Computer games are a major part of modern life, with game apps readily available on smartphones and social media sites providing hours of entertainment to computer users everywhere. However, while they can be beneficial in various ways, they can also have adverse effects on society and individuals’ mental health if taken too far or used incorrectly. Here are some adverse effects of computer games on society you should be aware of.
Reduced Socialization
Social disconnection is a real problem in the gaming community. The internet allows individuals to connect in ways that were impossible before its creation. However, it also allows for many new hazards when used inappropriately or excessively. The internet can be used as a tool to foster relationships and friendships, but it also increases isolation by enabling individuals to communicate while only using a computer or phone instead of a face-to-face interaction. It has been noticed that individual who spend large amounts of time online are more likely to engage in cyberbullying than their peers who have limited access to computers and smartphones; as well, It can lead to depression. To avoid these risks, make sure your children set limits on their computer usage and encourage them to limit screen time outside of school hours.
A recent study shows that video games can increase aggression in children. This is because playing video games requires players to focus intensely on something for long periods of time without any other distractions. Video games generally contain violence as part of gameplay (the player is required to kill enemies), It will lead to real-life violence due to constantly being exposed to violent acts through gaming.
Reduced Self-Discipline
People tend to develop their habits around gaming and use games as a way to escape real life. Games consume more and more of your time, you may find that it’s hard to maintain other routines, like Physical activities or even just studying for school. As a result, your self-discipline suffers and makes you less effective at anything outside of gaming. To lose weight safely but quickly, switch to a non-screen entertainment routine that allows you to get exercise each day without spending hours playing games.
Addictive Nature
Studies show that computer games and internet use have an addictive quality to them, similar to gambling or drugs. Playing for long periods of time can lead to sleep deprivation, health issues, and a loss of social skills. Spending excessive amounts of time online can lead to depression and feelings of isolation. For those addicted to gaming, it’s best to go cold turkey and avoid playing altogether; but if you feel like quitting would be too difficult, try limiting your playtime or canceling all your game accounts.
Strain on Family Relationships
Many parents worry about the time their children spend on the video games and debates concerning the impact of video games, example: mental wellbeing, behavior become stable in society. The average person uses their computer for about five hours a day. We spend far more time with our computer than we do with friends, loved ones and even spouses. When you consider that there are tens of millions of gamers, it’s easy to see how strained relationships may become due to increased computer usage. Families who play together may not stay together—especially if they’re playing games together. This is especially true when kids start spending more time gaming instead of spending it with family members or interacting in other healthy activities like reading or sports. Many parents worry about what effect Internet use and video games will have on their children; some go so far as to say they believe that Internet addiction may be worse than drugs, alcohol or smoking.
Impact on Job Performance
Employees that frequently log long hours at work often feel as though they’re stuck in a rut. Sitting at a desk for 12+ hours every day it can lead to adverse impact on employee’s job performance, morale. With that said, employers should be wary of expecting employees to log long hours; most people simply aren’t built to sit in front of a computer screen for eight or more hours a day. Long-term health issues stemming from long periods of computer use are well documented, but employers need to also consider how long hours affect their company’s overall performance. After all, if employees are spending more time at work than they do with their families or engaging in other leisure activities, productivity is bound to suffer. Additionally, overworked employees may lose interest in their jobs and have trouble maintaining a positive attitude towards customers/clients—which will likely lead to lost revenue down the road.
Physical Health Consequences
There are obvious physical health consequences to computer and Internet use. A person can damage his eyes or vision by staring at a screen for long periods without regular breaks, and muscle and joint pain are common complaints of computer users. Video game players may experience hand or wrist pain as well as back pain due to hours spent sitting hunched over or tensed up in an awkward position while playing games. And obesity is a concern for people who spend hours in front of a screen but don’t have any other form of exercise in their life.
Lack of Sleep
The average adult should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, but a lot of people are getting less. Nowadays the youth is getting less than 6 hours of sleep at night. That’s not enough. Sleep is a very important factor in the human function. Our body and brain is able to reset itself and rejuvenate while we sleep. When we do not get the required amount of sleep, we start to feel lethargic and foggy minded, because our mind and body wasn’t able to replenish itself. Sleep is imperative that an insignificant rest deficiency or lack of sleep can affect our ability to remember things; decisions and can affect our temperament. Chronic sleep deficiency can get the body to feel agitated and it could lead to serious health problems such as, heart problems, stress, acne, and obesity. It might be time to reevaluate how much time you spend online and playing computer games.
