Online video games are fun and a great way to pass time. Several studies prove a link between mental health and online gaming. In this post, we will discover some ways how online video games improve mental health.
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The Link Between Online Gaming and Mental Health
Recently, some studies link video gameplay and mental health to the well-being of a person. There are arguments that state playing too many video games affect your health. However, these issues are more prevalent in young kids.
Existing research on gaming has been inconsistent and has regularly targeted aggression. However, over the past 5 to 10 years, there has been growing interest in video games among people (Desai et al., 2010).
A wide variety of research states the link between online video games and mental health. However, games have both good and bad impacts.
There are also studies that suggest online games prove advantageous for people. The impact of these games is inclusive of gender, categories, and the interaction of specific genres on human well-being.
Studies focusing on the benefits of video games have linked them to feelings of gratification for gamers. Moderate videogame play has been related to improved emotional stability and lowered emotional disturbances in children.
Significantly, video games have been endorsed to release stress in most people, now proving to have psychological effects.
Children playing video games have reported a “letting off steam” reaction to issues with peers or parents with emotions of anger, guilt, or frustration melting away after spending time playing video games.
Interestingly, depression is substantially less prevalent in players of video games than the ones who “never” play video games and also who play video games excessively.
How Online Video Games Improve Mental Health
Let’s look into some ways by which online gaming can improve your mental health. So let us begin with video games and mental health benefits:
Regulates Emotions
The feeling of positivity comes while being happy, delighted, and appreciated. While playing online games, these emotions tend to rush through as people feel stress-free and can enjoy life as it is. However, several factors can determine positive emotions in human beings.
Makes you more focused
Playing online video games can enhance the possibility of being completely immersed and engrossed in your tasks. Playing online video games adheres to your capability to focus on anything. It keeps you so engrossed that you lose track of time. This is the level of engagement that you can find while playing video games.
Improves your relationships
A person’s relationships strongly correlate to their happiness, mental, and basic well-being. Improving relationships can create more happiness. Playing online video games can help people manage relationships and also strengthen them. This is one of the best online gaming positive effects.
Gives meaning to life
Having significant mental peace brings a feeling of purpose and achievement to our daily existence. This feeling gives human beings a meaning to live and survive, thereby carrying their life forward in a better direction. Playing online video games can make a contribution to something large than self, therefore, providing a significant purpose.
You feel a sense of accomplishment
Having aspirations to do well in life brings a sense of accomplishment to existence. This, in turn, contributes to emotional stability and mental well-being. Playing online video games can contribute to these accomplishments by giving a sense of achievement whenever they win a game to defeat their peers. This will, in turn, make the relationships better and also help with positive emotions.
Boosts creativity
Online video games increase creativity by guiding us to think creatively. From making plans for the entire quest or mission, crucial and innovative thinking applies. Many gaming sites like Plays offer online video games like Minesweeper, Happy Glass and Open Restaurant for free.
Improves thought process
Its always been acknowledged that playing video games boosts our cognitive features and thought process. Processes like problem-solving, interest in detail, hand-eye coordination get exercised when you play video games.
Improves decision-making skills
Indecision will have a detrimental effect on intellectual fitness. Playing video games enhances our capacity to make rapid and decisive decisions to reap the desired consequences. This is one of the greatest online video games’ psychological effects.
Curbs stress
Again, this comes right down to redirecting and refocusing our interest. Playing video games may be a distraction from the hardships of a hectic day. Also, video games enhance decision-making when life gives you challenging situations. Playing video games reduces stress and enables us to concentrate on life better.
How much playing is too much?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends playing no more than 2 hours in the entire day. Video games must be only played as a way of entertainment rather than addiction. Adults can play at least 5-6 hours a day to relieving stress and getting down the hectic schedule of the day.
How to avoid playing too much
Now that we have learned how playing online video games can help us in staying mentally fit, here are some ways by which we can stay in control and stop our gaming habits from becoming an addiction.
- Make strict habits of controlling your gaming hours. You’re not going to get anywhere if you do not have the desire to control yourself. The first step would be determining the hours in a day that you are going to play. Once you have set the limits, try and try hard to adhere to these.
- Give yourself rest while you play. Notice how long you spend playing online video games each day and try to give yourself short breaks in between. This is because playing at a stretch can cause neck pain, eye problems, and serious effects on the brain. So while keeping your mental self healthy, avoid getting physically injured.
- Have your buddies or family members put in force your self-imposed time restriction. Tell a friend or an accountable sibling or roommate about your choice to play less (and finally prevent altogether). Ask them to connect with you now and then at agreed-upon instances to ensure that you’re staying on track.
Healthy Gaming Habits to Incorporate in Your Lifestyle
Be efficient
As stated, it is first essential to have a dedication to control your gaming habits. This does not lessen your gaming hours but also makes you quite productive throughout the day. There are also instances where online games effects mental health. So if you are efficient enough in keeping track of your time and managing your gaming hours, you will definitely earn your desired results.
Indulge in a physical activity
Unfortunately, having a gaming dependency requires you to sit in front of your screen and stay in a sedentary position for long hours. Sitting in a chair or bed anywhere while playing video games for long hours can cause back pain, neck pain, and eye strain. So exercising regularly in keeping your body fit can prove to be helpful.
Maintain a good posture
Playing video games is supposed to relieve you from mental stress. However, playing too much video games affect your health. Not maintaining a good posture can result in back and neck pain. If not treated at the right time, it can lead to spinal cord abnormalities. Maintaining a correct posture while playing games can actually save you from all the hassle.
Take a break
Take a break sometimes and give yourself the freedom to socialize with your friends or family. Socializing has proven to be a great way to stay mentally fit rather than staying alone. Apart from this, proper nutrition is also a must – skipping your meals just because you are so engrossed in playing video games is a bad practice.
The Takeaway
Having a gaming dependency isn’t bad. However, the irresponsible behavior of the gamers makes playing video games quite the culprit. All you need to do is enjoy your time responsibly.
In this way, you will be able to enjoy playing video games, thereby staying mentally healthy. To sum up, we shared the benefits of playing video games and shared some ways to have healthy gaming conduct. Keeping these in mind will help you have a healthy and satisfying life.
