Few hobbies are as controversial as video games. Every few months, discussions about banning certain video games resurface. Why? People explain that video games are a waste of time, that they encourage violence, and worsen the quality of life. Are they right?
The answer is nuanced. Of course, video games aren’t as bad for you as protesters suggest. But it will also be a deception to tell you that they’re perfectly safe. Like many forms of entertainment, gaming isn’t inherently good or bad. What matters most is how, why, and how much you play.
Video Games Help You In Various Niche Aspects
Yes, video games can be good for you. Gaming is just like any other form of entertainment, like reading or watching movies. Whether it’s useful or harmful depends on how it’s used.
Rather than asking whether games are “good” or “bad,” it’s more helpful to ask how gaming habits impact one’s life. By using this personality resource, you can see how your personality influences how you play games. Below, we provide common benefits of video games.
Mental Benefits:
- Video games reduce stress. When playing an interesting video game, some people can enter a so-called “flow state” that is reminiscent of mindfulness. This state is known for its stress-reducing qualities due to healthy escapism.
- Accomplishing goals in video games boosts confidence in real life. Video games create a safe environment where failure is treated as a learning tool. By repeatedly failing, gamers build frustration tolerance and confidence that they are quite self-sufficient, even in real life.
- Multiplayer games, games with extensive NPC interactions, and a gaming community decrease loneliness. And loneliness is one of the most influential mortality risks. Feeling socially disconnected increases mortality risk similarly to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
Emotional Health Benefits:
- Story-driven games can boost empathy. Thanks to gaming, you get the chance to be in the shoes of a peasant from the Middle Ages, an outlaw from the Wild West, a policeman trying to maintain order, etc. Living through these many scenarios can make some gamers understand what others are going through.
- Certain games can strengthen teamwork and conflict resolution skills. This benefit shows up in multiplayer games, where users have to rely on each other for success. These skills can be essential to learn leadership.
Personal Development Benefits:
- Strategy games develop flexible thinking and boost adaptiveness. Video games expose players to constantly changing rules and require them to make rapid decisions. Then, analyze it and do it all over again in different contexts, but better this time. Because that’s how learning works.
- People who play video games have more vivid imaginations. Because video games train the brain’s neuroplasticity, gamers are frequently more encouraged to learn how to learn. It means they’re more likely to experiment and less afraid to try new things, including being creative and not conforming to others.
- Gaming was found to have a beneficial impact on memory. Many games require players to remember storylines, maps, and clues for solving problems, which trains the brain’s neuroplasticity, including the ability to recall information.
It’s Important To Find Balance So The Consequences Don’t Escalate
Yes, video games do have some risks that can negatively impact mental or physical well-being as well. But this doesn’t mean that gaming is harmful altogether. It can become problematic when video games start replacing healthy routines or taking the energy instead of replenishing it.
For instance, many argue that gaming can become an avoidant coping. Video games, like any other visual stimulation, can cause bursts of dopamine, which provide temporary relief from stress. While occasional escapism is normal, relying on games to avoid uncomfortable emotions altogether may prevent people from addressing the real issues causing their distress.
By limiting yourself to how much you indulge in games, you prevent gaming from spiralling into something beyond entertainment, therefore reducing the inherent cons that come with it. Instead of opening a game every time you feel bored, try to stop that impulse. Gaming as a way to avoid difficult emotions can be unhealthy and undermines the benefits.
Conclusion
As highlighted, it’s possible to both game and enjoy benefits without risking your well-being. Finish your job responsibilities, household tasks, and the most important self-care (sleep, healthy meals, exercise) before turning on a game. Beyond that, having a diversified hobbies portfolio means that you won’t get addicted to one of them.
Gaming is a massive system that banks on your attention like any form of media. However, unlike those other forms, gaming has the advantage of being extremely immersive and packing a plethora of diverse experiences. This is a treat as a standalone, but if you restrict yourself appropriately, you can enjoy these experiences without worrying about adverse effects.
