August 5, 2023
Gaming has proven to be one of the fastest-growing industries over the last few decades. According to an article published by the World Economic Forum, since 2020, the number of gamers worldwide has surpassed 2.7 billion. Looking at this data, it comes as no surprise that gaming as a hobby offers all sorts of benefits. While many gamers are familiar with the positive influence of gaming on puzzle-solving skills and memory, this hobby has proven to be beneficial in maintaining mental health as well. But in which ways does gaming positively influence our mental health?
Unwinding after a stressful day
Gaming as a hobby has proven to be a fantastic way to relax and unwind after a stressful day. It can help you relax by immersing you in another universe. By diving into your favorite game, you give yourself time to temporarily escape the real-life problems you are facing. While this sounds like a temporary solution to your worries, it gives you an opportunity to process your day. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced world. To stay happy, we need to find a balance between work and downtime. This is why gaming makes the perfect hobby for relaxing.
Another benefit of gaming lies in its demand for your full concentration. Not only does this sharpen your focus, but it also stops you from ruminating on stressful thoughts. Once you’re fully immersed in your game, it’s harder to go back to thinking about everything that’s stressing you out at the moment. This is exactly what makes gaming such a calming activity. In addition, gaming lets us relax from the comfort of our chair while our brain stays active.
Socializing with friends
Keeping up with friends can greatly influence our mental health. Nowadays, many games offer multiplayer options. This is a great way to spend quality time with friends, even when we can’t see them in person. Sometimes it can even make communication easier since talking to friends online alleviates some of the stress of social interactions. Gaming with other people can also allow you to meet new people and join communities of people who share your interests. Being a part of any community can help us feel more connected and appreciated. This can greatly improve your mood and bring a feeling of being accepted.
Other benefits of gaming
Passing through the levels of our favorite game or defeating a particularly hard boss can often bring us a great sense of achievement. Since most games have clearly defined quests or objectives, watching yourself progress through them can be rewarding. Accomplishing in-game objectives can also trigger the release of dopamine. Dopamine, the “happiness hormone,” helps reduce stress and creates a positive emotional response. Our dopamine receptors can be triggered by leveling up our character, unlocking rewards, and progressing through the story. All of this makes gaming a great and rewarding activity. Not only can this make us happier momentarily, but it can also greatly influence our overall mental health. The sense of achievement we can get from gaming might bring us recognition in our social circles as well. For instance, when you finally manage to beat that particularly hard boss or solve that puzzle you’ve been dwelling on for some time. This ties in with the social aspect of gaming, which benefits our mental health since it enhances feelings of belonging and social connection. In the long run, this can boost our self-esteem and improve our mood in general.
Gaming can also teach us some things, like being patient and persevering. Nowadays, many games are designed to be extremely challenging. This forces players to spend hours on end playing them to reach their goal. Another great thing players might learn is that bigger goals usually demand a lot of time to accomplish. This means that players learn about dedication and perseverance. In the end, the prize that awaits is usually worth the wait. Not only can this feel extremely rewarding, but these lessons are very easily applicable to real life. Learning these skills can have a great influence on our mental health.
While it’s true that gaming can positively influence our mental health, we need to keep in mind that too much of anything is never a good thing. If we want to take care of our mental well-being, we must always have balance. We shouldn’t compensate by relying solely on in-game achievements to build up our self-esteem and good mood. Instead, we should aim to integrate the skills we’ve learned from gaming into our everyday lives.