Computer games tend to have a bad reputation in society: they are intended to encourage violence and aggressiveness and pose a risk of addiction that should not be underestimated. There is also a good side to this.
When it comes to computer games, the greatest risk of addiction comes from online games. This primarily includes role-playing and strategy games in which players move around the vastness of the Internet with many other players. Affected addicts can no longer go about their everyday lives without computers and the Internet. The problem: New technologies, such as virtual reality glasses, are making it increasingly possible to immerse yourself in the gaming world even more intensively.
At some point, gamers will no longer be able to tell the difference between game and reality. But games of chance that promise monetary winnings can also be dangerous. The very fact that chance decides whether you win or lose in these games paves the way for some players to become addicted. Certain behaviours can indicate this. For example, those affected use every opportunity to play and thereby compensate for their problems and negative feelings.
Anyone who spends a lot of time at the computer also exposes themselves to health risks. The back and eyes are particularly affected. Looking at the screen for hours ensures that your eyes rarely have to focus on things that are further away. The result: the ability atrophies, the eyes become short-sighted, and visual aids are necessary. In addition, it's easy to neglect blinking in front of the computer, which causes your eyes to dry out and hurt.
Players' backs also have to endure a lot. Sitting at a desk for long periods can lead to poor posture and damage, which becomes noticeable as a hollow back, slumped shoulders and a hunched back. Such poor posture is becoming increasingly common among children. Other damage caused by playing computer games include headaches and sleep disorders. Due to the lack of exercise, obesity increases.
Positive Impact
But online games are not all bad and dangerous. They have positive effects that should not be underestimated. For example, a study published in the International Journal of Communication examined the connection between school grades and children's internet behaviour. The scientists tested 12,000 Australian teenagers. The result: Students who frequently played computers or video games improved their grades, especially in mathematics, science and reading.
In general, some video and computer games can promote the development of skills and train the brain in certain areas. These sometimes improve coordination, responsiveness, visual perception and networked thinking. All skills help deal with modern media, which everyone now has to use.
But computer games can also promote relaxation, not just intelligence. Regular periods of relaxation are good for general well-being and prevent stress-related illnesses such as burnout. For this reason, it is good to concentrate on something completely different after work and to deal with completely different topics and things. That's exactly what online games offer, which is why quick, in-between entertainment is increasingly in demand.
The reason: Because of work, there is often no time for a hobby. That's why working people like to use online games and puzzle sites, as well as social networks and streaming services, to compensate for their hectic everyday lives because of their entertainment factor. And that's not all: Since you're no longer tied to your home PC thanks to smartphones and tablets, you can also use your lunch break or the way to work to play.
Online Gaming Security
Long-term gaming fun on the Internet can only be achieved if the site providers comply with security regulations and protect customers. If there is insufficient protection, criminal attackers can easily install malicious software programs and use them to read passwords and other data.
For this reason, online players should ensure compliance with security guidelines. For example, if you want to use online casinos, like instaspin casino, you should find out about them in advance and compare them in detail. Because the games are only really fair if the online casinos have a gambling license. It protects the customer from fraud. Here too, technical security is relevant again: Since payment transactions are processed in online games, encrypted data transmission must be guaranteed so that personal data cannot be intercepted and misused by unauthorized third parties.
Conclusion
Online games have a high potential for danger: they can lead to gambling addiction or damage to health, particularly affecting the back and eyes. Lack of sleep and obesity can also be a result of excessive gaming consumption. However, such games are harmless if enjoyed in moderation. On the contrary: they can have positive effects on the user. They sometimes give students better grades. They also promote some skills that are increasingly necessary for using modern media. They are also suitable for a change in everyday life, to provide the necessary relaxation during the lunch break or after work and to take your thoughts away from the office. This in turn prevents stress-related illnesses. As quickly as people like to demonize computers and video games and as negative as excessive consumption may be, their positive effects should also not be underestimated.
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