Every child has played games at some point in his or her life. The children use the Xbox, the Play Station, the PC or their own mobile phone. Games are increasingly being played by adults as a leisure activity. But how long is it advisable to play games without it having adverse effects on your health? There are some problems that can arise from long periods of gaming. It must be said that gaming does not have to be harmful.
Mental problems due to prolonged gaming
Violence
While playing a game, there is sometimes a scene of violence, such as in the game Grand Theft Auto. The games usually indicate that violence may occur in the game, including through the use of a logo. Some games may be 16+ or 18+. That logo may be visible when there is fighting in a game, blood is visible or swear words are used. The makers of the game want to prevent gamers under the age of sixteen or eighteen from committing violence themselves. It can also happen that a game is played for too long, causing the view of the real world to change into habituation, something that is normal. This can lead, for example, to committing a robbery based on the game Grand Theft Auto. A good tip to avoid seeing too much violence is for the gamer to agree on a certain time (and set an alarm clock) and then force himself to stop (with the help of the parents).
Insulation
Research has shown that a lot of gaming can mean that the game player prefers to stay in the virtual world. As a result, the gamer avoids meaningful relationships and friendships. Gamers who play on the internet will often have to deal with a chat module. This allows the player of the game to come into contact with other players. It is a nice addition to real friendships, but of course it cannot replace them in any way. If there is too much gaming, the gamer may eventually have a different social life because people close to him/her no longer want to see him/her because the gamer hardly sees them. A tip to ensure that the gamer does not become isolated from the outside world is to regularly meet up with friends/acquaintances. This is also important if the gamer doesn’t feel like it. These people are interested in the gamer, which means that he/she would appreciate the arrival of an acquaintance or friend more often.
Habituation
While gaming, the gamer produces all kinds of substances in his brain, such as adrenaline. This especially happens when playing for a long time. If the gamer continues gaming for too long, he/she may want to keep playing. If the gamer stops using it, withdrawal symptoms may occur. This is because the body is used to the stimuli it receives during the game.
Due to this strong need for gaming, the gamer may also have a tendency to not appreciate important things. As a result, the gamer may forget to do his/her homework for school and therefore not understand the lesson material. It is human to forget something occasionally, but as the gamer continues to perform poorly at school, the child’s (school) career may be in jeopardy.
Health issues
If the gamer plays for too long, physical complaints such as headaches or back pain may arise. Because the gamer often sits in the same position for a long time, the body becomes used to it and the gamer can also develop complaints such as RSI. RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) is a collective name for muscle and joint complaints in hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and/or neck. If the gamer plays too long and too much, the gamer can also suffer from irritated eyes. At a later stage, the eyes may deteriorate. This means that the person will see less from a distance, so the gamer will have to purchase glasses or lenses. If the gamer plays games for too long, he/she may become overweight, and it is also possible that the gamer will have sleep problems. According to doctors, it is important that the gamer spends a maximum of two hours a day on the internet, gaming or watching television.
Tips to prevent prolonged gaming
Some tips for gamers who want to reduce their gaming behavior:
- Make sure you continue to eat and sleep
- Slow down your gaming if you notice that the people around you are starting to worry
- Contrast the time you spend gaming. For example, if you spend an hour gaming, then spend two hours doing something that has nothing to do with gaming at all
- Start a course, other hobby or sport to game less
