A Causal Argument: Negative Effects of Video Games on Mental Health

This essay delves into the negative impacts of video games on mental health, focusing on the causal relationship between excessive gaming and various psychological issues. The introduction highlights the prevalence of video games among young people and the importance of understanding their effects. The essay explores negative consequences such as aggression, addiction, antisocial behavior, and visual problems, citing research and studies to support these claims. It discusses the WHO's classification of gaming disorder and the ongoing debate within the medical community. The essay also examines the impact of violent video games on aggression, the potential for addiction, and the effects on academic achievement. The conclusion emphasizes the need for understanding the socio-mental health implications of video games and suggests strategies to counter the negative effects, advocating for a balanced approach to gaming. The essay references multiple studies and meta-analyses to support its arguments, providing a comprehensive overview of the topic.

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
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DD MM YYYY Video games have negative effects on mental health
Introduction
Young people spend a lot of time playing computer games and thus their mental and social
influences should be taken into account. The positive and negative impact of computer games on
children is serious. The positive effects include creativity and imagination, coordination of eye
and abstract thought and negative effects include sore eyes, headache, violence, change of the
personality, antisocial behavior and dependency. Violent video games are widespread in
promoting aggression, reducing pro-social behavior, increasing impulse behavior and disturbing
cognition and mood in their players. Previous experimental studies have focused on the short-
term effects of violent video games on aggression.
Negative Impact of Video Games
The trepidation that violent games can invigorate and plummet compassion in their participants
is widespread and their psychological effects are a pressing issue for society as a whole because
of the success of these games. This subject was widely discussed in scientific literature as
opposed to the practice (Ayenigbara). The gaming nature does not need physical endurance and
therefore variables such as age, gender or health are not limited and are more common among

adolescents. Gaming illness was listed by the World Health Organization in its International
Disease Classification (ICD-11) in 2018 (WHO). The ICD-11 is a database of illnesses and
diseases that enable healthcare professionals to make diagnosis and treatment programs for
patients with various disorders. It is to be noted that WHO has created intense and at times
divisive debate and discussion within the medical and mental health communities with the
introduction of gaming disorder in (ICD-11. Whilst it is an area of medical interest, the
American Psychiatric Association's Diagnose and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders
(DSM-5) suggests that more clinical research is needed before the Gaming Disorder is formally
recognized as a psychiatric disorder. The WHO also states that gaming addiction has been
introduced into ICD-11 to promote studies on over-excessive gaming behavior, including
prevention and treatment.
It is reported that exposure to violent video games amplifies aggressive feelings, frustration,
physiological anticipation, aggressive actions, and more. Nonetheless, no study has
experimentally studied the ascendency on physiological desensitization of violent video games
that display less real-world physiological exhilaration after subjection to simulated violence. A
study conducted in the US (2005) on the rate of computer game use by Americans disseminated
that in houses with 75 percent of subjects the computer gaming machine has been identified
(Willoughby et al.). Computer games are more popular in men than in women. In one of Isfahan
province's suburbs, the pervasiveness of computer games among teenagers was 66.4%. These
matches are played acutely, teenagers spent 2-4 hours a day on average. One of the most
pernicious effects of playing violent video games is increased aggression in children. A
comprehensive meta-analysis involving more than 100 research papers have shown that exposure
to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior.

Playing video games is related to visual problems. Extensive and fixed gaze on a video game
screen affects vision because of the fact that the cornea, student and iris are not genetically
prepared to see digital images permanently on electronic devices. It's not enough simply to play
many video games as a problem. The WHO notes that gaming disorder is a "pattern of chronic or
repetitive gaming activity," with individuals losing control of their gambling conduct and
prioritizing gaming over other interests and activities and continuing to play despite negative
impacts such as a disability in their families, social life, education or other areas. Research has
also begun to explore the perception of player gaming and video game messages about violence,
sexism, and racism, but little is known about the effect of commercial video games on education
and information sharing and mental illness messages (Ghattas, and Reyes).
The issue of addiction to video games became contentious. In its most recent issue of 2013
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the American Psychiatrical
Association (APA) did not include video game addiction. The APA said there was insufficient
evidence at the time, but suggested more research in the field, to assess if gaming disorder was a
serious mental health condition. Dynamic video games played with two popular gaming systems
(Wii, Xbox Kinect) have also been suggested to have the opposite effect. Many researchers also
found no evidence that more active video games can lead to better outcomes even though the
study has shown an increase in active video game physical activity in children. Because of the
popularity of video games between young people, the role of the technology in promoting pro-
social and anti-social behavior among players has been studied by researchers. This is one of the
video games ' side effects on young people. Long-hour video games can affect the success of
your teen in class. Research has shown that more time spent on-screen games can be correlated
with less academic achievement (Kühn et al.).

Currently, several organizations have given the argument that the "Gaming Disorder" needs more
evidence, before it can be accepted into such a category, in a bid including the Entertainment
Software Association (ESA). The ESA, Entertainment Software Association of Canada,
Interactive Gaming & Entertainment Confederation, Interactive Computer Federation of Europe
and the Korea Game Industry Association (K-GAMES) are all groups behind it (Yoo, and
Eastin). Among young people, including depression and low-quality addiction, pathological
gaming, or video spiel addiction has been related. The new study, Pathological Video game Use
by Youth: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study, released in February 2011 edition of Pediatrics
(online January 17) suggests that there could be known risk factors for becoming a problem
player, and negative results. (Lin et al.).
The use of various types of approaches to counter the dependence on games and illness is
obligatory and efficacious. Effective strategies include teaching players about gaming habits and
mental health consequences; therapy aimed at helping players control their video games,
motivating, understanding and managing upsetting thoughts and learning to cope without video
games; intra-personal and social advice to help players develop their own personality, create self-
esteem and improve themselves (Markey). Families and clinicians may be concerned about the
"addiction" of their children playing too much. Moreover, the issue of the use of video games
that are potentially addictive extends beyond the level of play. It also includes issues such as
addiction, power deprivation and the negative effects of prolonged play. While the topic is under
consideration, it should be known as a psychological dependence on troubled video games.
In addition, motivations for playing video games vary from grain-oriented motives in
psychological activity, with most prominent results for escapes. Distraction-muted gaming was
followed by a higher rating of symptoms, lower self-esteem, and more negativity, whereas

playing in a virtual world was linked to a higher number of online interactions and positive
effects when playing (Poppelaars et al.).
Potential consequences of video game use have been identified as well, such as a lack of
real-life friends, stress and maladaptive coping, lower psychosocial well-being and loneliness,
psychosomatic problems, and decreased academic achievement (Von der Heiden et al.).
Numerous studies, literature reviews and meta-analyses based on the relationships around
problem video gaming, typically analyzed as a continuum with dependency marking the bottom
end. The degree of video game addiction use was found to be correlated with personality traits
including low self-esteem and low self-effectiveness, anxiety and aggressiveness or even with
psychiatric symptoms of depression and anxiety. Excessive playing would appeal to people with
poor mental ability, as games allow people to avoid difficulties every day and dive in a different
environment in place.
Conclusion
Therefore, computer games can be related to socio-mental health and need work in the current
social-cultural context. The games necessarily "poor" and "evil" are not video games. Many of
them of artistic value (for example, plant, walk, etc.); other games that teach kids (for example,
Oregon Trail, Where Carmen has been in the world). The medium used for engaging children
and adults is video games in general. Excessive video gamers are in danger of showing less
education or work experience, problems with their peers and lower social skills by playing on a
predominant part of their day.

References
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Ghattas, Fady, and Lilia Reyes. "Positive And Negative Themes In Popular Video Games Based
On Entertainment Software Review Board Ratings". Global Pediatric Health, vol 6, 2019,
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