Those who play video games compulsively for long periods of time may be diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has for the first time, included "gaming disorder" in its list of mental health conditions in a draft of its 11th International Classification of Diseases guidelines, which will be published in 2018.

The WHO charactised a gaming disorder as a "pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour" both on or offline.

Notable traits include patients prioritising gaming over "life interests and daily activities and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurence of negative consequences".

Patients must have shown symptoms for at least a year before diagnosis, although the guidance states that this is subject to change dependent on the severity of the case.