Q:   What’s a double edge sword you ask?

Ans: Something that has or can have both favourable and unfavourable consequences in VIDEO GAME ADDICTION.

Yes ,VIDEO GAME ADDICTION have rapidly growth in last 10 years in term at a global rate but in India it took in place like 5 years ago when the internet data became cheap where anyone could afford data pack easily for them .

Inspiration from their success

In India where emotions are very important marketing factor and that’s what it took place in the gamming community in India. people connected themselves with the VIDEO GAME ADDICTION and took inspiration from their success and followed their path in the gaming world for VIDEO GAME ADDICTION.

Even WHO mentioned that “Gaming Disorder” is an official medical condition . Now any VIDEO GAME ADDICTION is bad even if that is gaming too but today we shall discuss about both the Good and Bad of the gaming, basically for the children who are venerable the most.

THE GOOD SIDE OF VIDEO GAME-

Video games are frowned upon by parents as time-wasters, and worse, some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. VIDEO GAME ADDICTION Playing violent video games are easily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some young people become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior.  But many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart.  Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.

1. Team Work.

Most games today are played online and often involve several players from across the country or world, which encourages the child to play with others. This will help your child build the skills required to work together as a team and solve problems together.

2. Good skill on decision making.

Games function in real-time, and most games are fast-paced and require the player to make quick decisions in a short period of time. This helps in sculpting decision-making skills that are valuable in real-life

3. Accuracy in Quick understanding.

Video games can help your kid maintain a good level of accuracy by learning to calculate all the dependent parameters fast. This is an extremely useful skill, which is why even soldiers and doctors are advised to play video games to sharpen their decision-making skills.

4. Planning, resource management and logistics.

 The player learns to manage resources that are limited, and decide the best use of resources, the same way as in real life.  This skill is honed in strategy games such as SimCity, Age of Empires, and Railroad Tycoon.

5. Coordination Between Hands and Eyes.

By playing video games, kids understand hand-eye coordination – they begin to learn how the movement of their limbs affects the space and visual references around them. Good hand-eye coordination is essential for daily life activities; it is also required in nearly all sports activities and can even be beneficial in puzzle –solving.

6. Memory.

Playing first person shooter games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield series enables the player to effectively judge what information should be stored in his working memory and what can be discarded considering the task at hand, according to a study published in the Psychological Research.

7.Developing reading and math skills.

The young gamer reads to get instructions, follow storylines of games, and get information from the game texts.  Also, using math skills is important to win in many games that involves quantitative analysis like managing resources.

The Bad: Negative Effects of Video Games

Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain.  Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and decreased prosaically helping, according to a scientific study those who watch a lot of simulated violence, such as those in video games, can become immune to it, more inclined to act violently themselves, and are less likely to behave emphatically.

Now lest check the list:

1. Health Issues.

Spending a lot of time playing video games instead of indulging in physical activities can be detrimental to a child’s health in several ways. A child’s cognitive development may get affected if he doesn’t get out and socialise in the real world. Constantly sitting in one place and playing video games at length can increase the chances of obesity, weaken the muscles and joints, make hands and finger numb due to over exertion , and multiple studies suggest that it can weaken the eyesight.

2. Social isolation.

Too much video game playing makes your kid socially isolated.  Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends.

3. Wrong values.

Some video games teach kids the wrong values.  Violent behaviour, vengeance and aggression are rewarded.  Negotiating and other nonviolent solutions are often not options.  Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative. Violence and bad behaviour played in the virtual world may be contributing to better behaviour in the real world. Gamers who play violent games may feel guilty about their behaviour in the virtual world. This may make them be more sensitive to the moral issues they violated during game play.

4. Academic Issues.

The fun that video games provide is in stark contrast to a typical day in school. This can cause kids to prefer video games over anything else. Thus pushing them to not pay attention to school work. Even outside school, they may skip homework or studying for tests and choose video games instead. This can result in poor performance and affect their emotional intelligence.

5. Aggressive Behaviour.

The violent content in video games and the instant gratification that they provide can cause the kids to be impatient and aggressive in the behaviour. When things fail to go as planned or any restriction are laid on them , they may lash out or start harbouring aggressive thoughts that can manifest in troublesome behaviour .

6. Addiction.

Kids can be addicted to video gaming. The World Health Organization in June 2018 declared gaming addiction as a mental health disorder. A study by the Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family suggests that video games can be addictive for kids, and that the kids’ addiction to video games increases their depression and anxiety levels. Addicted kids also exhibit social phobias. Not surprisingly, kids addicted to video games see their school performance suffer. MRI scans reveal that addictive video games can have a similar effect on kids’ brains as drugs and alcohol.

7. Impair your hearing.

It’s probably not a shock to learn that video games can harm your hearing, too, as HearWell Audiology, Inc. notes. That’s because repeated exposure to loud sounds can damage the tiny hairs in your cochlea, which are responsible for picking up vibrations and sending them to the brain to be interpreted as sounds.

Now after going through all the goods and bads of Video game you would have a clarity why its a double edge sword. So its better to have a precaution better than cure so which would lead to a much better life style. where children can enjoy the video game without any kind of negative impression on them . I will give some methods which shall help you to maintain a proper calibration between the children and video games.  

How Can Parents Help Children Enjoy Video Games Properly and Avoid Problems?

There are many pros and cons of video games for children, but parents can keep certain aspects in mind to ensure that their kids can enjoy the games without any problems.

  • Don’t allow your children to play video games when they are in preschool.
  • Before buying a game or letting your child play it, check the rating, the age limit, and any content warnings provided with it.
  • Try to play the game yourself and make yourself a part of their world. Your child will open up by discussing the various aspects of the game.
  • Keep fixed and restricted times for playing games. This includes playing games at a friend’s place as well.
  • Keep a track of any online interactions your kid. He has with strangers and ensure they do not reveal any personal details to anyone.
  • Keep any kind of gadgets out of your child’s room, especially during nights.
  • Make sure the gaming area is in public view and you can easily spot the screen from afar.
  • If you are a gamer, enforce the same rules for yourself , the kid learns from you.
  • Allow your kids to play video games only after they complete their homework and other tasks.
  • Make other physical activities or outdoor sports a part of the child’s life as well.

I hope the article would be helpful for you to understand. The pro and cons of video game and if your child is addicted to video game. Then have a better sync with them and try to follow the methods that’s given in the article for a change for good.

THANK YOU

THE GYAAN FACTORY.

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