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How Video Games Affect Health

Concerned about the effects of video games on your kids health? Or perhaps you’re just curious about this stuff or need to research it for a paper. Below you’ll find the information you’ll need on this topic with links at the bottom for further reading.

This whole article is about how video games affect people’s health in general. The general positive and negative effects on health are the main topic of discussion.

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Positives of Video Games Effects on Health

Let’s start with how video games have positive effects on your health.

The strangest of the positive effects of video games can be seen in the healthcare sector. People (especially youngsters) who are undergoing painful treatment for ailments like cancer can use video games to distract themselves from the pain for extended periods.

Video games have positive psychological effects as well. Certain games that are used as part of a comprehensive program can further help autistic children and other children with developmental disorders.

Studies have also shown that playing video games can improve mental faculties, such as hand-eye coordination. More intelligent games such as strategy and puzzle games can also improve problem solving, and provide intellectual stimulation as well.

Negatives of Video Games Effects on Health

There is a wide range of reported negative effects of video games on health; however the actual evidence of games directly causing certain negative effects is very weak. Other negative effects are usually due to prolonged excessive play of video games. Parents concerned with the amount of time their children spend on video games should encourage them to balance the time out with other activities. Extremely adverse effects such as hallucinations are very rare and could be caused by other unknown factors.

People who are susceptible to epileptic seizures and photosensitive individuals could experience seizures when they see rapid flickering or rapid screen changes happening in the game. The amount of play doesn’t matter much, as people who are prone to seizures could experience one after even a few minutes of play.

People who live a sedentary lifestyle (poor exercise, rather inactive) and do mostly sitting activities such as playing video games usually suffer from some sort of ailment later on in life, such as heart and muscle problems and obesity. This is usually combined with a poor diet, such as genetically-modified foods and junk food.

There is also research that suggests that there is a link between violent games and increased aggression, however the research is rather limited and usually does not take other variables into account such as upbringing and environmental conditions.

Conclusion

Video games have both positive and negative effects on health. The effects however vary immensely depending on the types of games played and the frequency of play. Certain adverse effects can be caused by other factors in conjunction with excessive play of games, but can usually be corrected by living a healthier lifestyle. The positives of the effects of video games on health also vary depending on the type of game played and its frequency.

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Written By Damien D