From exploring the labyrinth of Fortnite to the thrill of World of Warcraft, it is indisputable that most people enjoy gaming. Studies have shown that over 85% of middle school learners enjoy gaming. Some learning modes have included video games. As such, the debate about the psychological impact of gaming on students always crops up. We recommend simply clicking on https://researchpaperwriter.net/ for answers.
One might argue that video games provide glimpses of the fantasy world and provide a reasonable basis for learners to explore their creativity. However, other stakeholders, like parents, have expressed their concerns about the effects of gaming on learners. The most common concerns raised include:
- Unhealthy sleeping patterns
- Reduced levels of concentration
- Unhealthy social interaction tendencies
- Moodiness
As observed from the concerns, gaming has psychological effects, prompting the need to explore the topic to establish whether it is worth it and how much is too much. However, exploring the maze that is the psychological impact of gaming might be a better option for understanding how much is at stake. So, shall we?
Negative Implications of Gaming
The scrutiny that video games have attracted has been linked to the adverse effects related to them. Gaming addiction has been one of the critical concerns. Research has backed up the claims of negative mental consequences on the gamer’s mental health.
Below is an in-depth exploration of five negative psychological effects of video games on students:
1. Aggression
Before proceeding, it is paramount to establish that education can be stressful enough to increase the learner’s pressure. This stress can manifest in increased aggression.
Nevertheless, video games’ contribution to this increased aggression is slightly different. As a disclaimer, video games are known for being aggressive, and some of them involve players attacking one another. Even though research linking increased aggression to video games is mixed, some studies have drawn a relationship. Learners who spend excessive amounts of time playing video games have showcased aggressive tendencies, although there is a likelihood that the cause cannot be pegged to the games solely.
2. Sleep
Excessive gaming has been linked to disrupted sleep patterns and decreased sleep quality. Most players spend late hours playing video games. Unbeknown to them are the adverse effects of staying glued to blue screens emitting a blue light, which directly impacts their brain’s stimulation, ultimately affecting their mental health.
Psychologists and psychiatrists have drawn a relationship between good quality sleep and mental health. Sleep deprivation or poor sleeping patterns have a direct impact on your moods and a poor mental state.
3. Escapism
If you have played video games, you can attest to how consuming they are, and you quickly get lost in the game for hours on end. For the minutes you will be glued to the screen, you are out of touch with the real world, which can be detrimental to your mental health.
Even though video games stretch your ability to focus on something, they are an unhealthy escapism. Moreover, you will likely get addicted to playing video games as a form of escapism, which is unhealthy. You will realize you are avoiding dealing with real-life challenges, and you are not any different from someone who turns to drugs to deal with their problems.
4. Depression
I would like you to imagine the escapism caused by relying on video games as your go-to activity when confronted with a situation requiring your attention. First, you will be out of touch with what is happening worldwide.
Secondly, relying on a distraction to deal with the pressures of life causes more damage than the effort to confront the challenges actively. Remember, video games can be isolating, plunging you into circumstances where you do not put enough effort into cultivating and nourishing your friendships. The aftermath of this case is a deteriorated mental health, which will likely manifest as depression.
To cement the magnitude of this situation is research by scientists to prove the relationship between depression and violent video games. Findings have shown that people who have played violent video games for over two hours daily are more predisposed to depression than those who play non-video games for the same frequency.
5. Social awkwardness
As highlighted previously, video games are isolating, especially if you play them alone. Overexposure to these video games leads to social anxiety and awkwardness. It also dents relationships with other people and your ability to stay in touch with those around you, especially since, as a gamer, you spend more than enough time in a different world playing the games.
Positive Effects of Playing Video Games
A more balanced debate would suffice only if we looked at both sides of the coin, hence the need to explore the positive effects of video games on mental health. These are the potential benefits of playing video games:
1. Better problem-solving skills
Some games encourage you to think outside the box and navigate your way around the challenges in the game. As such, they challenge your thinking capacity and test your problem-solving skills.
Some require you to exercise your critical thinking, strategy, and creativity to find solutions. Research has shown that these kinds of games exercise the brain, challenging you to be better at problem-solving.
2. Social connection
Some video games are not as isolating, especially since they entail one or multiple co-players. Moreover, people are slowly embracing using video games as a form of social interaction. Furthermore, some games have enabled multiplayer features; hence, players at different locations can play and bond afterwards.
3. Anxiety relief
There has been a surge in cases of people, especially Gen Z’s, facing challenges with their mental health, and anxiety is one of the most common problems noted. Even though video games have been related to escapism, they are a great way of dealing with anxiety and racing thoughts.
4. Reduced depression symptoms
Studies have drawn a relationship between video games and mental health concerns. However, when done in moderation, they can reduce depression symptoms. The question one would ask is where and how to draw the line.
To give a disclaimer, video games are fun and would pass as a great mood booster for people experiencing symptoms of depression. They are ideal for anyone wallowing in thoughts of sadness and struggling to find joy.
Furthermore, they are a break from feeling isolated, especially video games that support multiple players. Face-to-face interactions facilitated by video games are ideal for healing social anxiety.
Video games become detrimental when players spend excessive time playing them instead of socializing with those around them. Therefore, there is no cut-out limit to how much is too much.
This exploration of the impact of video games on mental health provides the different facets of the subject. Conversely, it opens a Pandora’s box on how much is too much.
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