Video games have continued to grow in both quality and quantity in modern society since its inception. From the days where games were once highly pixelated to the incredibly detailed graphics and mechanisms they offer today, video games have become a large industry for people to consume.

Whether you are saving the city in Arkham Knight, battling with friends in Fortnite, or working in tandem in It Takes Two, there is no denying that many people, irrespective of age, continue to play video games, or game. Although gaming culture continues to make its mark, its impact continues to be seen from both positive and negative perspectives. In fact, 86% of parents have shown concern about how much their children consume video games; with additional thoughts about changes to sleep habits, mood, and social relationships.

The nature of video games has evolved into something that has taken on an important significance to many. It has created communities, groups, become a way to decompress, and has even transferred over to the movies and TV we consume. As gaming continues to become a staying power for those who play, it is important for us to recognize the impact it has on our mental health.

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Gaming in a Social World

As a gamer myself, I can say that indulging in a bit of gaming at the end of my day has become a great de-stressor. Whether it is hopping online to play co-op games like Halo with friends or enjoying a single player game like Black Myth: Wukong, I often see gaming as a way of escaping without really escaping. That is, I can briefly engage myself in a fantasy world, do different tasks than I typically would in real life, and be a different character than I am knowing that I am still able to return to my daily life experiences feeling refreshed and engaged with a community that shares my interests.

In my personal and professional life, I have been told about how gaming has created communities for people. I have also seen the negative impact that it has too. Often, the societal stereotype is that gaming can create a lazy mind, or that it can be a poor hobby to pick up.

The pandemic from 2020 has shown us that being able to connect with others through video games can be a safe way to create community in times where social interactions can be difficult. Games like Animal Crossing have allowed players to invite and be welcomed by others to worlds that they have created, allowing a sense of vulnerability, curiosity, and fostering relationship building in safe environments.

Research has shown that some games, action-based, have correlated with advantageous neural processing and efficiency. That is, compared to a group of study participants that have never played action / shooter type games, those in the action / shooter games group who actively play have shown faster and more accurate attention allocation and greater visual processing in spatial resolution. This has also led professionals to suggest that players are more effectively able to allocate attentive resources and may better filter out irrelevant information more effectively.

Like any entertainment media, gaming can have the power to impact mental health. Yet, like any person’s mental health, there can be many factors that play into how gaming can affect it. Factors such as social circles, existing mental health concerns, the frequency and duration of gaming, and more play a role in how mental health can be impacted by gaming. Moving forward, we will discuss some of the positive and negative impacts of gaming.

The Positive Effects of Video Games on Mental Health

1. Social Community: While many view gaming as an isolating hobby, many games today encourage social interaction and community. While not in the same room, being able to chat with others online and providing pointers to other players in various forums allow for collaboration and social engagement in more ways than one. While it is important to also have physical social interactions outside of gaming, gaming with others can provide connection with friends both current and new.

2. Decompression: In moderation, gaming can be a helpful strategy for stress reduction. Gameplay can help create a sense of immersion, focus, and awareness of the present moment; shifting away from present stressors and anxiety inducing thoughts.

3. Increased Creativity & Problem Solving: Some games can involve task solving skills. This can stimulate brain activity and help create ways to find practical solutions whether in game or elsewhere. It has also been suggested that such games that require the player to solve complex problems or task completion can improve practical problem-solving skills and increase levels of creativity.

4. Stronger Spatial Awareness: Because certain games call for players to be aware of the surroundings of the in-game environment, players have also benefited in moderation from having greater awareness of their real-life environment. Such that observational skills, like problem solving above, have been suggested to show positive change.

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The Negative Effects of Video Games on Mental Health

1. Unhealthy Escapism: While gaming in moderation can foster a healthy level of escapism in some, gaming in excess can create a pattern of avoidance of real-life challenges and emotions. This can in turn create an unhealthy reliance on video games to cope with stressors and navigating life experiences.

2. Sleep Quality: A study has suggested that prolonged exposure to video games prior to sleep can negatively impact sleep quality in children and adults. Higher gaming exposure prior to sleep has also suggested negative impacts on cognitive functioning and behavioral activities the next day.

3. Increased Aggression: Many games can be violent in nature. Games like Mortal Kombat, for example, task players to attack or “kill” other players and characters. It is possible that such violence can lead to increased aggression and other behavioral concerns; though other external variables can have a role in this matter as well such as environmental and other mental health concerns.

4. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD): While research is ongoing related to IGD, gaming can become a problematic issue when used in excess and impair day to day functioning. Areas of life that can be impacted with excess gaming include loss of relationships, loss of interest in other activities, overall preoccupation towards gaming, and attempting to relieve or escape certain emotions like anxiety or guilt through gaming.

Much like other activities that have the potential for both harm and benefit, gaming in moderation is important. Through limiting the time spent on gaming, and balancing the engagement of other activities outside of video games such as engaging with a social group face to face or exercise, the negative effects of gaming can be mitigated.

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To Close

In conclusion, video games have made a continual and lasting impact on many. It has become a staple in society and the lifestyle of many. Gaming as an activity can promote community as a way for us to engage with others safely; and foster skills that we can use practically in real life. However, when not practiced in moderation, excessive gaming can create harmful impacts on one’s physical and mental health. Whether playing single-player or co-op, I would encourage everyone who participates in gaming to do so healthily and in a positive light.