South Korea is perhaps the world 's leader in terms of identifying and treating gaming and Internet addiction . After wiring the nation with the world 's fastest broadband infrastructure , South Korea 's government spends millions per year to identify and treat gaming and Internet addicts . About 8 % of the country 's population age 9 to 39 suffer from Internet or gaming addiction , according to a 2010 government study . Some see South Korea as a window into the future : Perhaps other nations , including the United States , will see a wave of gaming and Internet addiction when our technological infrastructure catches up . Others say it 's too soon to know if gaming addiction is really its own disorder . In the United States , Internet and gaming addiction are not listed in the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . In the next revision of that list , however , the American Psychiatric Association has proposed that `` Internet Use Disorder '' be listed as warranting further study . Some groups , however , have moved forward with treating Internet and gaming addiction . One of the leaders in that field is Dr. Han Doug-hyun , from Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul , South Korea 's capital . Han 's research lab treats people who are addicted to games using techniques similar to those used to treat alcoholics , including counseling and virtual-reality therapy ( Check out this CNN video to see inside his research and treatment space ) . As part of CNN 's feature on `` Gaming Reality , '' Han gave us his list of the top five warning signs that a person should seek professional help for Internet or gaming addiction . Take a look at the tips and let us know what you think of them , and of the science of gaming addiction , in the comments . Here are Han 's top 5 warning signs of gaming or Internet addiction : . 1 . Disrupted regular life pattern . If a person plays games all night long and sleeps in the daytime , that can be a warning he or she should seek professional help . 2 . If the potential gaming or Internet addict loses his or her job , or stops going to school in order to be online or to play a digital game . 3 . Need for a bigger fix . Does the gamer have to play for longer and longer periods in order to get the same level of enjoyment from the game ? 4 . Withdrawal . Some Internet and gaming addicts become irritable or anxious when they disconnect , or when they are forced to do so . 5 . Cravings . Some Internet and gaming addicts experience cravings , or the need to play the game or be online when they are away from the digital world .
South Korean government gives 5 warning signs of gaming addiction . South Korea 's government tries to prevent and treat Internet and gaming addiction . In the United States , such disorders are n't listed as official disorders . The American Psychological Association proposes more research on the subject .