HEALTH

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Video Games: The Good and the Bad of a Singular Screen

By Mason Louie

You have probably played a video game before. Whether it is a puzzle game or a first-person RPG. According to explodingtopics.com, by 2024 approximately 41% of people, especially kids, have played video games. But what if I told you that the screens you watch and the buttons you play might be affecting your mind? That’s right! Even video games can significantly affect your mind. These changes can be positive or negative, depending on what you are playing and how much time you get to play. Even if they are small, the changes can still grow larger, affecting our future, actions, studies, and even our careers! This is why in this article, I will explain how video games can change your head, physically and mentally.

Studies

First, in order to explain the benefits and damages of video games, we must go through all of the studies and how scientists got their research. Most studies brought by scientists from sciencedirect.org were from either tracking and comparing the subject’s skills , locating where brain signals were active inside the subject’s brain while playing video games, or providing tests before and after playing the game. Subjects were also sometimes surveyed. These tests allowed the researcher to understand the subject’s changes, and how their brain reacted towards the game, and how they were affected by the testing. Therefore, the tests provided them with information about the effect of video games on the brain and the user’s mind.

Benefits

Shockingly, most subjects who were studied for their actions had their cognitive skills, or understanding skills, through sensing and thinking through experience, actually improved. This is because the requirements and memorization are most common for strategy and problem-solving in the most common games. Think of the video game as a teacher, sharing “information” on how to figure things out. Some studies also showed that video games can increase volume and activity in parts of the brain that relate to the type of game. According to some other sites, video games not only can help people build skills but also can help them calm down emotionally, as playing games reduces amygdala activity, which causes stress. Some other effects, like creating connections with other people, increased processing and reasoning, and a boost in positivity and confidence from accomplishing goals, are also benefits of playing video games. All we have to do is make sure not to play too much, which leads us to our last section: the drawbacks.

Drawbacks

In contrast to the benefits of video games, playing can also have downsides, like a roller coaster ride. But among the many drawbacks and problems that can occur from playing video games, one seems to be acknowledged more. That drawback is video game addiction. Internet gaming disorder, also known as IGD, is the addiction to video games to the point where you cannot control yourself to stop playing. This is caused by a hormone called Dopamine, which prompts us to engage in behaviors that show we are happy. Because dopamine is released when we play video games, our brains might think video games are good, which makes us play more without thinking twice. This continuous desire to play video games might even cause people to feel demotivated to engage in other activities, such as studying, chores, or socializing. Some studies have also shown that playing video games can cause deterioration in your physical health, leading to obesity, sore thumbs, bad posture, eye strain, and fatigue. Finally, remember when I mentioned that parts of your bra video games? Well, while that happens, some other parts that aren’t used can also lose activity. This might cause changes in aggression, mood swings, and even how you act online! This might make you more prone to bullying.

To conclude this article, video games, no matter what, have at least one benefit or drawback. Whether it is learning and focusing better while playing video games or becoming addicted to the point that you do not want to stop, they definitely change our minds and bodies. Even though playing video games might be good for your cognition, it is better to do so for a set amount of time, as overplaying can lead to the disadvantages described earlier. To prevent drawbacks, it is best not to be controlled by the screen and buttons. Video games can change our minds for the better or for the worse, and we can change that. So, think about what happens to you while you play video games. Do you feel more focused, or more unenthusiastic and distracted? Do you feel unhealthier, or are you mostly not in the mood? Your changes can determine whether you should keep playing video games. So, to summarize, video games can change our minds and how we see things, for better or worse.

References

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