More than two-thirds of Americans play video games, also known as gaming. While gaming can be a fun distraction or hobby (and is even becoming a competitive sport on many college campuses), there are health risks that come from too much gaming. What are these harms, and what can be done about them?
Is there anything good about gaming?
Before discussing the harms of gaming, it is only fair to mention the benefits. Aside from being entertaining and a fun pastime, gaming can provide a way for people to interact with each other — a virtual community — as they work together toward completing common tasks. Our society suffers from an epidemic of loneliness, and gaming can be a vehicle to connect with others, including otherwise difficult-to-connect-with people in your life, such as kids, grandkids, or (I’ve seen this be quite helpful) with autistic children, who can have challenges with traditional modes of communication.
There is conflicting evidence that suggests gaming has certain cognitive advantages, such as greater attention control and spatial reasoning, while it is unclear how much these advantages carry over into the real world. Last but not least, video games can be used in medicine. For example, they can help patients with balance problems, boost the cognitive abilities of ADHD-affected teenagers, or instruct surgeons on how to perform technically challenging procedures.
gaming-related harm
Overuse injuries, also known as repetitive stress injuries, occur when muscles and tendons are used repeatedly during an activity to the point where discomfort and inflammation are produced. If these wounds are left untreated, irreversible damage such as numbness and paralysis may follow.
FAQ
Q. Why too much Gaming is bad for you?
Further research shows that gaming disorders can also be linked with anxiety, depression, obesity, sleeping disorders, and stress. People who remain physically inactive for long periods because of gaming may also be at higher risk of obesity, sleep disorders, and other health-related issues, according to WHO .
Q. How much gaming a day is ok ?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours per day of screen-based entertainment. Parents should create a “media plan” that dictates what hours a child can enjoy video games without affecting behavior and homework, Radesky says.
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