Video gaming can have both a negative and positive impact on our mental health.
Firstly depending on the game you have chosen to play, you may find online team games help you feel less isolated and help you to make online friends with the same interests. Choosing a game wisely is important for mental health. Ensure the games you play makes you feel happy, rather than ones that frustrate you. It is important to be having fun, and still being able to get good nights sleep without your gaming disrupting that.
Gaming can help raise self-esteem when completing levels and reaching targets before other players. You’ll likely be learning high-level thinking strategies and problem-solving skills, which can help positively with everyday life. They can also help you gain confidence with communication through online chats within some games, as well as the feeling part of a team in team game events. Remember always that some people can bully and therefore using report functions. This type of cyberbullying can have a negative impact on mental health.
The other negatives of gaming on mental health are addiction through excessive video gaming and this can have a negative impact on your emotions and day to day life. This can lead to poor performance at school or work as well as relationships. It is important to recognise this and therefore keep your gaming hours at a reasonable level.
Whilst keeping gaming levels reasonable you can enjoy your gaming, help improve your mental health and maintain a healthy lifestyle away from your virtual world. Loneliness can be both helped and hindered by gaming and therefore a balance is required to ensure you feel mentally well.
It is also a good idea to play several gaming styles to help discourage addiction to one particular game or gaming style, but most of all have fun and look after your mental health.