Psychologist: Video games themselves not harmful and can be beneficial, but vital to moderate indulgence

PETALING JAYA: For gamers, this is great news – playing video games is actually good for you.

But like all things, too much of it can be harmful.

The key is moderation, according to psychologist Dr Aqilah Kamaruddin.

The lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19 has left hundreds of million of people around the world cooped up at home with nothing to do.

To beat boredom, many have taken to killing zombies on their game consoles, with the majority of players being young men.

The games that have hundreds of thousands of Malaysians hooked are PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB), EA Sports FIFA 21 and Dota 2.

According to app analytics provider Sensor Tower, MLBB earned more than RM2 billion from gamers last year, making it the most popular video game in the country.

Many frown upon such addiction as unlike other forms of recreation, video gaming can be all-consuming.

However, experts have put to rest fears that gamers may become prone to “living their lives in the electronic battleground”, focusing only on their scores and neglecting all else.

According to research, players actually interact with one another remotely, not only making friends in the process but also helping one another solve problems. A long spell each day on the video game console also helps to improve their hand-eye coordination.

Aqilah said video games also help to dissolve stress.

“This is especially crucial during the pandemic when many suffer from anxiety and depression,” she told theSun.

“If done within limits, playing video games can be beneficial to both adults and children.”

She pointed out that video games have been utilised in physical rehabilitation, particularly to help stroke victims improve dexterity.

“After all, these games promote brain stimulation, improve problem-solving capabilities and help to take the stress away,” she added.

Aqilah said contrary to popular belief, gamers actually have better social skills, although there are some introverts who use the games as a way to escape reality.

Studies indicate that children and young men who play video games have shown improvements in their social skills and academic performance.

“They also have better relationships with others, especially when engaged in multi-player games.”

She also refuted claims that video games impede maturity in young men, saying that it does not help nor hamper their growth.

Aqilah cautioned that a lack of supervision could lead to addiction, especially among children and teens.

“While it can be a stress-reliever, it becomes bad for your health if you play it non-stop for long periods,” she said, adding that if the gamer loses control, it will backfire and become harmful.

“It is not (because of the game itself) that some young men stay immature.”

Regular video games player Joseph Yee, 27, agrees that playing does not have anything to do with maturity, or the lack thereof.

Yee, who spends four to five hours a day on the console, said gamers actually learn a lot from their activities.

“For instance, in a game like CounterStrike, it requires cooperation and coordination on the part of each player. Such qualities apply in real life as well,” he said.

Kevin Soo, 20, who recently started playing Mobile Legend and now spends three to five hours a day on it, said it is a good break from work and studies. But with more time on his hands, he is also spending longer periods playing.

Unlike others, he agrees that such games can hinder a person’s growth by taking away time that could otherwise be used to build a career or get a tertiary education.

“However, if you are disciplined and able to strike a balance between games and studies or work, it should be fine,” he added.