Your Brain On Games: The Healthy Aspects of the Hobby
Video games have long been stereotyped as a mindless distraction, a scapegoat for everything from attention problems to violent tendencies. However, more and more research is emerging that suggests gaming can be used for self-improvement. Gaming positively impacts cognitive abilities, including attention span, memory, and mental health. There’s even evidence to suggest that medical treatments can benefit from implementing gaming technology. This positive perspective on the increasingly popular pastime is empowering gamers to use their leisure time to improve their lives.
Attention:
For years, highly stimulating video games have been blamed for society's dwindling attention span. However, research paints a different picture. Gamers have been shown to outperform non-gamers in tasks demanding sustained attention; their heightened focus is attributed to the demands of gaming itself. Navigating environments, juggling objectives, and assessing threats requires mental vigilance. Bombarding players with visual stimuli trains the ability to maintain focus and filter distractions, skills transferable to real-world tasks.
That's why many online gamblers seek offshore casinos, like those available in Florida, Texas, and other states that don’t yet have local, licensed casinos. Local sites can sometimes stop the fun in the middle of a hot streak if playing limits have been reached. These casinos must also comply with self-exclusion programmes in their respective states. This has its place, encouraging moderation for those who need it, but focused players prefer an uninterrupted experience. With offshore sites, players can usually enjoy much higher playing limits and less restrictions on their play.
Gamers who 'lock in' when they play achieve a meditative immersion known as a 'flow state.' That's why distracting a focused gamer feels unwise, like waking a sleepwalker. Interestingly, Gamers find it easier than the average Joe to achieve flow in other activities, such as studying or working, leading to increased productivity in their daily lives.
Memory:
Games are a memory gym. RPGs and puzzle games, in particular, exercise the hippocampus, our brain's memory centre. Such games demand players juggle information like skill trees, quest details, and inventories, strengthening the hippocampus's ability to encode and store memories. This workout translates to real-world benefits. Studies show that playing brain training games for just 30 minutes daily leads to measurable improvements in working memory, the brain's system for manipulating and holding information in the short term. By challenging the brain to retain complex information and navigate virtual environments, gaming strengthens memory pathways and improves the overall ability to encode and retrieve information. Recalling details of conversations, remembering directions, or mastering new skills all rely on a healthy memory. With cases of memory-affecting neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia rising at an alarming pace, it will be fascinating to see if the video game generation of the 1980s is equally susceptible. Perhaps their healthy gaming exercise routine will keep the next generation safe from such issues.
Mental Health:
Gaming fans have a history of being demonised. Their pastime was scapegoated as a cause of social isolation and even violence. Thankfully, in these more enlightened times, we know the truth. Gaming (in moderation) is a boon for your mental health. The immersive nature of games provides much-needed escapism for anxiety sufferers. After all, it's hard to worry in a focused flow state. Meanwhile, the social aspects of online gaming can bring together like-minded gamers as friends, helping to combat the UK's epidemic of chronic loneliness. Completing missions, earning achievements, and defeating bosses provide a sense of accomplishment and boost self-esteem, potentially reducing symptoms of depression. There's even evidence to show that the aforementioned attention-boosting benefits of gaming could help people with ADHD to manage their symptoms. While it's important to recognise that chronic gaming addiction is a mental health issue in itself, these positive aspects of the hobby cannot be overstated. Gaming in moderation can be a powerful tool for improving mental well-being.
Medicine:
With this plethora of proven benefits, it's no surprise that video games show promise for applications in medicine. Beyond entertainment, games are proving effective as pain relief, with virtual reality experiences being used as an immersive distraction tool to reduce discomfort during procedures. A welcome alternative to upping dosages. For stroke victims, video games are proving effective in rehabilitation and retraining motor skills through engaging challenges. And back on the mental health front, studies have shown that playing Tetris shortly after a traumatic event may help reduce the frequency of flashbacks associated with PTSD. The future holds even more promise. Advancements in AI, VR, and even blockchain technology could lead to further medical applications. It's incredible to consider that the same technologies driving progress in gaming and crypto casinos might soon enhance the quality of patient care.
Conclusion:
Video games indeed are a powerful tool for improving our lives: good news for the ever-growing population of gamers worldwide. If you’re not already one of the billions of happy gamers out there, and you’d like to be, you can justify the expense of a state-of-the-art setup as an investment in your well-being. And for the already enlightened, the next time you pick up a controller, remember – it’s not a waste of time, it's an exercise in self-improvement.
