Picture this.
It’s Saturday morning.
You launch your favorite game.
A few matches turn into a few hours.
Before you know it…
It’s Sunday night.
Your parents walk into your room and say the sentence almost every gamer has heard at least once.
« You’re addicted. »
But here’s the question.
Are you?
Or are you simply doing what millions of teenagers do during their free time?
According to Dr. Yasmine Battas, a Moroccan psychiatrist, there’s a huge difference.
And it’s one that many people completely misunderstand.
Because contrary to what social media — and sometimes even adults — believe…
Video game addiction isn’t defined by the number of hours you play.
Let that sink in.
You could spend an entire weekend playing games…
And still not have a gaming disorder.
In fact, the World Health Organization officially recognizes Gaming Disorder in its International Classification of Diseases, known as the ICD-11.
But the medical definition has nothing to do with a stopwatch.
Instead, doctors look for something much deeper.
Loss of control.
Can the person stop when they need to?
Can they prioritize school, work or family when necessary?
Or has gaming become the center of everything?
The WHO also makes another point that’s often forgotten.
These behaviors must generally be present for at least 12 months before the diagnosis is considered.
Not one bad weekend.
Not a school vacation spent playing.
Not a new game release that everyone is obsessed with.
A persistent pattern that seriously affects the person’s life over time.
Think about two teenagers.
The first spends twelve hours playing on Saturday.
On Monday…
They’re back at school.
They see their friends.
Do their homework.
Play football.
Laugh with their family.
Gaming is their hobby.
Now imagine another teenager.
Grades collapse.
They stop seeing friends.
Sleep disappears.
Meals are skipped.
Every conversation becomes about getting back to the game.
Even when they desperately want to stop…
They can’t.
That’s the difference.
The issue isn’t how much they play.
It’s what gaming has replaced.
And maybe that’s why this conversation matters so much.
For years…
We’ve measured screen time.
Five hours.
Eight hours.
Ten hours.
As if every hour had exactly the same meaning.
But psychologists increasingly ask different questions.
What happens when the console is turned off?
Can the person enjoy other activities?
Maintain relationships?
Keep up with school?
Take care of themselves?
Because passion and addiction can look almost identical from the outside.
A professional footballer trains six hours a day.
Nobody calls them addicted.
A pianist practices every evening.
Nobody panics.
A teenager spends all weekend mastering a difficult game…
And suddenly everyone assumes something is wrong.
Maybe the real lesson is this.
Being passionate about gaming isn’t a diagnosis.
Medical disorders are defined by suffering and loss of control, not by stereotypes.
That doesn’t mean excessive gaming can never become a problem.
It absolutely can.
But it also doesn’t mean every teenager holding a controller needs treatment.
Sometimes…
They’re just doing what teenagers have always done.
Getting completely absorbed by something they love.
The real question is…
If we keep confusing passion with addiction… are we helping young people who genuinely need support… or making it harder to recognize the cases that really matter?
