassified as Schedule I or II drugs, which are less tightly controlled. The recommendations could be voted on by the United Nations member countries as soon as March, which would change the way that marijuana is handled under international law.

    However, it would have no bearing on how cannabis is scheduled federally in the United States, which uses an entirely different system of classification.

    Still, marijuana advocates, including a US Air Force veteran Michael Krawitz, said that the reclassification is long overdue. 

    “The placement of cannabis in the 1961 treaty, in the absence of scientific evidence, was a terrible injustice,” he told Forbes. “Today the World Health Organization has gone a long way towards setting the record straight. It is time for us all to support the World Health Organization’s recommendations and ensure politics don’t trump science.”

    Kenzi Riboulet Zemouli, the head of research at Paris-based non-profit For Alternative Approaches to Addiction Think & Do Tank, told Leafly that the measure is “a beginning of a new evidence and health-oriented cycle for international Cannabis policy.”

    “This is the best outcome that WHO could possibly have come up with,” Riboulet Zemouli said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Marijuana Should Be Rescheduled, World Health Organization Says

    Marijuana Should Be Rescheduled, World Health Organization Says

    The UN authority is joining those who are demanding we take another look at marijuana’s classification.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) says that marijuana has been considered a Schedule IV drug, the Single Convention’s most restrictive category, for far too long. They believe marijuana’s current scheduling goes against science, but are making it clear they are stopping short of allowing legalization.

    The international scheduling of drugs was outlined in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961, which categorized drugs as most harmful and restricted for medical use in Schedule I to the more relaxed Schedule III.

    Their pattern is consistent with the United States’ scheduling order, up until Schedule IV. Breaking the pattern, the Single Convention defines Schedule IV drugs as an especially dangerous subset of Schedule I drugs requiring special attention and restrictions.

    Currently, marijuana is dual-categorized as Schedule I federally and a Schedule IV drug internationally, which places it on the same level as synthetic opioids.

    The WHO suggests that the marijuana plant and cannabis resins be taken off of Schedule IV, downgrading it to Schedule I internationally. They also want to explicitly state that CBD preparations with a THC content of lower than 0.2% will be considered as “not under international control” in any way.

    They also suggest that cannabis extracts, tinctures, and pharmaceutical THC compounds be taken from Schedule I down to Schedule III.

    Despite all the rescheduling, the WHO is not recommending that any country legalize marijuana, and in fact would consider such a move a violation of some stricter international treaties. However, the move is an admission that most governments have gotten marijuana wrong.

    “The placement of cannabis in the 1961 treaty, in the absence of scientific evidence, was a terrible injustice,” said legalization advocate Michael Krawitz. “Today the World Health Organization has gone a long way towards setting the record straight. It is time for us all to support the World Health Organization’s recommendations and ensure politics don’t trump science.”

    Despite not explicitly advocating for legalization, this may tip the scales in favor of countries that no longer want to enforce marijuana prohibition. Canada and Uruguay, which have decided to legalize marijuana even before the WHO’s announcement, are expected to support the move. More restrictive countries like China and Russia are expected to disapprove.

    The United States’ federal stance remains to be seen. Despite marijuana being legal in some form in more than half of the U.S., some say President Trump’s Attorney General nominee might go either way.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • WHO Launches "Safer" Alcohol Campaign

    WHO Launches "Safer" Alcohol Campaign

    The campaign outlines steps that governments can take to reduce problem drinking.

    The World Health Organization has launched a campaign outlining high-impact strategies that can help governments address alcohol abuse, in order to work toward the organization’s goal of reducing harmful drinking by 10% worldwide by 2025. 

    The campaign, called SAFER, outlines steps that governments can take to reduce problem drinking. Alcohol contributes to 3 million deaths around the world each year, and is the 7th leading cause of premature death and disability according to WHO. 

    “The harmful use of alcohol is a major—yet often unaddressed—public health threat,” Dr. Adam Karpati, senior vice president of Public Health Programs at Vital Strategies, a global public health organization, said in a news release. “SAFER provides clear guidance to governments on how to save lives on a large scale. The greatest impact will be achieved by implementing all the SAFER interventions in full.”

    Each letter in the acronym stands for a strategy that governments can implement:

    S: Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability

    The first step in the plan is to reduce the availability of alcohol. The idea is to establish restrictions to keep alcohol out of the hands of youth and other high-risk groups; this has been proven to cut back on alcohol-related issues. For example, in Brazil the decision to close bars at 11 p.m. led to a 40% reduction in homicide rates. 

    A: Advance and enforce drink driving counter measures

    One of the most dangerous aspects of alcohol use is driving while intoxicated, so SAFER urges governments to take a stricter approach to combat drunk driving. This includes reducing the legal limit. Lowering the legal limit from 0.08% to 0.05% blood alcohol content could eliminate 18% of crashes caused by drunk driving that result in injury or death. 

    F: Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment

    In order to reduce the negative health impacts of alcohol, healthcare providers need to screen people who may be at risk, and help people who have alcohol use disorder access treatment. Offering screenings in a primary care setting can increase access to treatment, and is especially important for pregnant women. 

    E: Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion

    People around the globe are constantly exposed to marketing from alcohol companies, which often downplays the negative effects of alcohol. Governments should restrict what advertising is allowed, particularly in places where it reaches young people who should not be drinking.  

    R: Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies

    Raising taxes on alcohol and setting minimum prices can make alcohol less affordable to people, thus in theory, reducing the amount that they drink. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Lady Gaga & WHO Director Pen Essay For World Mental Health Day

    Lady Gaga & WHO Director Pen Essay For World Mental Health Day

    The duo call for additional treatment funding and the need for governments to better prioritize mental wellness in the essay.

    Mental health issues are universal—and costly without proper treatment—so why is mental illness still a taboo subject?

    That question is raised by Lady Gaga and Tedros Adhanom, director-general of the World Health Organization, in a new essay published in the Guardian on the eve of World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10): “800,000 people kill themselves every year. What can we do?”

    This annual statistic translates to “more than the population of Washington, D.C., Oslo or Cape Town,” they write. “Sometimes they are famous names such as Anthony Bourdain or Kate Spade that make headlines, but they are all sons or daughters, friends or colleagues, valued members of families and communities.”

    Globally, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds, yet mental health receives less than 1% of global aid, they write.

    This lack of funding translates to a higher cost overall—mental health issues cost $2.5 trillion a year globally, which will keep rising if they continue to be excluded from the conversation.

    “Stigma, fear and lack of understanding compound the suffering of those affected and prevent the bold action that is so desperately needed and so long overdue,” they write.

    Gaga (born Stefani Germanotta) and Adhanom urge governments to invest in mental health services, saying it will not only help individuals but benefit state coffers as well.

    “Research shows there is a fourfold return on investment for every dollar spent on treating depression and anxiety, the most common mental health conditions, making spending on the issue a great investment for both political leaders and employers, in addition to generating savings in the health sector,” they write.”

    Individuals have a part to play too, by supporting one another and urging lawmakers to make mental health a priority. “We can all help to build communities that understand, respect and prioritize mental wellness,” they write.

    The essay cites local efforts that are moving the momentum in a positive direction, such as the ThriveNYC initiative in New York City.

    Germanotta—who previously revealed that she lives with PTSD—spearheads the Born This Way Foundation, established in 2012, with her mother Cynthia Germanotta. The foundation focuses on young people with the goal of creating a “kinder and braver world.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Alcohol Responsible For 5% Of Deaths Worldwide

    Alcohol Responsible For 5% Of Deaths Worldwide

    A new WHO report found that alcohol-related deaths continue to be a major issue, particularly among men.

    More than 5% of worldwide deaths can be attributed to alcohol, according to a new report. 

    The data was part of a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) that is released every four years, according to the Guardian.

    The report found that of the approximately 3 million alcohol-related deaths per year, about 2.3 million in 2016 were men. It also noted that nearly 29% of deaths caused by alcohol were the result of injuries, including driving incidents and suicides. 

    A standout finding of the report was the toll that alcohol takes on younger generations. For example, the report found that 13.5% of deaths in those in their 20s were linked to alcohol somehow, while alcohol was held responsible for 7.2% of premature deaths in all. 

    Despite the fact that worldwide alcohol-related deaths have decreased from 5.9% to 5.3% since 2012, Dr. Vladimir Poznyak, a WHO alcohol-control expert who was involved in the report, tells the Guardian that the results are not something to take lightly.

    “Unfortunately, the implementation of the most effective policy options is lagging behind the magnitude of the problems,” he said. “Governments need to do more to meet the global targets and to reduce the burden of alcohol on societies; this is clear, and this action is either absent or not sufficient in most of the countries of the world.” 

    Additionally, Poznyak added that the numbers in the report were likely an underestimate.

    “Alcohol use starts in many countries well before [age] 15, so that is why we can say that our estimates are quite conservative, because we don’t count at all the impact of alcohol consumption on kids below 15,” he told the Guardian.

    On a more positive note, the report also detailed the fact that in some regions, such as Europe and the Americas, the number of drinkers is decreasing.

    In Europe, consumption per person has decreased from 10.9 liters of pure alcohol in 2012 to 9.6 in 2016. Even so, Europe remains the region where the most alcohol is consumed overall.

    Rajiv Jalan, professor of hepatology at University College London, tells the Guardian that one of the main concerns in the UK is the age of consumption. The report found that 44% of 15 to 19-year-olds in the region are considered “active drinkers.”

    Jalan added that it is very concerning that alcohol accounts for 10% of deaths in Europe. 

    “The biggest problem that we have is that, certainly in Europe and if you focus more on the UK, there isn’t really a strategy which is all-encompassing in order to address this death rate. All the different elements that are known to work have not yet been implemented.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • World Health Organization Adds Sex Addiction to Disease List

    World Health Organization Adds Sex Addiction to Disease List

    However, there is still some controversy among clinicians about whether it should be included.

    A new mental health disorder has been added to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases list—compulsive sexual behavior disorder.

    According to CNN, the inclusion came in the June update of the list, which is called the ICD-11, and is the “foundational document that clinicians and scientists around the world use to identify and study health problems, injuries and causes of death.”

    The list states that compulsive sexual behavior disorder, also referred to as sex addiction, as “persistent pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges resulting in repetitive sexual behaviour.”

    WHO states that the disorder has to do with a person’s sexual behavior becoming a “central focus” of their life to the point that it becomes detrimental to “health and personal care or other interests, activities and responsibilities.” The organization also states that in order to be classified as this disorder, a person must have been struggling with it for six months or more.

    Though WHO has included this disorder in its list, there is still some controversy among clinicians about whether it should be included, CNN states.

    Dr. Timothy Fong, clinical professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, tells CNN that studying the disorder from an “academic perspective” is relatively recent.

    “For centuries, people have been trying to understand what is the cause of hypersexuality,” he said. “It has been called all sorts of names over the years, but it’s really only been in the last 40 years that we’ve tried to understand it from an academic perspective.”

    In 2006, CNN states, Fong authored a paper having to do with the scientific definitions of compulsive sexual behavior disorder and ways to potentially manage the disorder. He says some experts do not agree that the disorder can be classified as an addiction since no substance is abused.

    “Some people would say if it looks like an addiction and smells like an addiction and there are 12-step groups to help people with the addiction, then it is, but the psychological community is split into different camps,” Fong told CNN. “Some say it is addiction, and some of those say people just have different libidos.”

    Despite WHO’s inclusion of the disorder, CNN states there is no national data depicting how many people could have this disorder. It states that some regional and local data suggests it could be about 5 percent of the population, which Fong says means more people would struggle with this disorder than bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or pathological gambling.

    Robert Weiss, addiction specialist and author of “Sex Addiction 101” and “Always Turned On,” tells CNN that he is happy about WHO’s decision. Weiss says he has treated more than 1,000 people with compulsive sexual behavior disorder and success in treatment comes from addressing underlying problems and creating a healthier relationship with sex.

    “You don’t want to repress the desire. Sexuality is a part of being human, but you want to guide it,” Weiss told CNN.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Gaming Disorder" Officially Recognized As Mental Health Condition

    "Gaming Disorder" Officially Recognized As Mental Health Condition

    The World Health Organization decided to classify the condition so more health care professionals would be “alerted to its existence.” 

    The World Health Organization just added “gaming disorder” to its official International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

    Gaming disorder was officially added to the 11th edition of the ICD, released Monday. While health care professionals are divided on whether gaming disorder should be included—one expert called it “a little bit premature” to label this as a diagnosis—officials with WHO explained that the intent of the official classification is to raise awareness about gaming disorder and make it possible for more people to recognize it and seek help.

    The intent was not to “[create] a precedent,” but for health care professionals to be “more alerted to the existence of this condition” and ensure that “people who suffer from these conditions can get appropriate help,” Dr. Vladimir Poznyak of WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse told CNN.

    The International Classification of Diseases defines the universe of diseases, disorders, injuries and other related health conditions, according to the WHO website.

    Gaming disorder is defined in the 11th version “as a pattern of gaming behavior characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.”

    According to the website, the decision to include gaming disorder follows the development of treatment programs for people with health conditions identical to those characteristic of gaming disorder in many parts of the world.

    According to Poznyak, a diagnosis of gaming disorder would refer to a “persistent or recurrent” behavior pattern of “sufficient severity” that has persisted for at least one year.

    Poznyak explained the three main diagnostic traits of gaming disorder. “One is that the gaming behavior takes precedence over other activities to the extent that other activities are taken to the periphery,” he told CNN. The second is showing a lack of control over the behavior: “Even when the negative consequences occur, this behavior continues or escalates.”

    And third, one’s personal, family, social, education or occupational life is affected negatively—this may include “disturbed sleep patterns, like diet problems, like a deficiency in the physical activity,” Poznyak explained.

    View the original article at thefix.com