Can Video Games be Beneficial?

  Recently, I was sitting in my speech class listening to my classmates inform each other about topics that are intriguing to them. Topics that they decided to research intensely due to its importance in their lives. One speech in particular stood out to me. A young man talked about how video games changed his life. He struggled with anxiety and depression throughout his childhood and isolated himself as a result. He then went on to say that video games were a turning point in his mental health decline. They allowed him to speak freely, make friends, and be himself. This sparked interest in me and revealed the question: can video games be beneficial to a person's mental health?

  In our culture today, video games are extremely popular, therefore presenting different views. Some people say that it promotes violence and hostility, while others say that it acts as a stress reliever and a coping mechanism. In a study done by Riaz and others in august of 2023, they found that the immersive nature of the various video games, specifically PUBG in this article, along with stressors can cause emotional damage to the players. They also highlight that if the player has previous mental health issues, it can make them more vulnerable to suicide and emotional distress (Riaz et al., 2023). This article highlights the negative effects that violent and stressful games can have on the people playing, specifically those who previously struggle with mental health stability. Similarly, a study done by Guy Porter and Vladan Starcevic provides evidence that there may be a link between exposure to violent video games and aggression but does not fully prove this (Porter & Starcevic, 2007). While these are threatening studies, I was unable to find much research on the harmful side. On the other hand, many studies present the idea that video games either have no correlation with suicide or violence, or even go as far as to say it provides a therapeutic element. 

   Many people today take the side that video games can be a positive thing for everybody: children, adults, men, women, neurotypical, neurodivergent, etc. For instance, a study was done to explore the positive effects of video games on children with anxiety. Gradi and more provided three video games and observed the effects it had on the children. Through this study, they found that, along with the surplus of references they used, that there is a positive correlation between video games and troubled children as well as it being a long lasting, multidimetional effect (Gradi et al., 2024). To explore another dimetion of these effects, I want to talk about the positive effects video games can have on neurodivergent people. A study done by Bazoolnejad and his colleagues was done to explore the effectiveness of video games on emotional regulation and communication skills of children on the autism spectrum. In the end, it provided evidence that certain video games were effective in promoting emotional regulation in autistic children (Bazoolnejad et al., 2022). In my eyes, this is a huge discovery given that many neurotypical people do not understand how to aid in autistic children's growth and emotional development, so this evidence provides an outlet for ASD children to gain these skills and promote this growth within themselves.

  Overall, majority of research reinforces the idea that video games can provide positive aspects into many children's mental health and development. It can serve autistic children as a way to promote emotional regulation, as well as relieve stress from an individual with anxiety, or even just provide a source of entertainment. As for my classmate who survived his suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety through video games, he can serve as a testimony for many children who suffer with the same problems. As for the future of mental health, you may see a computer in your therapy appointment, just keep your eye out.