VIDEO GAMING ADDICTION
Video gaming addiction might be one of the biggest issues faced in the younger generation. With computers and game consoles widely common, teenagers don't mind spending a large section of their lifetime indulging themselves in such entertainment. Games which involve adventure and violence are the most popular categories for video gaming, and they attract many players all over the world to play the games for long periods of time.
Addiction to gaming is developed when people try it out due to the following reasons:
- To cope with stress
- Out of curiosity
- To experience enjoyment/entertainment again
Such reasons can stir up urges for a person to play the game repeatedly in order to satisfy their desires. If he stops playing, he might just feel uncomfortable and would the happiness is achieved, the player would want to try doing it again, which will build up the addiction towards the game he plays.
Many parents say that gaming addiction would impact on their children's lives if they play them too often. For example, playing games which are too violent for an extended period of time might manipulate their emotions and thoughts, and they would just become too violent and rebellious, lacking self-control and the ability to think critically.
They would also become more self-centred, and unwilling to interact with the outside world, thinking that playing online games would allow them to be more sociable to a larger group of people. Not being able to focus and concentrate during school hours could just be one of the symptoms caused by the addiction to video gaming. Their future might be affected as a result of constant gaming, leading to shortening of attention span and patience level which may in turn make them to lose their jobs.
Dr. Vincent P. Matthews had proved that playing a violent game did bring short-term effects on brain functions as compared to playing a non-violent one. He got 44 adolescents to play either a violent video game or a non-violent video game for 30 minutes, and it appeared that the brains of those who played violent games had the prefrontal portions less activated, which shows that they exhibit lower level of concentration and self-control, and the amygdale more activated, which is involved in emotional arousal.
Teenagers, who wish to overcome video gaming addiction, might find it really difficult to do so. Video games, especially MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games) are usually very captivating and involving long playing hours, as many of them involve communicating with other gamers in the cyber world as well as the reward system - the longer you play, the more rewards you get, which could just be the reason why teenagers just refuse to stop playing those games. Even some parents can do little about it when it comes to providing advice to cope such matters.
Adults may be addicted to video games as well. There was a case where a South Korean man dies after his gaming session. He had been playing a MMORPG game Starcraft for days with only shorts breaks to take a nap or to go to the toilet, and had collapsed soon after due to the lack of proper rest. Another case was where a Chinese gamer, Qiu Chengwei had killed his friend for selling away his virtual “dragon sabre” for cash. Qiu, upon learning that his friend had sold his sword away, broke into his home one night and stabbed him to death.
Such examples can be imminent just because gamers lust for virtual rewards, which could be one of the many clues of social problems in our world. Video games are to bring pleasure and entertainment to people, and it is the people who control the games they play, and not vice versa.
For gamers who are very addicted to video games, it can be a painstaking process to overcome the problem. However, it is not impossible. Below are some plausible methods to reduce the likelihood of being too addicted to video games:
(Always remember that quitting video gaming completely is not necessary; we just need to cut down on our duration.)
Have a Correct Mindset
When it comes to gaming addiction, we should always consider the consequences and benefits of it. For instance, the consequence faced by the South Korean who continuously played Starcraft for days is death. If we look at video gaming as a whole, we might be able to see that video gaming only gives short-term pleasure. Earning virtual credits and rewards can only satisfy our needs temporarily, of being able to beat other players in terms of virtual ranking and level. Once we stop playing those games, the delight will vanish, and there would be an urge to play the game again just to regain the pleasure. However, consequences might be that we tend to put more of our time and focus into video gaming, and we may neglect things that we are to accomplish, and soon we may fail achieving or even just targeting at our life goals, which can be a permanent problem we will face as a result of gaming too much.
Beware of Your Time Spent
Being conscious on our time spent on video gaming is also crucial. If you know how to limit your time spent on video gaming, then you will have more time to do other things that you want or are more important. It is common that for the first few times of trying to overcome addiction is difficult, but you should always recall the benefits of spending less time playing games. Putting an alarm clock beside you while playing your video game can notify you and remind you when you should stop playing. If it's time to stop, stop it. Keep your thoughts away from the game, so that you will not have the urge to want to continue playing again; you only have to enjoy the game during your playtime.
Have a Timetable and Prioritise the Things You Do
Create a timetable for yourself. Know what is more important and what is not. If you find that you are spending too much time on video games, then it's time to cut down. If you are playing games for 30 hours a week, aim to play only 25 hours on the next and slowly decrease to perhaps an hour a day.
Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise and interact more with friends regularly. Too much of video gaming takes away your soul. They will draw your attention away from people around you as well as the activities you usually do. You tend to be very focused into the game and neglect everything else. Be more outgoing and open to anything that comes to you. Interacting with more people helps you to be happier; share life experiences with each other so that you can learn to be a better person. Exercise more frequently; play sports. It gives you a clear mind and keeps you both physically and mentally healthy. This way, not only will you not be too self-centred, but also people around you will not be so concerned about you - a win-win situation.Play More Meaningful Games
Besides indulging yourself in violent games, you can always try out on games with are educational, and through this games you can learn new things and experience a different form of entertainment.Seek Adults/Professionals for Help
Consult your parents or a professional whenever problems arise. If you find it really tough to cope addiction, seek them for advice, and learn from their past experiences, so that u can have a better understanding of which method is more suitable for you.
Learn about how World of Warcraft addicts leave the game.
