Is Playing Too Many Video Games a Concern?

When is Video Gaming a Problem and When It Isn’t

Half of our population is thought to play video games, often known as gaming. When it comes to video games, there are many different types of games and, therefore, something for everyone. Contrary to widespread assumption, video games aren’t solely for teenagers.

Only 21% of gamers were under the age of 18, according to a recent survey. While gaming can be an enjoyable hobby or distraction (and is even becoming a professional sport), many people believe that doing too much of it can be harmful.

Let’s look at both sides of the argument rather than having a witch hunt, like many articles related to this subject tend to do.

How gaming can be good for you

Let’s delve into the specifics of how gaming can be good for you.

Hands – Control-based games may be helpful for your hands. Researchers have discovered that surgeons who played video games were able to complete complex procedures faster and made 37 percent fewer mistakes than those who did not. In addition, as a sort of physical rehabilitation, certain video games have been used to assist stroke victims in regaining control of their hands and wrists.

Brain – Gaming is a mental workout that is disguised as entertainment. According to studies, playing video games daily can increase grey matter and improve brain connectivity. Grey matter is fundamental in muscle control, memory, perception, and spatial navigation.

Open-world, mission-based, and multi-level games are designed to be challenging puzzles that take a long time to solve. Depending on your game activities, the answer changes from time to time. Learning to think on your feet and strategize in a fast-paced fictional environment is a talent that can be applied in the real world.

Eyes – As long as you don’t stare at the screen for more than 10 hours at a time, video games can help you enhance your vision. For example, ten male students who had never played first-person action games were trained for 30 hours before being compared against ten non-gamers in one study. As a result, the students who played perceived items more clearly in crowded environments due to their higher spatial resolution. In addition to this, they were able to train their brains to see more minor details because those nuances proved crucial in each game.

Heart – Some video games have been proven in studies to improve mood and heart rhythms, indicating that they may also assist in relieving stress. Numerous unrelated research has shown a link between video games and managing anxiety, which is why video games have been employed in treatment for over a decade.

Let’s now flip the switch and see the adverse effects that gaming can have on us.

How gaming can be bad for you

Nervous System – Overuse injuries, also known as repetitive stress injuries, occur when muscles and tendons are used repeatedly to the point where discomfort and inflammation develop. If these injuries are allowed to progress, they can cause numbness and weakening, as well as irreversible harm. Gamers are prone to overuse injuries to their hands and arms.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects many gamers, is a good example. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an inflammation of a nerve in the wrist that causes pain and numbness. It is commonly seen in office workers.