As someone who grew up with games as a main hobby, I can attest to both the positives and negatives that may come with gaming. Gaming is a very open hobby to have since no two games are quite the same. This in turn makes it appealing to a broad audience. If you like cars, there’s a lot of racing games and driving simulators. Do you like history? There are many different games across many genres that depict historic time periods, either in a fictional or rather more realistic manner. These are just a couple examples of how games can cater for people with different interests, but what are the positives and negatives of gaming?
Positives:
- Teamwork: Many online multiplayer games require you to work in a team to accomplish a common goal. Not all players see eye to eye on how to achieve these goals, so it teaches players to compromise as at the end of the day, they want to achieve their goals.
- Problem solving: Many adventure games feature puzzles to solve to progress or to unlock rewards. These puzzles can often be quite challenging and will require quite a lot of thought to figure out. This constant stimulation can help you to improve your problem-solving skills.
- Creativity: Many games allow you to build structures, manage colonies and shape the world as you see fit. This stimulation is a good way for someone to get their creative juices flowing. This can be especially good for a kid’s development, because their imagination is endless, and these games can help them to put their imagination into a physical manifestation on the screen.
Negatives:
- Addiction: Gaming can be quite addictive, especially for young children. This is because your brain releases dopamine if you find pleasure in gaming. This doesn’t mean that you will become addicted if you start playing games, but it is something to be mindful of. Are you neglecting other of your normal activities just to sit down and game? If you are, it might be time to evaluate whether you are addicted or not.
(Luker, 2022) - Health: Gaming for prolonged times can be detrimental for your health if done improperly. You should make sure to stretch regularly to ensure that there is proper blood flow through your body. The same is true if you work on computers a lot in an office environment. It also increases your risk of developing repetitive strain injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. If you plan on doing long gaming sessions, make sure to take regular small breaks to stretch and to relax strained muscles and tendons.
Remember to game in moderation. As with anything good, too much of it is never good for you. Below is a video short video that you can watch.
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