Effects of Children Playing Computer Games for Long Hours On a Regular Basis

 

          Over the recent decades, access to computer and internet has made a significant increase in civilization especially among the young generation. With the growing popularity of trending computer games, children are gradually exposed to such games. However, the mainstream view of gaming has become less curmudgeonly. Parents are either too busy with their work life to bother about their children daily activities or are less strict in allowing their child to spend time playing computer games. Percy C.S. (n.d.) once claimed that computer games is known as a queer thing, it brings you gifts with one hand and stabs you in the back with another. If computer games are played by children for long hours on a regular basis, it will effect their physical health, behaviour and also implant antisocial behaviour in themselves.

 

 

          First and foremost, gaming for long hours will effect the gamer’s physical health. Christopher D. (2015) suggested that children who play computer games for long hours might experience physical consequences such as carpal tunnel, migraines, sleep disturbances, obesity, and backaches. As claimed by Physical Consequences of Gaming Addiction (n.d.), backache is one of the most common physical symptom among computer game addicts. This is because they are seated in the same position for more than four long hours with no form of exercise apart from their tapping fingers on the keyboard. In addition to that, they are unable to rest and relax their eyes and body which causes stiffness and soreness due to the lack of movement. In the long run, this can cause chronic back problems. Moreover, there are exceptional cases where gamers die due to over-excessive gaming. For instance, according to Sabella R.A.(2010), on Aug 9, 2005 there was a report stating that a South Korean man who played computer games for almost 50 hours non-stop died due to heart failure. As a result, over-excessive gaming effects children physical self and might even be life threatening.

 

 

          Other than that, Norcia A. (2011) mentioned that there are facts that prove violent games such as shooting games will corrupt the children’s brain with violence which results in effecting the mentality of this child. They are unable to leave emotional effects such as anxiety, depression and agitation after a game. As a result, they bring their virtual gaming character into real life portraying themselves as immortal gaming character because they are confused between fantasy and reality was mentioned by Raise Smart Kids (n.d.). In other words, they tend to commit crime or serious offence which harm both themselves and other innocent bystanders thinking that they have ‘chances’ to restart their lives all over. For example, as said by Coughlan S. (2014), if they are involved in violent games, in which they act out the killing or mutilating on another human character, there is a probability where they will involve themselves in crime such as shooting or terrorism when they feel agitated or threatened. To further illustrate my point, a study by Argosy University's Minnesota School on Professional Psychology found that computer game addicts argue a lot with their teachers and fight a lot with their friends compared to others who play video games less often. In short, computer game addicts bring their virtual self into the realistic world which disrupts their daily activities.

 

 

          Besides, it is known to many that gamers are antisocial as gaming is a type of interaction between individuals through a screen which unfortunately involves zero face to face conversation. During games, they will enter their virtual gaming realm and shut down their realistic life which causes them to be more isolated from the outside world. Generally speaking, The Dark Side of The Internet (n.d.) highlights that the longer a child spends on computer games, the more that child is becoming isolated from the rest of the world. This causes them to be ignorant to their surroundings. In addition to that, as claimed by Bailey T. (n.d.), they are also disconnected from their family and friends as they do not know how to communicate with one another. As a result, these children are not equipped to handle social behaviour and becomes socially awkward in public as well as relationships. In further serious cases, there are hardcore gamers who only accept their own virtual lifestyle and they start to reject realistic lifestyles. As proof, according to a Springer Link research study, 40% of online computer game players play computer games as a way to escape from the real world was suggested by Oconnor E. (n.d.). Furthermore, Grabianowski E. (n.d.) highlighted that children gamers will participate less in social gatherings, skips meetings with friends and avoids family members to get more computer time. Thus, these children will slowly drift apart and lose contact with their family as it is difficult for both parents and children to understand each other. Without warning, they will get abandoned and left alone which will result in loneliness.

 

 

          Maregesi E. (n.d.) once mentioned that computer addiction is not about what an individual is doing with the computer but what the computer is doing to that individual. There is no doubt that the society nowadays take computer aficionado which is, in simpler words, computer addiction too lightly. We might be exposed to news regarding negative gaming issues among children yet no one is taking the first step in making a stop to this crisis. Parents should start prioritising between their workload and children. They should also put their foot down to stop their children from becoming computer game addicts before it is too late. This is a heavy responsibility to be carried upon by every citizen especially parents in correcting computer addicts to use technology in a beneficial way to improve themselves and create a better future.

 

 

 

References

 

 

Bailey T. (n.d.). Gaming Addiction
Retrieved Date: 27th April 2015
Retrieved From: http://www.kidspluspgh.com/content.aspx?id=230&p=165 (pg2)
 

Christopher D. (2015). The Negative Effects of Video Game Addiction
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Retrieved From: http://www.livestrong.com/article/278074-negative-effects-of-video-game-addiction/ (pg2)
 

Coughlan S. (2014). Violent Video Games Leave Teens ‘Morally Immature’
Retrieved Date: 27th April 2015
Retrieved From: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-26049333 (pg3)
 

Grabianowski E. (n.d.). How Computer Addiction Works
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Retrieved From: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/computer-addiction2.htm (pg1)
 

Maregesi E. (n.d.). Search Quotes
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Retrieved From: http://www.searchquotes.com/quotation/Addiction_isn%27t_about_using_drugs._It%27s_about_what_the_drug_does_to_your_life./401176/ (pg1)
 

Norcia A. (2011). The Effects of Video Games on Children
Retrieved Date: 27th April 2015
Retrieved From: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Impact_Video_Games (pg2-3)
 

Oconnor E. (n.d.). Gaming Addiction Statistics
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Percy C.S. (n.d.). The Two Cultures & A Second Look Quotes
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Retrieved From: http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/365239-the-two-cultures (pg1)
 

Raise Smart Kids (n.d.). Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games
Retrieved Date: 27th April 2015
Retrieved From: http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/34-the-good-and-bad-effects-of-video-games (pg10)
 

Sabella R.A. (2010). Negative Potential of Video Games
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Unknown Author (n.d.). Alarming Video Game Addiction Statistics
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Unknown Author (n.d.). Physical Consequences of Gaming Addiction
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Unknown Author (n.d.). The Dark Side of The Internet
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