I SAW the news that free NHS treatment is being offered to people addicted to video games – and for me that is long overdue.

The move came after gaming disorder was listed in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD) for the first time.

Let's be clear if someone is playing on a console or mobile games to the point it takes precedence over daily life, then they are addicted. Recently there have been stories of youngsters addicted to smash hit game Fortnite, with parents fearful their child are suffering as a result of their addiction.

And yet despite this, people were quick to ridicule all this as rubbish on social media. Among the comments I read were that they had never heard of something so stupid, and it wasn't an addiction, it was just made up.

Firstly, people are simply wrong if they don’t see it as an addiction at all, and I think that comes from a place of ignorance.

At this point I should say I am a gamer who has grown up playing video games and use them as escapism like a book or TV show, and I can see how people - especially children - could become addictive. Many games are designed to be so engaging that you can’t resist ‘one more go’.

How is that different from for example being a betting addict, looking for their next buzz from a race or football match?

Secondly many people are always quick to blame the "useless" parents. The problem is mums and dads will try everything to stop their child playing games – but a child will often eventually find a way to play them.

And what does attacking the parents achieve? I have sympathy, and I’m glad professionals can now step in.

People's views comes from the general attacks on the video game industry, which has been going on for decades. Computer games have been attacked for violence and bad behaviour, and calls for them to banned have often been made.

However, that is unfair to the creative game developers who should be celebrated for their work. Games are like films certificated to ensure children don't play the ones aimed at an adult audience. As long as parents monitor the games their children are playing there isn't a problem.

Computer games like Fortnite are there to be enjoyed, but like anything that should always be in moderation.