Disadvantages of Playing Games on the Computer

Talk about gamers in the 21st century and you’re probably referring to those who play games on computer systems, a medium which has all but replaced formats such as board games and pen-and-paper role-playing games. While some people suggest playing games on a computer can aid in the development of skills such as improving reflexes, critics point out some disadvantages.

General Health

Spending a long period of time playing at a computer can have detrimental effects on your health. For a start, you're sitting in one position, pressing the same buttons repeatedly, which can lead to hand and eye strain. A long game session can leave you physically tired, affecting your performance at school or work; overall, this could result in lower personal attainment.

Epilepsy

Computer games can trigger epileptic attacks in sufferers who play, which can be extremely dangerous. Often, such an attack is a result of flashing images contained in the game. However, according to “The Effect of Video-game Software in Video-game Epilepsy” by S. Ricci et al., attacks can also result from emotional excitement or sleep deprivation which stems from playing these games.

Aggressive Behavior

Some critics of computer gaming have pointed toward the violent content of some games, such as the “Grand Theft Auto” series, as being a factor in influencing players toward aggressive action and attitudes in real life. Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia found a causal link between game playing and aggression after studying the brain patterns of 39 gamers. Critics also fear that gamers become desensitized to violence as a result of what they see on computer screens.