Online games are preferred by people of all age groups. Studies have revealed that 97% of the global population spend at least an hour daily playing video games. But an average of 9% of gamers around the world battle addiction disorders. Be it a console, portable unit, or computer, playing excessively can inflict a negative effect on your professional and personal life. Today we are going to take a detailed look at the impact of online gaming so that you can seek immediate help if necessary, for breaking the cycle.
Table of Contents
Below Is the Impact of Online Gaming
1. Inadequate Sleep
Gamers have a habit of sacrificing their valuable sleep time for squeezing in a few extra gaming hours. Over time this might lead to insomnia and even upset your overall well-being.
2. Loss Of Punctuality
Acute addiction is one of the biggest negative impact of online gaming making it difficult to stop playing even when the time comes. This causes them to play for longer time spans than what was intended originally and makes it difficult for the gamers to stick to a proper schedule in everyday life.
3. Mental Preoccupation
Thinking continuously about the previous gaming session or anticipating the next one can lead to lack in attention and motivation towards work and other social obligations.
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4. Health Problems
Hours of online gaming causes people to ignore exercise and other physical activity. Over time, they become couch potatoes with an extremely dangerous sedentary lifestyle. Gamers might also skip a meal while trying hard to reach the next level. Continuous gaming can lead to back problem, eye strain and other health problems in the long run.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can result from excessive gaming which leads to muscle and joint problems. The continuous motion of the same fingers and wrist paves the path for repetitive stress injury in the later stages of life. Doctors have also warned repeatedly against migraine which is another common impact of online gaming. It is a direct effect of hour-long staring at a backlit screen, especially in dark environments.
5. Increased Chances Of Obesity
Sitting and playing online games over a prolonged time span can enhance your chances of obesity. Gamers also reach for junk food and popcorn more than a real meal. They also think twice before getting up and fixing something out of the fear that they might lose the upper-hand on the respective gaming levels.
6. Increased Signs Of Aggression
A detrimental impact of online gaming is increased levels of aggression especially when a teen or adult plays violent games over a prolonged time span. The chances of behavioral changes are higher in the case of children and this has also been documented in a variety of research papers till date.
7. Failed Relationships
When gamers spend a lot of time with their laptop, tablet or smartphones, they tend to ignore their friends and family. They might either find more solace in the virtual world or seek out more gaming time to finish a particular level or challenge. Gamers often lie as they don’t wish to admit how they spend a lions’ share of the day. This can lead to arguments when their family members find out the real truth.
8. Skipping Social Events
People suffering from online gaming addiction display extrovert behaviour as they feel more at ease when left alone compared to attending a social gathering with lots of people. This is why they avoid those gatherings. Often addicted gamers lose track of time when playing throughout the night and fail to wake up on time the next day. Setting an alarm clock might be of help but even in that case you will feel fatigued the next day given lack of proper sleep and excess eye strain.
9. High Level Of Stress
It is natural for gamers to get struck in a particular level of the game making it difficult to advance beyond a certain point. But this leads to anger and frustration on the part of the gamers. While these emotions are experienced by people as a part of their daily routine but going through the same throughout the day can inflict harmful results on your physical and mental health.
10. Poor Personal Hygiene
Another impact of online gaming is bad personal hygiene of the gamers who mostly spend time cuddled at a corner of their house This decreases their grooming requirements and leads to tooth decay and acne problems in the long run.
Final Words
The best way of overcoming this addiction is to set a time limit and even take minor breaks maybe for a week or so. You can plan a visit to a friend’s place or even go for a small vacation with your loved ones. Doing chores and engaging in your favorite hobbies is also helpful in avoiding online gaming addiction.
FAQs
– To cure the impact of online gaming, you need to primarily identify the triggers.
– You should try and spend more time with your loved ones as they are helpful in supporting you in your troubled times.
– Search for more productive avenues of spending your time in the place of sitting in front of the computer or lying around with your smartphone all day long.
– Preoccupation with thoughts of past gaming sessions or anticipation of the next one.
– Feeling of irritability and restlessness when unable to pass a particular level is another detrimental impact of online gaming.
– Social isolation from spending more time locked up in the room playing online games.
– Lying and avoiding friends or family as they might enquire about the same.
– Firstly, you need to educate yourself about addiction.
– Addicts refrain from seeking out the help of their friends and family. But you should be open about offering support to them.
– Deal with the whole thing positively and keep on encouraging them for the better rather than picking up a fight.
