A lot of parents out there are worried that video games can make their children violent, aggressive, or prone to neglecting their homework. And you know what? That’s somewhat true as long as the child spends too much time playing video games and if he doesn’t receive a strong education at home. Otherwise, gaming can be beneficial for people of all ages, and we’ll immediately explain why.
Gaming is a form of entertainment, and no developer or publisher created a game in order to make someone become violent or aggressive. Most of the time, video games display aggressive behavior in order to show that those who don’t behave well in society will face their downfall sooner or later. As for the other video games, the developers and publishers simply don’t care, but that doesn’t mean that they encourage any kind of antisocial behavior.
Video games can actually benefit the player’s mental health, and here’s how:
Stimulating ambition and reflexes
Many times in video games, such as shooters like Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, or Sniper Ghost Warrior, the player needs to be extremely careful to shoot his opponents at the right moment. If he delays even a second, that can be enough for him to miss the mark and become the next target in the game. In a game like those from the FIFA series, on the other hand, you constantly need to be aware of your opponent’s moves and tactics, while at the same time, you need to apply yours at the right time. In other words, there’s a lot of strategic thinking needed to win a match in a FIFA game, which is another confirmation that video games stimulate your mind a lot.
The more you progress through an RPG game, for instance, the harder the game itself will become. If the current level isn’t enough for you and you need the game to become harder, don’t worry, as most video games offer you the option to increase difficulty. In other words, video games seriously stimulate the players’ ambition.
Reducing stress
A lot of those who like to play video games say that such a task induces them a state of relaxation, which will automatically reduce their stress. It’s a fact that stress is one of the biggest problems in our society, and it can occur because of countless factors: politicians, our jobs, our bosses, not getting paid enough, not getting the chance to succeed at the job, and many more.
Prolonged and chronic stress can also significantly impact both our physical and mental health, and that could potentially contribute to the development of various diseases. If you want a list of health conditions that have been associated with chronic stress, you can consider depression, anxiety, hypertension, immune system suppression, gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Guess what conditions such as depression or type 2 diabetes can do to you if you don’t treat it? Both of these two conditions can have serious consequences for a person’s health, such as contributing to severe complications that could even be potentially life-threatening.
You got the idea: playing video games can help you get rid of stress, while stress can lead to even worse conditions if you don’t take good care of it.
Ultimately, we must all be well aware that video games are useful only as long as you use them in the right way. Excessively playing video games would certainly not be a good idea in most cases. But excess, in general, is not good, regardless of what domain you apply it to.
I’m Francis E. Hagopian, and I’m the voice and vision behind Billionaire365.com. For the last 15 years, I’ve lived and breathed Silicon Valley culture, arming myself with insights and know-how that I can’t wait to share with you. Think of me as your personal guide in the intricate maze of technology. I specialize in translating the complex into the understandable, so you can turn knowledge into power. This isn’t just about staying in the loop; it’s about giving you the tools you need to excel in a digital age. When you’re looking for reliable tech insights, know that I’ve got your back.