A pioneer in the treatment of digital addiction and gaming disorders is the Australian of the Year for Western Australia.

Daniela Vecchio, who is head of mental health and addiction services at Fiona Stanley Hospital, accepted the award at Government House in Perth on Thursday.

Dr Vecchio, 57, helped establish the first publicly funded gaming disorder clinic in Australia in 2022 after she saw increasing numbers of young people with harmful addictions to video games and social media.

The clinic is unique worldwide in providing early detection and intervention within a hospital setting.

Dr Vecchio has fostered extensive international and national collaborations with other experts in the field and with health, education and police services.

As a director of the Australian Gaming and Scre

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