Maybe this video games topic may be sounding weird to you. Right?
Games are not evil by nature. They do not significantly cause depression or anxiety.
The national media constantly criticize video games. Over the years, it has been blamed for increased violence and aggressiveness. They were even accused as the cause of obesity. However, what is rarely discussed in the media is that it can be beneficial to people’s mental health, and research supports this fact. The following are just some of the benefits reported as an avid gamer.
Benefits Of Playing Video Games
1. Increase Memory
A 2015 study conducted by the Journal of Neuroscience asked that one-third of survey participants played Super Mario 3D World for 2 weeks, 1/3 rd played Angry Birds, and one-third never played at all. “The same video games that children and adults have been playing for decades for their engaging experiences and rich 3D virtual environment may provide meaningful stimulation to our brains,” the researchers write. Participants who played Mario performed better on subsequent memory tasks, while the other participants showed no improvement before or after the game. “Video gamers, especially those who like complex 3D, have improved performance,” the researchers concluded.
These are some of the potential mental health benefits of being able to play video games, and we know that with the continued development of VR games, they have the potential to become even more psychologically beneficial soon.
Also, read Why Are Video Games Good For Your Mental Health?
2. Increase Cognitive Skills
Granic said: “This has critical implications for education and career development, as previous research has established the power of spatial skills for achievement in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.” The same research state that playing video games may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as memory, spatial navigation, perception, and reasoning. It was stated that playing shooter video games improved a player’s capacity to think about objects in three dimensions.
3. Increase Social relationships
Through virtual games, players can express themselves in ways that may not be comfortable in real life because of their looks, gender, gender, and age.
There is a lot of study on the social benefits as far as CyberPsychology and the behaviour of MMORPGs(Massively Multiplayer Online RolePlaying Games). Research has yielded very good results. In a survey of 912 self-selected MMORPG players from 45 countries, the players were found to be highly sociable. In the interaction of the game, they developed strong friendships and emotional relationships.
4. Boost Learning and Problem-solving Skills
A more balanced perspective is needed to get the impact of video games on the development of children and youths. “Playing video games can also help children improve their problem-solving skills. The more youths who report playing strategic video games like role-playing games, the more their problem-solving skills and school grades rose in the coming year.
Conclusion:-
Video Games aren’t significantly the cause of mental health issues. Being a healthy gamer, you can enjoy it as an entertaining activity.
It has been found to lead to reduced emotional disturbance, improved mood, relaxation, improve emotion regulation, and stress reduction.