Many students name gaming as one of their main hobbies. Such statistics should come as a surprise to anyone. However, the world is still divided on whether computer games are good or bad for young people. We all know that gaming can be addictive. However, it happens on rare occasions and often indicates a bigger mental health problem. In other cases, gaming can even be beneficial for us. Thus, it seems that playing video games can reduce stress. This side of gaming can greatly benefit young people and students in particular.

Most students live with stress and anxiety throughout their school years. School pressure, new challenges, and time away from home create a fruitful environment for mental health issues. Yet, a few hours of video gaming a week can help them feel better, prevent stress, and even develop coping mechanisms. Let’s see how video games can reduce college stress.

Gaming is fun

First and foremost, gaming can be a really fun experience. That’s why millions of people choose computer games as their hobbies. It is a perfect way to relax after a hard day at school. Moreover, it’s not only fun but joyful. Gaming brings pleasure. Hence, such an activity leads to dopamine release. This is the happiness hormone that helps us feel better but also fights the stress hormone cortisol. In other words, you can’t be stressed when you are happy.

In addition, video games ensure a highly engaging experience. So, players stay happy, concentrated, and satisfied as long as they are in the game. Sometimes, even thinking about the game or planning to play it can increase dopamine levels.

Gaming provides an emotional release

Young people are not so great at expressing their true feelings. In fact, they often don’t even know what exactly they feel. Learning to understand your emotions and processing and analyzing them takes experience, strength, and personal desire. However, we often tend to jump through negative emotions without focusing much on them, what caused them, or what damage they’ve done. Such ‘skipped’ emotions turn into traumatic events and bottled-up feelings.

Yet, feelings don’t just disappear if we ignore them. People need to have a safe way to express negative emotions like anger, hurt, fear, etc. Fortunately, video games provide a perfect platform to experience and relive those feelings. A gamer will experience a wide range of emotions while playing. Hence, by playing, one also releases any oppressed, bottled-up emotions. By letting themselves feel negative emotions, balanced by the joyful game time, students receive almost a therapeutic experience.

Gaming is a form of escapism

People often choose to play computer games to escape the reality they are in, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Students, for one, need to find a release from all the pressure and seriousness of school. Indeed, a computer game can be a perfect place to escape stress, obsessive thoughts, and constant pressure. Escapism allows students to shift their attention from worrisome thoughts to more positive ones. Hence, they have a chance to let go of stress factors and charge their brains with happier emotions.

Sure, a computer game should not become a constant source of escape for young minds. However, gaming escapism brings more positive than negative outcomes in small doses. It allows students to gain a different perspective on things, find a safe space, and escape when things get too hard. Meanwhile, students can find academic help with WritePaperForMe and order professional papers online.

Gaming can be a social event

Some computer games also serve as a powerful communication platform. Many modern games support a cooperative game style, meaning players can engage with other people while gaming. You can choose to play with friends or enter random chats. Such choices depend on game options and players’ preferences. Still, a game can provide young people with an opportunity to meet and socialize with like-minded individuals who clearly share their interests and passions.

Many students experience a spike in stress levels to a sense of loneliness. They are often forced to change their environment, move cities or even countries to study in college. The separation from a social circle leads to anxiety, homesickness, and loneliness. Hence, students become more vulnerable to stress. An ability to find a community online prevents a sense of isolation and brings them back to their familiar surrounding.

Gaming is rewarding

Most school assignments are long-term projects. Students must work on them for days or even months before completing them. Hence, it takes a lot of time to receive any type of reward or even a sense of accomplishment for their hard work. However, games work drastically different from that.

Among many available forms of entertainment, video games are far more active than others. Hence, players are directly involved in the whole experience, making choices, practising skills, deciding on strategies, etc. Such interactivity and a good time create a highly rewarding experience. Students feel gratification and instant acknowledgement of their good choices.