Games have always been an essential component of our culture. For some, they are a source of entertainment; for others, they help in interactions and education. In today’s digital age, video games are becoming commonplace as they continuously get more immersive and realistic. Given that the virtual gaming industry is rapidly expanding and drawing a massive following by the day, one can’t help but wonder: What is the true impact of video games on individuals and society?
Here are some of the benefits of gaming among millennials and later generations.
● Enhances Cognitive Ability
Gaming demands you pay attention to what is happening on the screen to respond accordingly. Again, it enhances your attention and focus by requiring you to coordinate several activities simultaneously. At first, coordinating what you see with a proper response may not be seamless, but it will improve with time. Subsequently, some virtual games demand spatial reasoning skills to navigate intricate environments effortlessly and solve various puzzles. Hence, the more you play video games, the better your spatial awareness gets.
● Helps Make Friends
Modern virtual games are designed such that players can connect and play together from different geographical locations. Multiplayer video games can potentially improve social skills and promote teamwork. They often require players to interact with each other in one way or another. Doing this enhances social interaction skills, such as active listening and conflict resolution.
It’s worth noting, however, that not everyone you meet online has good intentions. Cyber-attacks and bullying are on the rise, and it would be wiser to avoid these risks rather than suffer the consequences. For starters, you can use Nuwber to check whether the players you meet online are who they claim to be. Then, when you are sure that these people can be trusted, you can decide whether to continue interacting with them or not.
● Kills Stress
If you often get stressed at work or are always overthinking everything, then a break from work would help. Video games are great distractors, especially from self-deprecating thoughts. Games’ immersive and engaging nature easily shifts your focus from life stressors and provides an escape into a virtual world. Fun and exciting games prompt the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood enhancers, leading to relaxation.
● Provides Educational Value
Gaming is gaining traction in education, particularly in explaining complex historical and scientific concepts. They provide immersive virtual environments that accurately represent historical and scientific facts. Games like Assassin’s Creed enable easier comprehension of these topics than conventional teaching methods. Furthermore, gaming helps learn new languages and makes it fun to acquire new vocabulary and learn grammar.
● Helps recover
Video games are also revolutionizing rehabilitation in physical therapy and motor skill improvement, like in the case of stroke patients. While therapeutic exercises can be painful and unbearable for physically impaired patients, gaming makes these exercises fun for them. Games also provide real-time feedback, motivating patients to stick to their treatment plan and accelerating their recovery.
Now that the good part is out of the way, what concerns should you have about gaming?
● Stimulates Addiction
Gaming is designed to be immersive and captivating. It is almost impossible to tell when you’re having too much of it. The repetitive nature of video games hence cultivates a reward system in your mind, causing a surge in the release of dopamine, a chemical that induces pleasure. The intense craving for that pleasurable feeling can lead to overlooking other essential activities, such as sleeping, eating, and socializing. Subsequently, excessive gaming leads to physical and mental health problems like poor sleep patterns.
● Promotes Violence and Aggression
Did you know that you learn most of what you know through seeing and hearing? While gaming is harmless, it sometimes cultivates negative behavior and attitude. It is worse for games with violent themes and scenes that often reward players for engaging in aggressive behaviors. Playing such games can lead to the reinforcement of violent tendencies for players with low self-awareness. Players can no longer draw the line between reality and fantasy, as they are highly immersed in these games. Players even exhibit aggressive behavior in real life, causing harm to themselves and others.
● Contributes to Health Complications
If you’re a gamer, then you know how hard it is to master using the controller. The repetitive motions of using a controller or mouse can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that affects the wrist and hand. This can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the affected area, making it difficult to carry out other daily tasks. Furthermore, gaming contributes to a sedentary lifestyle that prevents people from working out or engaging in physical activities. Consequently, this sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity and poor posture.
● Causes Social Isolation
Gaming may take up a lot of your time, including the time you could have spent with your friends. Interacting with your peers is as important as having a hobby, so don’t let one eat into the other. Additionally, if you spend most of your time in front of a screen, you might lack the confidence to meet people in person over time. Moreover, gaming can make you get more comfortable with the strangers you meet on the platforms and withdraw from real-life friends. Ultimately, you risk being lonely when you lose touch with your friends.
● Results in Poor Academic Performance
While playing games isn’t bad, overdoing it may ruin your grades in school. Declining academic performance is among the top effects of gaming among school-going children and adults. There is a thin line between gaming for entertainment and as a distraction. Games can also drain your energy, making you lose interest in school and other activities requiring sustained attention and effort. Subsequently, this can lead to poor academic performance and a lack of motivation to learn.
Conclusion
Like many other things, gaming has its fair share of pros and cons. Developers are continuously finding ways to make games more engaging. Hence, you must limit how much time you spend in front of the screen.
Nevertheless, playing games comes with many advantages. Conversely, many people either fail to consider or are unaware of the cons of excessive gaming. So, they pay the price in one way or another. Lucky for you, this article sheds light on the good and ugly of video games.