The Truth About Online Multiplayer Gaming And Your Mental Health

Online gaming with friends has taken the world by storm. According to Forbes, more than 2.4 billion people around the world play mobile games today. It’s a great way to relax and bond with friends.

However, the question is what kind of effect does multiplayer gaming have on our mental health? Is it true that excessive gaming can cause depression and insomnia?

The general notion seems to be that plenty of teenagers spend too much time today on video games.

Studies have shown that unhealthy amounts of online gaming can be a distraction from work and cause serious health conditions like sleep deprivation, irritability, disagreeableness, migraines and more.

However, this doesn’t mean that every gamer could be susceptible to health issues. Turns out, it’s far more complicated than just that. While abusing online gaming for the wrong reasons can be psychologically disastrous, responsible enjoyment of gaming can be highly uplifting and beneficial to gamers mental health.

Games can be fun and educational at the same time. You can try playing by yourself, against the computer or with your friends online. Gaming online can be exhilarating and very rewarding. Playing well and winning regularly can even earn you a good amount of real cash in a short amount of time. Groups online can enjoy checkers, chess or even play online ludo.

Online multiplayer gaming with close friends can be extremely fun within moderation. Try inviting your friends to play ludo and other fun games like Uno or monopoly at Ludo game online.

Whichever game you might choose, it’s important to maintain a balance between gaming and other fun activities. The excess and overindulgence is usually the cause of adverse health effects.

Online Gaming Can Help Cure Depression

Studies by Games For Health Journal show that gaming has significantly better effects as a treatment for depression when compared to actual antidepressant medication.

The cure to being low and unhappy is oftentimes as simple as joining your friends online for a game of tic tac toe or scrabble.

The joy and challenge of competing with your friends are both healthy and refreshing. It’s a great way to relieve stress and lighten your overall mood.

Online gaming allows for a break in the monotony of everyday tasks and brings family and friends together. Healthy competition between players makes sure that we remain inspired and competent.

Positive Effects On Reflexes

Online gaming can be good for your reflexes and can improve hand-eye coordination.

According to the University of Toronto, playing action games regularly using controllers and keyboards can result in improved reflexes in young adults, compared to those who do not play.

The positive effects on our dexterity and reflexes make perfect sense considering that gaming involves a high level of complexity and detail.

Added to the fact that each game has it’s own unique controller setup and gameplay, video games today have intricately designed levels and world’s that continue to get more interactive and realistic.

Better reflexes and the ability to move quickly can have many real-life benefits like being able to do better during sports and recreation. Being more agile and attentive is always good to maintain a fit and healthy body.

Beneficial Effects On Cognitive Ability

Gaming can be seen as highly beneficial for improving one’s cognitive ability.

The University Of Arkansas observed those who played video games had improved attention and memory when compared to those who didn’t.

Arithmetic and problem-solving skills are vital to day-to-day life. Gaming provides simulations that project situations that train reactions and foresight.

Multiplayer Gaming And Sleep

It’s not necessarily true that everyone who plays video games will experience trouble sleeping or even insomnia. However, a link has been found between excessive gaming just before bedtime and negative effects on one’s sleep cycle and circadian rhythm.

An unhealthy lifestyle along with excessive gaming could be contributing factors to mental health issues, however multiplayer gaming within reasonable limits cannot be solely blamed for sleep disorders.

Different people have various coping mechanisms for stress. Personal issues, financial problems and more could be the actual reason that an individual may withdraw into gaming. It’s important to remember that overdoing gaming can have an effect on your sleep, so remember to take frequent breaks and enjoy gaming in short bursts.

Antisocial Tendencies

In extreme cases, gamers who overindulge in gaming have been observed to withdraw from society. Rather than a sudden change, it’s a habit that begins to form over time. Slowly, grades at school may begin to suffer. Missing classes to play video games are a tell-tale sign that a casual habit may be changing into something more concerning.

While online gaming does bring friends together to enjoy their time together, at the same time it can take away from your social interactions in the real world.

Over time, antisocial behaviour can take a toll on one’s mental health and their ability to form relationships. It’s all too easy to get comfortable in a bubble, but over time, you might find that relationships have been strained and you don’t feel like going out as much.

Withdrawing from your friends and antisocial behaviours are red flags. It could mean that gaming is more a better pastime than taking the effort to go out and socialize.

Less Free Time

For someone who spends all day gaming, they might find that they have less free time for themselves.

The hobby can quickly become a habit. At a certain point, it may feel like it takes away from the things that are important to you.

This could mean less time for exercise, family or friends. When an activity sidetracks you from moments that can create cherished memories, it may be having an overbearing effect on your life.

While enjoying online gaming, remember to also give enough attention to the things that matter in your life.

The Takeaway

While many may see gaming as having too many negative adverse effects on your mental health, it can have significant positive ones as well.

Remember, its not always the truth that games can damage your mental health.

On the contrary, it’s been observed that online gaming can have great effects on your mental and physical health.

The key takeaway is that gaming online has adverse effects when abused, but when enjoyed with friends in healthy amounts can be very enjoyable and relatively harmless.