By Katelyn Miller

Earlier this month The Phoenix did an article on the Esports Gaming Center. Many people asked us,  “Why video games?”.   One answer is that video games can help someone mentally and physically. Popular opinion of video games often involves kids doing nothing all day but sitting inside in a dark room, cussing at a screen. That’s not the case though (at least not always). That's is why I wanted to talk more about video games and how they can help people.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at a young age, and playing video games helped to keep my mind and hands busy. I was playing games like the original "Super Mario" for the Nintendo 64 and when my parents bought me a DS, I was a puzzle playing machine. Several studies show that playing video games directly affects the regions of the brain responsible for memory, spatial orientation, information organizations, and fine motor skills (see https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24295515/). The studies also reinforce the claim that, like exercise, playing games for as little as 30 minutes a day can improve your life.

I play for about two to three hours out of my day, I try not to play all day but if I play with friends it’s hard to put it down. Playing with friends and being a part of a team in games has greatly improved my social anxiety. Video games have created a fun and engaging way of connecting with people and can act as an important teaching tool in developing social skills. Video games can help develop cooperation skills and supporting skills as players have the option to work together to form alliances and create teams working cooperatively.

There are negative affects to playing video games long term, but, like everything, there are cons with the pros. Some games can bring out aggression in players and even decrease players’ ability to concentrate, but these things vary from person to person. When I was younger I tended not to blink when I played, so now my eyes get tired easily. This can be caused by other activities, but in my case it was the games. It’s always good to play responsibly; like working out or playing sports, it’s always good to take a break from time to time to get some fresh air and rest up.

Remember. Play Responsibly.

(Editor's note: this is a first-person essay based on opinion, personal experience, and current research.)