What Happens to Your Body When You Play Video Games?

Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

Video games are a lot of fun, but what happens to your body when you play them too long for too often?

Key Points:

Video games can be unhealthy if you become addicted, but they can also be helpful in healthy doses.

Gaming is still mostly about sitting down and pushing buttons. Too many hours of this can cause weight gain. If you game, take breaks and move around.

Consistent gaming can change the way your brain works. One study in young children showed that those who play a lot have larger “reward centers” in their brains, which prompts them to want to play more and may be a cause of gaming addiction.

Gaming can have some positive effects, such as strengthening the memory formation, spatial navigation, and strategic planning parts of the brain. Games can also be helpful for those suffering mental disorders like Alzheimer’s.

One psychologist broke down gaming addiction into the “ABC’s.” A is “autonomy” – feeling like we are in control. B is “belonging” – feeling connected to other people. C is “competence” – feeling that we are good at what we do. These things taken together can making gaming highly addictive.

Online gaming has connected people in ways no one foresaw, and can even help more lonely people to find friends who share common interests. It’s also a way “real life” friends can spend time together and enjoy shared activities.

Quote This:

Some people say video games rot your brain, but I think they work different muscles that maybe you don’t normally use. -Ezra Koenig

Talk About It

What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
Do you like to play video games? What are some of your favorites and why?
What do you think is the “next big step” for video games? Explain.
Have you ever been addicted to video games? How do you think people get addicted to games?
What do you think are some unhealthy habits you or others may have regarding video games? How have those affected your relationships?
What is a way someone could break a video game addiction?
What are some positive changes you’ve seen in your life that have come from video games?
What is a way to ensure you have a healthy balance in your life when it comes to playing games?
Write a personal action step based on this conversation.