Video Gaming Addiction is Beneficial

My first thoughts regarding video gaming addiction is that it is absolute nonsense. My own definition of being addicted included chemicals. Obviously games don't inject their users with drugs! So how can gamers be addicts? The more one thinks about it the more it starts to make more sense. Dopamine is known as the 'feeling good' chemical that is released in your brain when you do something you like or that you find fun. So it's all starting to make sense, there are chemicals involved.

If one was to accept that, yes there are chemicals that are released in ones brain while gaming, then obviously this would mean that, going back to my own definition, playing games creates chemicals in the brain therefore it can be something one can become addicted to. If I am to accept this, then shouldn't anything that produces dopamine in the brain be classed as a possible addiction? How about exercising, having sex, driving cars, watching television, going to the cinema, board games...and the list goes on. Why would we not ban anything that could cause its users to become addicted due to the dopamine levels created in ones brain? Once the arguement is seen in a bigger picture it all starts to look rather silly.

So the argument that video games are addictive due to their ability to increase dopamine levels in the brain has pretty much become void. Thinking about all the things that can cause dopamine levels to increase (basically anything fun), sounds like video games are being perceived as addicting because they are not being displayed in media as beneficial to society. But what if video games were beneficial to society?

Earlier on in my blogs I mentioned a video about how video gaming can make a better world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE1DuBesGYM). What if we started to see all the possibilities that being 'addicted' to video games could provide. Imagine how eager one would be to learn if ones course work was to get a high score on a video game. What if video games could be made that would allow someone to be able to do their work in a fun way. Video gaming could solve some pretty big problems. Take a look at the link and let me know what you think.

When I start to think of the possibilities that video games hold, is it really that important that people really enjoy playing them that they don't want to stop? Perhaps consoles and PCs could have an internal regulation system that shuts out the user for a specific amount of time to ensure they maintain health and well being. I propose that in order to stop or prevent harmful play that a game be created that requires the player to come up with a solution to over playing.Perhaps then we can overcome the problems with being addicted to video games and delve into their immense possibilities.