GAMING – BOON OR A BANE?

                    

Gaming as we all know also called e-sports is the latest trend of our world. You will see a 40 year old man playing games or a 7 year old child but no one has for sure decided whether it is a boon or a bane upon this world.
At every house you may get to see a gaming addict who is staring at his /her phone for the whole day.
Have you ever wondered why is it so?
Well that’s what we are going to focus on today, so without much ado let’s get into it.

Today I will be discussing on the advantages and disadvantages of gaming / e-sports with a special emphasis on teenagers.


above picture from : https://www.edsurge.com

Disadvantages:
 

I am sure most of us are already acquainted with this one but let me elaborate on the point:

WHO claims, “Of the 269 patients we now see for internet addiction, 241 have gaming disorder as their principal addiction”

 Q : but what exactly happens in the brain which causes them to love games so much ?
ANS:   according to https://www.addictioncenter.com video games affect the brain in the same way as addictive drugs: they trigger the release of dopamine, a chemical which reinforces behavior. For this reason, playing video games can be an addictive stimulus. These facts indicate that addiction to video games may be possible.
   
       So if you are a gaming addict you are no less than a drug addict

There are many more disadvantages of gaming which I am going to list here.

1) Violent nature:
     according to https://www.health.harvard.edu , “Both the AAP and AACAP reason that children learn by observing, mimicking, and adopting behaviors — a basic principle of social learning theory. These organizations express concern that exposure to aggressive behavior or violence in video games and other media may, over time, desensitize youths by numbing them emotionally, cause nightmares and sleep problems, impair school performance, and lead to aggressive behavior and bullying.”
    
     So in short, teenagers adopt what they see and it slowly brings a transition in their behavior , if you play violent games you are more likely to be violent.

2) Violent games can affect your moral sensitivity:
     according to https://futureofworking.com ,”A human being has wiring that seeks to avoid violence and feel emotionally rewarded when they help others. Some people may have this aspect of their emotional intelligence stronger than others, but moral sensitivity exists in almost everyone. When gamers play violent video games regularly, then they can create an intuition that seeks the opposite result.”

    Basically, a human is born in such a way that they feel good and happy when they help others, but playing games can affect this natural instinct and cause you to behave in the exact opposite way.
 
 Games like Call Of Duty: Mobile, PUBG are rated 17+ on apple app store but still you will find this in almost every 13+ child’s mobile.

3) Violent video games can lead to injuries and isolation.
According to https://futureofworking.com , Repetitive game play is necessary to achieve mission goals and objectives when playing violent video games. This disadvantage is leading more teens and adolescents to develop tendonitis in their wrists and fingers, arthritis issues in the hand, and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Prolonged gaming comes with an increased risk for obesity. Then there are the emotional health issues that come with this entertainment option too.

People who classify themselves as a full-time gamer (at least 30 hours per week) face a higher risk of social isolation because of their gaming habits. Some players choose to isolate from the real-world or set aside personal responsibilities so they can continue to play. About 1 in 10 gamers face the struggles of addiction every day because of their need to get back into their preferred gaming world.

above picture from : https://theconversation.com/

Advantages:
I would not bore you with all the disadvantages ,I know this is what you all have been waiting for so let’s get started:

1) . VIDEO GAMES ARE PRODUCING BETTER SURGEONS.
According to https://www.mentalfloss.com, while you may think you want your surgeon reading up on the latest medical research instead of playing games, you might want to reconsider: a study of laparoscopic (small incision) specialists found that those who played for more than three hours per week made 32 percent fewer errors during practice procedures compared to their non-gaming counterparts.

2)  VIDEO GAMES COULD HELP PEOPLE OVERCOME DYSLEXIA.
Some research points to attention difficulties as being a key component of dyslexia. One study has shown dyslexics improved their reading comprehension following sessions of games heavy on action. The reason, researchers believe, is that the games have constantly changing environments that require intense focus.

 

3) VIDEO GAMES COULD IMPROVE YOUR VISION.
“Don’t sit too close to the television” used to be a common parental refrain without a lot of science to back it up. Instead, scientists are discovering games in moderation may actually improve—not strain—your vision. In one study, 10 weeks of play was associated with a greater ability to discern between different shades of grey. Another had participants try to play games using only their “lazy” eye, with the “good” one obscured. Those players showed significant, sometimes normalized improvement in the affected eye.

Personally, for me games are neither a boon nor a bane, they are just a part of our life that we choose to accept or not, till you keep games as a part of your life and not your life , playing games are totally acceptable and maybe necessary .

I would like to end by quoting Demetri Martin a comedian, “I like video games, but they're really violent. I'd like to play a video game where you help the people who were shot in all the other games. It'd be called 'Really Busy Hospital.”

 

follow me on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/akshathdubey/