Ever since the popularity of video games, there has been this seemingly unwavering stigma attached to video games being a total waste of time and effort. Here and there you’ll hear parents complaining about their children’s inability to untangle themselves from their gaming devices, and the long-drawn-out hours in the Internet as they play and download games. Their kids seem to be neglecting the real world, so they say. However, the medical community has recently conducted and pioneered researches that beg to differ.
Gaming in recent years has been taken to an entirely new level, with the introduction of Wii Fit we see machines helping the elderly with mobility, keeping individuals entertained, while active.
When played in moderation, gaming has also been noted to aid children with ADHD to focus their immense energy level into a direct single focus. In addition, it brings the children into a peaceful and tranquil state, as brainwave frequencies are visibly transitioned into a beta, or meditative state while focusing on achievements or other parts of the game.
Clinical data has shown that the use of games on ADHD patients has yielded results that were on par with those of medication, with a few instances showing them to be superior. If nothing else, video games have the benefit of not causing adverse side effects. Aside from an improvement in their attention span, positive effects on IQ levels and neurological feedback have also been confirmed by clinical test data.
Video can also help an individual optimize his vision. There was indeed a belief that staring at the TV or computer screen for too long would affect one’s vision. However, people didn’t seem to realize the fact that the focus necessary to finish these games was more beneficial for the person. It has also been proven that gaming can progressively improve contrast sensitivity and helps one’s eyes to determine the smallest differences in shades and colors seen in the game. Medical and scientific practitioners also believe that gaming can delay the onset of age related macular degeneration, although there has been no concrete research to back up this statement.
A few video games in the market, like chess, needs the ability to strategically plan, evaluate possible solutions and then in the end, decide on the best one. Popular games like chess and Sudoku are said to be some of the most effective games that can hone cognitive thinking. This means that they’re like mental exercises. Keeping in line with the same concept, most games nowadays, including those “shoot ‘em up” ones are made to exercise neurological function, memory, logic, cognition, and intellectual capacity.
Being able to successfully finish the games would also increase the player’s self confidence and belief in his capabilities. This encourages players to strive harder to achieve their goals. Hopefully, this kind of positive thinking can be applied in real life, so that these people can be as hardworking and determined as when they’re playing video games.
