What are the Risks and Benefits of Online Gaming

Online gaming has been a popular pastime for every person regardless of age and gender.

In online games, players compete with each other to win while some can be played as a single player and the rise of online gaming has surged after the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers great recreation opportunities but also poses some risks along benefits. 

In this article, we are going to discuss the potential benefits and addiction risks of online gaming. So, let’s start.

Benefits of Online Gaming

The major benefits of online gaming are:

1. Depression and Stress relief

Video games have proven to be effective against stress, where students and business people can spend leisure time with their family and friends after strenuous activities and busy routines of the day. They help them relax after a tiring day to rewind their energy for the next day. Moreover, the confidence of the players is boosted which reduces the signs of depression in them. 

The young people who play online games during the pastime are emotionally well and have a positive outlook on life rather than non-gamers. 

2. Boost Memory

The research has shown that engaging in various online gaming activities improves memory and cognitive skills, as these exercises act as a workout for the brain and keep brain cells working. These games increase the gray matter of the brain which increases memory and perception. Moreover, they improve hand-eye coordination and boost problem-solving skills. They ameliorate reaction time and decision-making powers as well. 

3. Improve Social Interaction

Online games are a great way to interact socially and they prove helpful for introverts to enhance their real-time interaction with other players. During online games, the players engage in different activities including discussions, sharing tips, and chatting about other interesting topics which is a key point in enhancing social interaction.

4. Make Career

Online gaming has not been limited to killing time rather it has become a source of living for many pro gamers. Various gamers are making huge amounts of money by playing online games. They teach beginners how to play the games, share gaming tips, and insights into how to make money out of gaming. 

Hence, gamers have turned their gaming passion into a career, to generate income from it. Online gamers have started their YouTube channels, do live streaming, and compete with other players in big events for huge money prizes. This all has become a source of their wealth and it helps them to be innovative along with making money. If you are a beginner and looking for some gaming websites, this website can help build your gaming journey while making money with its video guides and bonuses. 

5. Improves Vision and Physical Activity

Many parents blame video games for the visual impairment of their kids but it is not the case in reality. Spending an hour in gaming does not affect eyesight rather it helps the players in seeing objects more clearly. The spatial resolution of the gamers is much more enhanced than the non-gamers. However, it is necessary to take a break of 1 minute after every 60 minutes to prevent your eyesight from getting damaged. 

Moreover, online games have also started engaging individuals and kids in physical activities. Many games offer tasks that need to be done physically and hence kids engage less on the screen. The world of video games is revolutionizing and it will be taken to the next level by programmers.

Risks of Online Gaming

There are some risks associated with online gaming, which include:

1. Limit Academics due to Addiction

The major issues of online games are addiction and limitation of academic performance among children and students. They tend to procrastinate their academics and keep playing games without any limit, which poses a serious problem to their parents. Hence, parents should allow their children to play games only in their free time and should set a time limit as well. One hour each day is enough to gain all the benefits while avoiding risks. 

2. Affects Relationships

Adults lose track of time while video gaming which affects personal relationships as well. The couples spend more time playing rather than cuddling.

3. Cyberbullying and Scamming

The other lesser-known risk of online gaming is cyberbullying. Playing with unknown people can result in scamming and bullying especially kids. Scammers steal the information of the people and in turn, bully them. The children are vulnerable to harassment and bullying, which is usually done through online gaming. So, adults and parents should be aware of these risks to minimize the chances of scamming and bullying. 

Conclusion

Online gaming has its advantages and disadvantages which have been listed in this guide. No doubt online games are a great way to amuse oneself, but the risks can be detrimental to the mental and physical health of adults and kids alike. Hence, it is advised to set a time limit for online gaming and don’t overdo it to get the most out of it.