Recently, the World Health Organization decided that video game addiction is a mental disorder. This doesn't necessarily mean that gaming is bad for you, especially when studies from all over the world have concluded that there are some health benefits to gaming. The World Health Organization classifies this under 'disorders due to addictive behaviors'.
It appears that the WHO is not trying to say that gaming is bad for you but that it can lead to some other habits to include addictive gambling. I could see that since some games today emphasize purchasing microtransactions as a way to get ahead in certain games. Video game addiction could also impact people in real life.
With so many gamers world wide, it is important that we recognize the signs of addiction. If you are playing for 6-8 hours without a break, that is a problem. Ignoring real life responsibilities or losing interest in social activities are also problems. Then you have to look at the impact it can have at work or in school, too much gaming will also hurt you in those areas as well.
Fortunately, not all is doom & gloom when it comes to gaming. Universities from all over the world, including places like the National Academy of Sciences, have conducted studies that reveal that there are several positives when it comes to gaming. Some games like Mario will help your memory & develop motor skills. Strategy games like Starcraft were proven to improve performance on psychological tests, completing cognitive flexibility tasks with greater accuracy & speed.
Those same studies have also shown that even playing just for 2 hours a week can even help slow the mental decay associated with our natural aging process. They tested 681 individuals over 50 years of age & concluded that playing for 10 hours a week can stall the natural decline of several different cognitive skills by up to 7 years!
So there you have it! While excessive gaming can lead to some destructive habits, gaming in moderation can also have some beneficial ones. The World Health Organization has finally put gamers on notice. Now we have to be more aware of our gaming habits. Like most good things in life, gaming should be done in moderation.
It appears that the WHO is not trying to say that gaming is bad for you but that it can lead to some other habits to include addictive gambling. I could see that since some games today emphasize purchasing microtransactions as a way to get ahead in certain games. Video game addiction could also impact people in real life.
With so many gamers world wide, it is important that we recognize the signs of addiction. If you are playing for 6-8 hours without a break, that is a problem. Ignoring real life responsibilities or losing interest in social activities are also problems. Then you have to look at the impact it can have at work or in school, too much gaming will also hurt you in those areas as well.
Fortunately, not all is doom & gloom when it comes to gaming. Universities from all over the world, including places like the National Academy of Sciences, have conducted studies that reveal that there are several positives when it comes to gaming. Some games like Mario will help your memory & develop motor skills. Strategy games like Starcraft were proven to improve performance on psychological tests, completing cognitive flexibility tasks with greater accuracy & speed.
Those same studies have also shown that even playing just for 2 hours a week can even help slow the mental decay associated with our natural aging process. They tested 681 individuals over 50 years of age & concluded that playing for 10 hours a week can stall the natural decline of several different cognitive skills by up to 7 years!
So there you have it! While excessive gaming can lead to some destructive habits, gaming in moderation can also have some beneficial ones. The World Health Organization has finally put gamers on notice. Now we have to be more aware of our gaming habits. Like most good things in life, gaming should be done in moderation.
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