There should play video games ?

ASAPScience - Can Video Games Make You Smarter?

Everything in moderation

 

video games are fine, it ultimately depends on what type of games. Simple platformers like old school mario & sonic are stimulating and help pass the time

 

I agree it is the platform. My husband was fine with regular video games but the multiplayer online games were brutal, even the FB games were an addiction. He had more withdrawal and urges when it came to online multiplayer video games than he ever did with PMO! He quit both simultaneously so it's hard to say which affected him more but he relapsed on video games twice and never with porn.

 

I find video games deplete my willpower (by decision making) and make me a lot more likely to relapse. Anyone else notice that?

 

I've watched that first vid a few times in the past and it's a great TED talk - too bad most people, and educational institutions, won't take it with a grain of salt. Their loss. That second vid is hilarious!

I think you should do whatever makes you happy. But, you should stop the instant you feel you're playing too much / aren't enjoying it and it's become more of a chore to play. I'll echo crushurcravings and say: Everything in moderation.

 

Everything in moderation will bring at least some benefit, whether you like it or not. Yes, there are benefits to playing video games but if you play too much, it'll turn into an addiction, if you play it just for the sake of the benefits and it feels like a chore, just ditch it and do something that you enjoy (that isn't negative).

 

The second video scared me a bit haha. Last year I went 5 months without playing along with NoFap. Must say, it indeed was productive. And it showed I CAN live without it. The thing is, I don't WANT to live without it. It relaxes me so much. As others brilliantly said, I think it's all a matter of how much you play, which games you play, HOW you play, and when do you play.

For example, procrastinating an essay by playing a violent war game for 8h is not the same as playing say Trackmania or Minecraft for 8h to reward yourself for having worked all day... I'm of course exaggerating (maybe?). A game stays a game if you enjoy it imo. I didn't said "relax you", because sometimes it's precisely the challenge that's exciting and enjoyable, but it's all about the mindset in my opinion. I recently deleted all my games from my iPod, it was unplanned and surprisingly easy. Just because I realized I was so obsessed by it that it became a chore. It doesn't help at all that I'm a completionist. I need my 100%, I need all the medals, all the add-ons, I came to crush and I will never be afraid of using cheats. You might have a very different gaming style and the better you know how it works the best you'll be able to control it.

Personally I suffer from depression and I know I am really in a bad place when I don't even have the motivation to play. It's incredible how linked it is. This year the very first sign that started to sketch a way out of depression was when I built an entire farm on Minecraft just for the very sake of it. Forced myself to play to find something to look forward too. And it was highly beneficial. I don't think I'll ever stop gaming and honestly I don't think it's either beneficial or even possible to stop playing. It's all about the control. For PMO I knew it was live or die and completely a moral decision. Video games aren't the same. And you don't learn the same things from all video games either. I really like to play Trackmania and to be honest I incredibly increased my dexterity skills since it's pure arcade. When I play Diablo 2 I just want to smash monsters and release anger, when I play Wind Waker I'm just in absolute awe because it's the best game ever made and I'm in love with the story and the whole thing looks like a dream, when I play the Sims or Minecraft I'm usually depressed and trying to live another life, and Skyrim is love, Skyrim is life, I know this place better than my hometown. In conclusion: despite what my father says video games aren't bad. It all depends how you use it.

Just repeating what others have said tbh.

 

Yes, trying hard to crush it though

 

I find video games to have a similar effect as porn, but on a much smaller scale. Of course, when used in moderation, and just as entertainment, they are fine. But for me, during recovery, my brain is looking for a spike of dopamine from any source, and video games will provide that (again, much less compared to porn). They reinforce the same concept: Easy reward, little effort, with no progress in actual life.

In addition, I tend to play video games a lot more when I have relapsed. So it has become a small trigger for me. Funny how the brain makes connections.

Anyway, that's my view and experience.

DS.