Teenage game addict dies after playing all night
4 min read
Teenage game addict dies after playing all night
The term ‘video game’ includes all games played on digital devices from a simple game of solitaire to massive online multi player games. Virtual reality(VR) gives a whole new experience and do whatever they want to. Online gaming give opportunity to gamers to interact with other players. Online gaming marathons are held and winners are awarded with cash prizes or just points.
Gadgets for playing video games
Video games can be played on mobiles phones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, x box and online. In today’s era more and more free games supported on mobile phone and tablet are being launched. But still many games have to purchased and installed while others have to be downloaded from internet and some are to be played online on digital devices.
Online video games
Online video game is the one that is totally or partially played on devices connected to internet or other computer network.Access to online video games can be acquired from anywhere you just need connection to active internet or network and digital devices supporting the game. First person shooters, strategy games and multiplayer death games are most popular among teenagers.
A coin always has two sides, just like a coin every little thing has positive and negative sides. It all depends on the person which side to choose.
Positive effects of video games
While its fun to play video games it can have positive effects for example
- Stress reduction
- Lessens depression
- Enhances multi-tasking
- Decision making skills are improved
Negative effects of video games
The practice of online gaming faces criticism for its effects on the player. With positive effect video gaming has negative effects too
- Addiction to gaming
- Prolonged sitting increases obesity
- No studying leads to poor grades
- Increased aggressive and violent behavior
- Poor vision due to continuous use of digital devices
- Cyber bullying
- Xenophobia
- Social stigma
- Short term memory loss
- Stress, anxiety
Addiction to gaming
Addiction to video gaming is when you irresistibly and uncontrollably play video games for hours and hours and continuously dodge other activities. Teens are so involved into video gaming that they continuously skip all other activities that harms health and social life. The signs of video game addiction are as follows:
- Always having thought of video game
- You feel low when not playing
- Satisfied while playing
- Not being able to give less time or quit
- Not wanting to do anything
- Lying about playing time
- Wanting video games to lighten mood
Sleep disorder
Video games for a longer period of time poses many negative effects but sleep disorder are most commonly observed among teenagers. Video games act like shot of caffeine which makes the children stay up all night. Teenagers are most likely to suffer from difficulty in falling asleep, fatigue, nightmares. Violent video games are more likely to contribute to sleeping disorders and if the kids play video games after 7 p.m sleep disorder are more prominently visible.
Note:
Sleeping disorders are observed to be less in teenagers who play video games before 7 pm and are restricted from playing violent games. General massage therapy on your head would cure the sleeping disorder gradually.
Prolonged sitting increases obesity
Playing video games means you have to sit at a place and playing. When you sit at a place and not move for hours eating and drinking you use less energy than you do when you stand or move, which causes obesity and many health risks.
No studying leads to poor grades
Long hours of playing video games teenagers tend to ignore their studies and lie to their parents that they are studying and not playing. As a results students get poor grades and even fail subjects and eventually are dropped out.
Increased aggressive and violent behavior
Smashing, hitting,killing,dying and getting a new life etc encourages teens to act in ways that mimic the violence of the game. Teens are so involved in the game that even a slightest disturbance in the game can trigger violent behavior and they will adopt ways to deal with it just like they do in the gaming world.
Poor vision due to continuous use of digital devices
Prolonged use of computer, mobile phones, tablets and other digital devices causes computer vision syndrome also called ‘’digital eye strain’’. Eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, neck and shoulder pains etc are the symptoms.
Cyber bullying
Online video gaming allows you to communicate and showcase your talent to the World, connect with people everywhere on Earth. It is positive but most people use this platform for bullying and blackmailing.
Online multiplayer games have become command posts of indignant, with racist and nationalistic behaviors. Teenagers are not ready to accept people of other countries, cultures, races, casts, ethnicity.
Social stigma
The term social; stigma refers to height of disapproval of a person on social characteristic basis that are understood and serve the society to distinguish them from other people of that society. The behavior of gamer becomes unacceptable by the members of society that they rejected by them.
Short term memory loss
Video games affect and impacts regions of brain responsible for memory and vision negatively. Brain cells are damaged and in intense cases killed through prolonged playing of video games. Hippocampus is also damaged by playing shooter games.
Stress, anxiety
Video games draw people who are experiencing mild anxiety and stress and keep them hooked up. then the more time they spend playing the more anxiety and stress increases.
Conclusion
Every coin tossed into the air will fall on one side, its you who decide whether it’ll be the positive side or the negative one. Always monitor electronic devices a teenager is using and serves less time on them to save them from harmful effects.