Current Clinical Practices for Gaming Disorder and Related Issues in Primary Care Settings in Northern Japan: A Regional Survey in Sapporo

While many CAPs (81.8%) are already addressing gaming-related issues, only about half of pediatricians (53.8%) and psychiatrists (52.2%) are involved in such treatment. With the increasing number of children and adolescents engaging in online gaming, playtime has gradually increased, potentially leading to an increase in GD cases. The difference was that pediatricians were often consulted about somatic symptoms, while psychiatrists were typically required to manage behavioral issues, such as excessive spending on gaming, and psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety. As the number of children and adolescents seeking medical care for gaming-related problems is expected to increase, it is anticipated that clinical guidelines will be developed to enable both pediatricians and psychiatrists to effectively manage these cases.