Video games- Good or bad for your mental health?

[Barong Baj Baj]

Hey Anxiety Forum.

Hope everyone is well and looking after themselves.

https://youtu.be/2lyw25-LdUg

Wanted to share you this video I made. Its about mental health and video games. I'm an avid gamer and i have always wondered the affect it may have on my mental well being.
I discuss if they can really help us and what are some of the positive and negatives to them in relation to our mental health.
Have a watch and let me know what you think.
Do you agree with any of my thoughts? Do you disagree? Any experiences on this you could share?

Have a great day guys, peace

[delaneysc]

Check out the Tim Ferris podcast, episode 93 with Jane Mcgonagal, it was about gamification. Really interesting podcast! Some video games can in fact help anxiety. And there is a book on my wishlist that Jane wrote.

[Ponder]

Excellent vido as always. Exscuse Typos - Using a computer elswhere as once more out abnd about today. IE is not auto correcting in here for me, therefore I will no doubt apprear mute.

DUDE - I really like how you drew out the pros and cons within all those pros and cons.

Over the last couple of weeks I bought 5 new games and now extensivley learning two complex ones. This is actaully good for my brain and also serving as a healthy distraction in my time of need. I truly beleive the answer to your questions and those posed like them can really only be best answered through personal experinace. I am sick to death of opinionated people and like wise groups that make all kinds of claims and then refere to those BS bias studdies. What matters is what we ourselves do and how we acknowledge those facts that relate to us.

On that note - Balance is key. I have suffered all those negitives as well as reaped all the pros on which you presented in your vid. It's way easier for me to just say I AGREE.

Now that said - Whilst it may be reason that violent video games do not create violence - there are some games which I agree should be pulled. Steamed recently pulled a video game that apparently had the gamer play the role of mentally deranged student shooting his fellow class mates and teachers. This game was pulled after yet another US School Shooting. Standards are in importnat ellement within communty - yadda yadda

I think it's not so much the playing of video games - but more the content that reflects where we are at as a society ... just as it is with TV and all that related BS.

What kind of Games do you Play - can perhaps say somthing about one's mind set - yet can not be easily read as that - due to the form of escape. I much prefer to escape with games that allow my the option to create my own destiny. Minecraft is well documented for that. Some ARPS also allow for such although microtransations have killed the game machanics leaving long dry spells between games that actaully offer somthing of a real distraction as opposed to just feedings one's OCD/compulsive disorders.

OH MAN - you got me on a spin now dude ... a good one though.

How about the issue being more a case where Society should rather focus on it's own dynamic where it's own ideals unrelated to video games is responsible for creating indivudals that can no longer percieve between reality and fictional stories. How about thems apples ... hey HEY! lol just kidding.
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Balance - Yea yea - I'm a hypocrty I know ... at least I still go out though and many times I acrtaully do end up contacting gaming communities because I need to know and ofcourse you and I had a good steam chat.

Right now I can smell the communal soup, so after I eat with my retarded friends ... I look forward to racing home and making my next move in Total War: Rowm II

Pros and Cons ... but Yea - I agree with you on all counts!'

Once again srry no spell check.

[salvator here]

Hit or miss as far as the internet goes. Sometimes it helps me, other times I take breaks; sometimes for months depending on my state of mind. Yes worse in this day and age. I can really bring a party down (trust me) so I avoid here when I in bad condition. Me personally, I usually don't play games online. Just (pun warning up ahead.....) I just play with myself. HAHA :D

All kidding aside.. and sorry Barong for taking your thread south. I've become a bit less sensitive online than before. Maybe just a bit I guess.

[Ponder]

I must have down syndrome too. I always knew I was special. Cool!

I'm glad whenever your here regardless if your playing with yourself or not.

I'm playing a lot of single player too ... but Shhhhhhhhhhh ... don't tell anybody.

[IAmCamille]

Video games can be good or bad for mental health but if it becomes habitual or an addiction, it becomes detrimental for anyone.

[salvator here]

I always wonder whats wrong with people (that we read about) that play games for days without a breaks and wind up going without food or water and die. Certainly too much of a good thing can be bad. That being said, if playing egyptoball for 23 hours was a crime; guilty as charged ;)

I actually started with webtv back in 97 and had dial-up up until maybe 2002.

Haven't played many online games or role playing games. Mostly due the fact that I don't have a reliable internet connection speed. I would rather invest someday on a new xbox. Still using old xbox360 and ps2. Works fine for me still. Like racing games a lot.

My computer handles emulators fine for the classics.

Use Fusion for Sega Genesis. Nestopia for Nintendo. Mame for Arcade games.

[salvator here]

Also use an Atari Classics 10-in-1 TV Games joystik emulator that plugs right into the TV. Was a Birthday gift from a few years ago.

[Ponder]

Reading Sal. You sound like a healthy gamer to me. I love mame. Have you considered a Pie ... like the tiny PC board no bigger than a mini smart phone?