Short Dive: The Dark Side of Gaming: When Fun Turns Harmful
Exploring the Mental, Physical, and Emotional Consequences of Excessive Gaming—and How to Find Balance
Abstract
Video games have become a major part of modern culture, offering players immersive experiences, creative outlets, and opportunities for connection. While gaming in moderation can provide numerous benefits, excessive gaming can lead to significant negative consequences for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. This newsletter explores the darker side of video games, focusing on how overindulgence can disrupt sleep, increase social isolation, and contribute to mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Additionally, the physical toll of excessive gaming is examined, including repetitive stress injuries, vision problems, obesity, and the long-term effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Emotional and social consequences, such as the erosion of face-to-face relationships, increased social anxiety, and dependency on gaming for dopamine release, are also discussed.
By recognizing the warning signs of problematic gaming behavior and understanding the factors that drive excessive play—such as unhealthy escapism and compulsive habits—this entry highlights the importance of addressing the issue. It offers insight into the science behind video game addiction and the broader impacts of compulsive gaming on personal and professional lives. Concluding with a call for balance, the newsletter emphasizes that while video games are not inherently harmful, their misuse can have serious consequences.
Introduction: When Too Much of a Good Thing Becomes Harmful
Video games have become a defining feature of modern life, offering immersive worlds, interactive challenges, and engaging narratives that captivate billions of players worldwide. For many, gaming is a form of relaxation, a way to connect with friends, or even a source of creativity and self-expression. However, as with any enjoyable activity, there’s a fine line between healthy engagement and overindulgence. When gaming shifts from a hobby to a compulsion, it begins to reveal its darker side. Excessive gaming, far from being just a harmless pastime, can lead to serious consequences for mental, emotional, and physical health. It transforms the joy of playing into something that isolates, harms, and overwhelms individuals.
As with anything in life, moderation is key. While gaming can provide stress relief and a much-needed escape, excessive play can disrupt lives in profound ways. Long hours spent gaming can lead to sleep deprivation, strained relationships, and even diagnosable mental health conditions like Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). This is not to demonize gaming—it’s a wonderful medium when enjoyed responsibly. But the overuse of games can spiral into addiction-like behaviors, impacting players’ ability to function in their daily lives. In this second entry of my newsletter series, I’ll explore the risks of excessive gaming in detail, from its effects on mental health to its physical toll. I’ll examine the science behind the addiction-like behaviors associated with gaming, the warning signs to watch for, and the long-term impacts on players’ well-being.
Gaming doesn’t become harmful overnight. It starts with small habits—an extra hour here, a skipped task there—that gradually snowballs into a lifestyle dominated by the screen. When gaming becomes a priority over relationships, work, or even basic self-care, the consequences can be severe. From disrupted sleep cycles to increased aggression and emotional instability, excessive gaming can take a devastating toll. Let’s delve into the evidence, uncover the dangers of overindulgence, and discuss how to navigate this modern challenge in a balanced and informed way.
The Hidden Costs of Escapism
Video games are often celebrated as a means of escapism—a way to temporarily leave behind the stress of daily life and immerse oneself in a more exciting, rewarding, or fantastical world. For most players, this escape is harmless and even beneficial, offering a break that can recharge the mind. But when escapism becomes excessive, it can lead to significant mental health challenges. Many individuals turn to gaming to avoid facing real-life problems, uncomfortable emotions, or overwhelming stressors. Over time, this reliance on gaming as a coping mechanism can create a vicious cycle, where players increasingly retreat into the virtual world, leaving real-life challenges unresolved.
As such in addition to looking at problematic video game use and its relation to psychological functioning, it is also important to also focus on why individuals play video games. Players use video games for very different reasons (Ryan et al., 2006; Yee, 2006) such as to distract themselves from daily hassles or because they enjoy the social relationships they have developed in the virtual world. Potentially problematic video gaming has been found to be related to various reasons for playing such as coping and escape (Hussain and Griffiths, 2009; Schneider et al., 2018). The concept of “unhealthy escapism” is especially relevant for young people, who may lack the tools to process difficult emotions or handle life’s pressures. For some, video games become a crutch, a way to numb feelings of sadness, anxiety, or frustration. This excessive reliance on gaming can result in isolation, as players spend more time with their screens and less time engaging in meaningful real-world relationships. Isolation, in turn, is a major risk factor for depression. Research shows that problematic gaming behaviors, such as spending hours alone in front of a screen, are strongly linked to depressive symptoms. The more individuals game excessively, the more disconnected they become from family, friends, and the world around them.
The result is a troubling spiral: the more isolated and emotionally drained players feel, the more they turn to gaming for solace. For some, this behavior progresses into Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), a condition recognized by mental health professionals. Symptoms of IGD include withdrawal symptoms when not gaming, lying about gaming habits, and prioritizing gaming over hygiene, education, or relationships. Left unchecked, excessive gaming can turn what once was a source of joy into a source of emotional pain and social disconnection
The Physical Toll of Endless Gaming
Repetitive Stress Injuries
While the mental health consequences of excessive gaming are concerning, the physical toll is equally alarming. The sedentary nature of gaming—spending hours hunched over a console, keyboard, or phone—can lead to a range of health issues. One of the most common problems among gamers is repetitive stress injuries (RSIs). Repetitive stress injuries or overuse injuries, are injuries that come from activities that involve repeated use of muscles and tendons, to the point that pain and inflammation develop. If these injuries are allowed to progress, numbness and weakness can develop, and permanent injury can result. Overuse injuries of the hands and arms are rampant among gamers.
One common example is carpel tunnel syndrome, which many gamers develop. Carpal tunnel syndrome, often seen in office workers, involves inflammation of a nerve in the wrist, which causes pain and numbness.
"Gamer’s thumb," which was previously called "PlayStation thumb" (or "nintendinitis" or "nintendonitis" when Nintendo was popular), occurs when the tendons that move the thumb become inflamed. The medical term for this is de Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and it can lead to swelling and limited movement. Gamers are also at risk for trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, which is when a finger gets stuck in the bent position due to chronic inflammation. Gamers can also get tennis elbow, a painful inflammation of the place where the tendon inserts into the bone on the outside of the elbow.
Obesity
Beyond RSIs, excessive gaming is linked to more general health issues like obesity. Sitting for long hours with little movement not only reduces physical fitness but also contributes to unhealthy eating habits. According to a study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "a single session of video game play in healthy male adolescents is associated with an increased food intake, regardless of appetite sensations." The proposed mechanisms are that either the signals that indicate satiety (fullness) get impaired, or the stress of gaming can activate the brain’s reward system, driving players to snack excessively while immersed in their games. Over time, this pattern can result in weight gain, reduced cardiovascular health, and other obesity-related conditions.
Video Games Epilepsy
Another common health problem caused by excessive gaming is vision problems. The most common vision problem in gamers is eye strain, which can lead to headaches and poor concentration. Gaming has been reported to result in seizures, leading to warnings on the packaging.
Sleep deprivation is another common consequence of excessive gaming. Late-night gaming sessions often disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to insomnia, poor sleep quality, and chronic fatigue. Sleep is a critical component of mental and physical health, and its disruption can exacerbate conditions like anxiety and depression. Sleep-deprived gamers may also find it harder to focus, make decisions, or manage their emotions, creating a cascade of negative effects on their overall well-being. There has also been concern that exposure to the extreme violence that is commonly found in video games can desensitize teens and young adults to such violence, causing emotional problems and even leading to young people committing acts of violence.
Emotional and Social Consequences of Excessive Gaming
Excessive gaming doesn’t just harm the body—it also erodes emotional and social well-being. For many gamers, spending long hours in virtual worlds comes at the expense of real-world connections. Relationships with family, friends, and coworkers may suffer as gaming takes precedence over face-to-face interactions. Over time, this can lead to feelings of loneliness and detachment, especially for young people who are still developing their social skills. While multiplayer games provide some level of interaction, they often lack the depth and emotional connection of in-person relationships, leaving gamers feeling isolated despite their digital connections. Social anxiety is another consequence of excessive gaming. Players who spend the majority of their time in virtual environments may find it increasingly difficult to engage in real-world social situations. For some, the safety and predictability of the gaming world become preferable to the uncertainties of real-life interactions. This can lead to avoidance behaviors, where individuals choose gaming over opportunities to connect with others. Over time, this avoidance can worsen social anxiety, creating a cycle of withdrawal and isolation. This is especially the case for gamers with social anxiety as they are more likely than others to be ‘stuck’ on games, which provide an alternative to real life social interactions and allow for the avoidance of distress linked to face-to-face social interactions (e.g., Wei, Chen, Huang, & Bai, 2012). Specifically, as many online games involve social interactions, the virtual world of online games may serve as a safe place for gaining friends and establishing relationships for socially anxious gamers who value online communication as less risky and more effective than the face-to-face one (González-Bueso et al., 2018; Haagasma, Caplan, Peters, & Pieterse, 2013). In other words, those struggling with social anxiety may exert more control over their environment online. Accordingly, an application of Caplan's cognitive-behavioral model of problematic Internet use (Caplan, 2010; Haagasma et al., 2013) demonstrated that POSI plays a role in worsening the negative consequences of problematic gaming both directly and via mood regulation (Haagasma et al., 2013). As such it could be hypothesized that online gamers experiencing any distress due to social anxiety, along with loneliness, may be motivated by social needs to engage in gaming and/or may develop the tendency to prefer online interaction instead of communicating in person with others (Lemmens, Valkenburg, & Peter, 2011; Van Rooij et al., 2011), thus not only increasing their loneliness but also increasing the probability of incurring in IGD.
Video Games Addiction
Any substance or behavior that triggers the brain’s reward system by releasing neurotransmitters that induce feelings of pleasure such as dopamine has the ability to become addictive. Playing video games are one of those activities that can be addictive and develop into a pathological dependence.
When individuals playing video games hit a new high score, beat a record time, move on to a new level, earn money or rewards, or beat an opponent the brain is stimulated and the gamer has a pleasurable experience. Over time the gamer may become addicted to playing video games as they continue to seek out that rush of dopamine. Research in this area has shown that approximately 3-4% of gamers are addicted to video games, and many more experience an unhealthy relationship with video games.
Video game disorders have been recognized as an addiction by a multitude of addiction specialists, researchers and psychological institutions such as the World Health Organization. Though it is still an open question whether video game addiction, or internet gaming disorder (IGD), is a unique syndrome. According to the American Psychological Association, IGD is defined as experiencing at least five of the following nine criteria over a 12-month period:
gaming preoccupation
withdrawal
tolerance
loss of interest in other activities
downplaying use
loss of relationship, educational, or career opportunities
gaming to escape or relieve anxiety, guilt, or other negative mood states
failure to control
continued gaming despite psychosocial problems.
Video game addiction involves the persistent or recurrent pathological compulsion and obsession to engage in gaming despite negative consequences to personal and/or professional activities such as poor school or work performance, disruption to relationships, lack of sleep or personal hygiene, and other such negative consequences. Video game addiction is sometimes referred to as internet gaming disorder, excessive gaming, problematic gaming, binge gaming, gaming dependence, or pathological gaming.
Video game addiction goes beyond the frequency and duration of gaming. Two people in the same household can play video games for the same amount of time every day, and one may be addicted to video games while the other may not. The cornerstone of video game addiction includes a psychological craving to play, loss of control to abstain or moderate gaming, and continuing to play despite negative consequences that result from gaming.
Some other signs of video game addiction may include but are not limited to:
Choosing video games over other life interests, daily activities, and important responsibilities.
Lying or deceiving others in order to play video games, or hiding your gaming to avoid shame, guilt, or an intervention from loved ones.
Withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, or irritability when video games are taken away or not accessible.
Tolerance to video games, such as the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge to game.
Being reliant on video games as a coping mechanism for negative moods or life problems.
Excessive gaming can have a significant negative impact on relationships, education, career, sleep, mental and physical health, stress, maladaptive coping, and a negative impact on other important life areas. Video game addiction has been found to be related to personality traits such as low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, attention problems, impulsivity, aggression, anxiety, and depression. In severe albeit rare cases, gamers have actually died from gaming addiction due to excessive exhaustion, insomnia, stress, malnutrition, and dehydration that can occur from days of gaming on end.
The Road to Balance—Addressing Problematic Gaming
Addressing the problem of excessive gaming requires a multi-faceted approach. The first step is recognizing the signs of problematic gaming, such as prioritizing games over responsibilities, lying about gaming habits, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms when unable to play. According to one study from the American Journal of Psychiatry, between 0.3% and 1.0% of Americans might have an internet gaming disorder. For parents, educators, and mental health professionals, early intervention is key. Setting clear boundaries around screen time, encouraging diverse hobbies, and promoting face-to-face interactions can help prevent gaming from becoming an all-consuming activity.
Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have proven effective in treating Internet Gaming Disorder by helping individuals understand and change their gaming habits. There are even support groups, such as Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous, which leverage the power of group support — also helpful in the treatment of other addictions — to the realm of gaming addiction. Public health campaigns can also raise awareness about the risks of overindulgence and educate gamers on how to maintain a healthy balance.
For neurodivergent individuals, such as those with ADHD or autism, gaming can be particularly appealing due to its structure and predictability. While gaming can offer unique benefits for these individuals, it’s essential to balance this activity with other forms of engagement and support. This helps ensure that gaming remains a healthy and enjoyable activity rather than a coping mechanism for underlying challenges.
Keep the pressure low. It can be hard not to see gaming as a high-stakes situation, particularly when competitive gaming is a growing industry. But this can lead to increased stress and negative impacts when the game doesn’t go the way we want. Try to think of the game as a way to have fun or decompress, and nothing more.
Moderate your gaming. Casual video game use has been shown to offer the most benefits. When gaming starts to interfere with other aspects of life, from work or studying to spending time with family to building other professional and life skills, it may be time to decrease the amount of time you spend on it.
Focus on games that contribute to positive emotions. While one of the biggest draws of video games is their ability to excite us, you might notice that some types of games leave you feeling more anxious – this would be a signal that this genre might not be a good fit for your mental health. If video gaming is something you’d like to continue, try another type of game – there are lots of options these days.
Make it social (if that’s what you’re looking for). Many video games lend themselves to building communities and bringing people together. If you feel energized by social interaction, try looking for ways to game with others – whether in person or online. Of course, if you get enough “people time” in other areas of your life, playing a game solo can also be great for your mental health.
Conclusion:
Video games, without a doubt, have become a defining feature of our modern lives, offering unparalleled entertainment, creative expression, and opportunities for connection. However, as we’ve explored in this entry, when gaming shifts from a healthy pastime to a compulsive behavior, the consequences can be significant and far-reaching. From mental health struggles like depression and anxiety to physical issues such as repetitive stress injuries and sleep deprivation, excessive gaming takes a toll on every aspect of a person’s well-being. What was once a source of joy can quickly become a source of isolation, harm, and distress.
The dangers of excessive gaming, such as the development of Internet Gaming Disorder, highlight the importance of maintaining balance. Recognizing the warning signs—such as neglecting responsibilities, using gaming as a way to avoid real-world challenges, or experiencing withdrawal symptoms—is the first step in addressing problematic behaviors. Just as moderation is key in other areas of life, the same principle applies to gaming. Healthy gaming habits involve limiting screen time, prioritizing other life responsibilities, and finding ways to enjoy video games without letting them dominate your life.
As this discussion closes, it's essential to remember that video games themselves are not inherently good or bad—it’s all about how we use them. When embraced responsibly, they can be a powerful tool for fun, relaxation, and connection. But when gaming takes over, it can spiral into addiction-like behaviors that harm both mental and physical health.
If you’ve found this newsletter insightful, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next. Stay tuned!
Insightful!