Mendoza Gamers Many people are concerned about video games and how they affect mental health. There is a strong correlation between violent video games, aggression signs, and depression.
Understanding the individual components of video games and depression is essential to fully comprehending their connection. We will now explore the world of video game addiction and its effects on mental health.
What’s a video game?
Video games can be described as digital entertainment. They allow for mental, emotional, and physical interaction. You can play video games on your computer, tablet, phone, or game console.
These are the ten most crucial video game categories and examples.
- Grand Theft Auto – Sandbox
- Real-time Strategy (RTS – Age of Empires)
- Halo – First-person shooter (FPS).
- Gear of War – Third-person shooter (TPS).
- Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), -League of Legends
- Fallout 4 Role-playing (RPG).
- Madden NFL: Simulation and sports
- Puzzlers – Portal 2
- Party Games – Jackbox Party Pack
- Action-adventure Assassin’s Creed
- Survival and horror – Resident Evil
- Platformer – Crash Bandicoot
What’s Depression?
Depression is a serious and common mood disorder. It can cause a severe depression that can affect your mood, thinking, and ability to manage daily activities such as sleep, eating, and work. (Depression, n.d.). The symptoms must have been present for at least two weeks to be considered depression.
Depression Symptoms:
- Feeling depressed or sad
- Activity loss or enjoyment that was once enjoyed
- Weight loss or gain that is not related to dieting — changes in appetite
- Trouble sleeping, or too much sleep
- Increased fatigue or loss of energy
- Increased purposeless activity (e.g., inability to sit still or to pace, handwringing or slow movements or speech)
- Feeling guilty or worthless
- Difficulty in thinking, concentrating, and making decisions
- Suicide or death thoughts
The relation between video games, depression and:
It is becoming increasingly clear that video games can cause depression. Researchers are still trying to figure out how excessive gaming can affect people. However, it is well-known that screen time has been associated with depression.
Professor Thomas Joiner of Florida State University states that screen time is a risk factor for suicide and depression. All of these mental health issues can be very serious. (Social Work Today. n.d.) It’s something parents should think about.
Why do video games cause depression?
- People feel disconnected because they are constantly “online.”
- Loss of face-to-face and meaningful interactions
- A screen or game may not offer the right relationship, and this can lead to loneliness.
- Family and friend relationships are affected by these causes.
- Encourages sedentary behavior
Takeaways:
In conclusion, video games do have a direct connection to depression.
Researchers who have studied the functioning of the human brain in disordered states and their effects on the brain have discovered that the same brain areas are affected by gaming and depression. Addicted gamers are involved in the same manner as people suffering from depression.
Gamers suffering from depression will return to the game to find a way out. Gamers with negative emotions, thoughts, moods, and behaviors will be affected and view gaming as a benefit, not a problem. This is a bigger problem because they may become lost in the virtual world and not want to return to the real world to address their concerns.
It comes down to this: Depression can be caused by long hours of inactivity, poor nutrition, lack of interaction with real-world people, or intense concentration on games’ content.
When treating gaming disorders and depression, there is no wrong place to start.
It is essential to start by taking the first step, seeking help.
Omega Recovery offers our clients the most up-to-date addiction and mental health treatment via our community-integrated program. Traditional treatment centers for substance abuse put struggling individuals in artificial bubbles that make it relatively simple to stay clean. However, clients often leave treatment unprepared for everyday stress. This “community integration” model allows clients to live life, including shopping at the supermarket, visiting a doctor, and going to job interviews. All this is done with the support of staff and clinical staff who can help them process the emotions and feelings that often occur in early recovery.
OMEGA Recovery offers Gaming and Depression Therapy
Omega Recovery is the best evidence-based and most immersive treatment program in America.
What do we offer at our center:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- Peer Recovery Training
- Nature Immersion
- Outdoor Behavioral Health
- Narrative Therapy and the “Hero’s Journey.”
- Mindfulness
- Yoga and Somatic Techniques
