Benefits of Gaming
Paden Muesse
ITT-Tech Houston West

Despite what most parents would tell you, video games can be beneficial to one’s health and child development. Video games can improve cognitive functions, such as hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and multi-tasking. They can also aid in the treatment of conditions like lazy-eye and dyslexia. Certain types of games, such as MMORPGs, encourage social interaction and teamwork. However, the opposition to these beliefs would say that gaming can cause addiction, social isolation, insomnia, and even weight gain and migraines. Yet even accredited psychologists believe that gaming can be beneficial for one’s health. Now not to say that all video games proved the same benefits, but different genres of games provide different ones. First Person Shooters, or FPSs, such as Call of Duty and Battlefield, help develop one’s sense of spatial awareness “in three dimensions just as well as academic courses designed to enhance these same skills.” (Bowen) Other types of games such as MMORPGs and MOBAs, like World of Warcraft and League of Legends, “requires essentially the same skills as making friends in the real world.” (Gray) Even games such as Angry Birds and other mobile time-killer games “can improve players' moods, promote relaxation and ward off anxiety.” (Bowen) Now, many parents would claim that video games are nothing but detrimental to one’s health and children’s development. It can cause problems such as insomnia and hygienic issues. Some general practitioners even claim it can cause carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic migraines. Some believe it is even the source of social isolation among teenagers and young adults. Others support the idea that it can be highly addicting, and can even ruin one’s schoolwork. Parents state that gaming can horribly affect their child’s development. While there is