'Too much video game time can be a problem', The WHO

[SuperNova]

Farsala said:

SuperNova said:

Video games tap into the same mechanisms as facebook, instragram, twitter etc. do actually. It taps into your rewards center, and especially social networks are (like a lot of mobile games) literally made to be addictive. So yes, there is a disorder associated with social networks but it's usually under an umbrella term like 'internet addiction'.

See what I wrote above, video games tap into your brains reward center ant that's what can make them addictive and lead to a disorder. Tv, books and movies don't do this as much and and don't build a self-fullfilling cicle in the same way video games do, because they aren't interactive.

Other things that work off a similar mechanism though are, internet, sex, food, gambling or shopping addictions. Most of wich don't quite get as dangerous as gaming, because gaming has no 'come down' point and literally makes you neglect your bodies needs. That's why people die of dehydration while gaming, but not neccessarily while shopping.

In any case, everything that taps ino your rewards center and is available in unlimited quantities has the potential to become addicting. We are talking about extreme cases though.

Not a chance you can convince me hour for hour that TV is better than gaming. You see TV has commercials/advertisements that can literally brainwash people. As for the non advertisement kind like Netflix, I have definitely seen much worse tv marathons than video games.

Books and movies might have been hyperbole on my part, but they also often have marathons much like video games.

I wasn't making a value statement, just explaining the science behind it. Video games are more effective at tapping into your rewards center because they require more active engagement.

On a personal note, while I've definitely had some pretty atrocious movie marathons and it cost me sleep that I would have bitterly needed, I've never neglected base needs like hunger, thirst or the need for the loo because of it. Mostly because there are scheduled breaks (between episodes, between movies, commercial breaks, pause button, whatever) and there's much less active engagement. The movie will keep playing even if you walk away, it does not require your input or change dynamically based on your input, both major factors for creating an endorphine response. On the other Hand I have definitely ignored my bladder while gaming and that is a telltale sign of an effective endophine response trigger cicle.

Now commercials and manipulation in that regard are an entirely diffrent topic.