Study: Video games may lower depression risk

[StaceyPowers]

From a study this year: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210218201158.htm

“Boys who regularly play video games at age 11 are less likely to develop depressive symptoms three years later.”

[Heatman]

Some people can actually be very good with hiding their depression with playing games or doing some other stuffs. The games may or may not really be helpful in this situation. 

[Empire]

Well, researchers found that boys who played video games most days had 24 per cent fewer depressive symptoms, three years later than boys who played video games less than once a month, although this effect was only significant among boys with low physical activity levels, and was not found among girls. 

[Heatman]

4 minutes ago, Empire said:

Well, researchers found that boys who played video games most days had 24 per cent fewer depressive symptoms, three years later than boys who played video games less than once a month, although this effect was only significant among boys with low physical activity levels, and was not found among girls. 

Seriously - There are some kind of research or studies that I can never really understand or agree with and this is one of such researches because it doesn't add up. 

[Maxxx17]

It's just that games help distract you. That's why depression goes away. They not only help to have a good leisure time. But they also lift your spirits. And it develops thinking. Well, that's my point. Some may not agree with that. It depends on what genre of games to play. I for example love to play games of the puzzle genre. They develop your thinking. And it's pretty interesting. Only in recent years did not find anything new with the genre. Someone plays something like this?

[Heatman]

Yeah - There is always a good possibility that these games might be able to distract the player from who's playing them but if the depression is deep, I'm not sure if it may work. 

[killamch89]

Games do create an "escape" for most people so it helps them to cope with their life circumstances a bit better. Of course, I feel the study is omitting a few things like the origin of the depression so it's a bit iffy.

[Heatman]

1 hour ago, killamch89 said:

Games do create an "escape" for most people so it helps them to cope with their life circumstances a bit better. Of course, I feel the study is omitting a few things like the origin of the depression so it's a bit iffy.

Seriously - the truth of the matter is that no matter how much these games helps you to escape reality for a moment, it's definitely not going to solve the problem. 

[Reality vs Adventure]

I think that keeping your mind active as a teen reduces depression. I don't see how gaming is specific at reducing it. If you think about the technological age, more and more young people have less access to things to do. When I was younger, I played basketball everyday after school till the sun went down. Now, basketball courts hardly exist unless you live in a rich neighborhood. So access to simple things is becoming rare. So when you factor that in, and you are left with gaming to keep you busy, then gaming is a substitute for the other activities that we need but lost. So I can see how gaming indirectly helps them have less depression. 

[Justin11]

That's very correct, when you look at gaming in the right perspective it's part of entertainment, when you're entertained you feel warmth and forget your downtimes which reduces depression. 

[Head_Hunter]

It reduces depression and makes the day more blissful for gamers especially when you recently launched a new version of yiyr favourite game. 

[Boblee]

There is a very big possibility that games can help to combat depression. Most medical professionals are trying to incorporate video games playing therapy for some kind of patients. 

[Head_Hunter]

I'll always agree to the case study that said; gaming reduces depression, without video games during the first wave of covid19 I wouldn't know where my mind or life would've been now. Cos, I was so devastated when the lockdown was announced. 

[Justin11]

Surely, any entertainment that keeps one happy almost every time brings about happiness that keeps one live longer due to state of feeling emotional appealing and not depressed. 

[Razor1911]

7 hours ago, Justin11 said:

Surely, any entertainment that keeps one happy almost every time brings about happiness that keeps one live longer due to state of feeling emotional appealing and not depressed. 

I had seen a practical example of this. One of my well known friend had tried to commit suicide due to some depression, it was around 2013-14. But somehow he survived. Last year I met him and asked him how he take care of his depression, he said he plays games every time when he feels depressed. It helps him to get out of depression and get lost into the The fantasy realm.

Edited October 29, 2021 by Razor1911