Since nearly everything is closed, canceled, or postponed, we're left with nothing to do but entertain ourselves using the internet. For gamers, the lockdown is an opportunity to spend more time honing their skills, but have you asked yourself how much should you be spending time online? Is spending more time playing games beneficial, or is it slowly killing your ability to live in reality?
To non-gamers, video games might seem like a complete waste of time. But now that we're in the era of the quantified self, where human beings are keen on using technology to track and "optimize" themselves, even those who consider themselves hardcore gamers may feel guilty for being the unproductive sloth of the bunch.
Although yes, there are benefits to playing video games. In fact, it can help satisfy fundamental psychological needs. The Self-Determination Theory states that human beings have three psychological needs:
- Autonomy, which pertains to the feeling that you have choices and that you have the ability to pursue meaningful goals;
- Competence, which is all about feeling capable and effective when it comes to overcoming hurdles in life; and
- Relatedness, which is your way of connecting with other people.
When you satisfy all three, you essentially become a better you. Assuming being stuck at home makes you unhappy, that's one of your psychological needs needing attention. For example, you lose your sense of autonomy because you're forced to distance yourself from other people and your usual activities are basically cut off.
Playing video games can help fill in this void, though not completely. Still, it reduces the feeling of loneliness because, at the very least, you get to socialize with other players or free your mind of boredom.
That being said, parents of younger kids need to limit their kids' screen time. About one to two hours of game time should be enough, but for older children, parents ought to "determine the appropriate amount of time," according to the Child Mind Institute.
For adults, it's quite difficult to agree on how much gaming is "too much," but the answer is likely less to do with the hours spent on gaming. Grownups should instead focus more on their awareness of becoming addicted to video games.
What we all can agree on, however, is to get enough sleep, exercise, and consume healthy food and drinks. All these are good for your mental health.
Life in a lockdown can take a toll on all of us, so if you haven't started playing games yet, give it a try to satisfy your psychological needs. If you're already a gamer, the only way to not feel guilty is to keep doing it in moderation.
