Video Games. Yay or Nay?

I asked a similar question over on YBR and I figured I ask it here too.

Do video games have negative side-effects too? Should I avoid them like I avoid porn?

This is something Iwould like to know if possible or would at least like some guidance in.

I know that I love video games and to just stop playing them would be tough. They're just too much dang fun.

Depends where you want to be in your life in 5, 10, 20 years. You be the judge. (I personally avoid them like the plague. They're virtual. Success in life does not come from the video game levels you can beat, but from the things you achieve with real people you meet.) There have also been studies linking the effects in the brain of video game stimulation with sex, hence the reason video game buffs or "addicts" don't mind -- or feel the need -- for sex, because the stimulation they get from video game is similar to that of sex.

I think it can be fine or it could really hurt you.  It really depends on you and you have to decide whether it is impacting you or not.  Its somewhat similar to porn I think where it impacts everyone differently.  I think you need to realize if you can control it and whether or not it is effecting your life negatively.  Maybe its one of those things you cut out for a bit to get your mind straight and then give yourself some sort of schedule to play so you don't overindulge in them.

I love video games myself and I used to play a ton several years ago.  Now I don't have as much time and I really use it relax and decompress after a day.  Like most things in life, you need to determine for yourself how much you want to have your life because some guys probably shouldn't play, and some guys can play all day and not have any negative impacts.

If you do it in moderation then it's fine. But if you do it every day then I can't see how it would be beneficial. Like porn, video games are just another way to fantasize and get out of the real world. Anything that keeps you from being present is causing you a di-service IMO and can lead to withdrawal and depression longer term

I don't think they're helping me after doing some research and thinking about it. They're hurting me if anything.

Depends on a game honestly. Some are cool to play during reboot,some arent.

larry said:

Depends where you want to be in your life in 5, 10, 20 years. You be the judge. (I personally avoid them like the plague. They're virtual. Success in life does not come from the video game levels you can beat, but from the things you achieve with real people you meet.) There have also been studies linking the effects in the brain of video game stimulation with sex, hence the reason video game buffs or "addicts" don't mind -- or feel the need -- for sex, because the stimulation they get from video game is similar to that of sex.

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Hey could you link me to those studies, if possible? I'd like to read up on that.

They had a very bad effect on me during my last 10 years.

In my case, I quit video gaming (zero tolerance) more than a year go and this is what I noticed.

I get less bored when doing things like reading, watching a movie, etc...

I get motivation to do more things.

I have much more free time to do other things.

I can concentrate on things which will actually help me in my life. I used to compete a lot in online games and got many online achievements like being TOP1 for a whole season in a famous online game. In retrospect, this is so useless and I'd better invest my time in real things.

jnv said:

They had a very bad effect on me during my last 10 years.

In my case, I quit video gaming (zero tolerance) more than a year go and this is what I noticed.

I get less bored when doing things like reading, watching a movie, etc...

I get motivation to do more things.

I have much more free time to do other things.

I can concentrate on things which will actually help me in my life. I used to compete a lot in online games and got many online achievements like being TOP1 for a whole season in a famous online game. In retrospect, this is so useless and I'd better invest my time in real things.

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I'm very similar to how you used to be. Whenever I get a game that I'm really in to, I get sucked into it and my life essentially revolves around it. I stop caring about my health, my relationships, and so on.

I get sucked into it and my life essentially revolves around it

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This has been my life during my teens pretty much. It was to the point where I would lie to my friends who wanted me to go to parties with them. I wouldn't get phone calls or I would pretend to have something better to do when all I was going to do was do PVP with my guild members. I did quite a lot of sport during my early teens but my main hobby was table-tennis. I played in a club, had a nice rank and was improving a lot. I decided to stop it so that I would have more time to dedicate to my games. I lost A LOT of friends because of this. It also made me fail at school, more than once.

But I don't beat myself too much about it because when you are inside that storm (and let me tell you that a dopamine storm made of PMO and online gaming is a hell) but don't want to see the truth no matter how evident this is. I didn't have the same knowledge I have now and I've got to admit Istill have pretty good memories about that time. Plus it made the person I am today, battling against both gaming and PMOing, trying to be the best person I can be and I'm pretty proud about it. 

As a big gamer for almost 3 decades it has been very hard for me, but I have had to come to terms with a life without games. Or at least very few. Indeed they are a great source of relaxation, but they do seem to tickle those 'addictive' buttons in my brain; and they are SUCH a time-sink as to be quite unhelpful for a productive life.

I tried to restrict myself to retro gaming or mobile and casual stuff, thinking this would demand less time. But even these are a gateway to other more immersive games and before long I find myself on the sofa at 3am having just played 6 hours of Skyrim after my wife went to bed.

I see Fallout 4 is only a few weeks away so resisting the urge to drop 400 quid on a new console is going to be a challenge. Those deep RPG's are toxic to my life 

CrazyGopher said:

I am another big gamer who has recently given them up. First console was an NES when I was about 4 years old. From there I went much, much deeper.

One tip for guys wanting to avoid video games: try to avoid reading about them and watching related videos too. For a while I had quit gaming but was still watching the gaming news sites and youtube let's play's, but that is like a P addict watching P subs!

I found it became much easier when I cut myself off entirely from that part of the culture. Eventually you almost forget video games even exist, it's great.

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I think we should stop fantasizing about games as well e.g. creating strategies in our brain on how to complete a level or how to reach the next rank or buy new stuff, just like we have to stop fantasizing about women if we want to recover from porn. This way the temptation or craving to play games will decrease.