Gaming – the practice of playing video games – has something of a bad reputation. A lot of people who aren’t involved in gaming, and who therefore don’t really understand it, feel it’s a waste of time or that it can cause mental health problems in the worst cases.
It’s a shame that more people don’t understand that gaming can actually be a great hobby for a number of reasons. If you’re a gamer or you want to know more about this, read on; here are some of the reasons why gaming is a great hobby.
Escape Stress
Life can be very stressful at times, and we’re often told that we need to find ways to de-stress as much as possible. De-stressing is good for our mental and physical health, and it means we’re able to think about things in a much more effective and productive way.
Video games are the ideal way to escape the stresses of everyday life, whether they come from work, financial issues, health, or anything else. When you’re playing a video game, you’ll be fully focused on what you are doing, and any issues will feel much less pressing. You’ll relax more and therefore be able to think more clearly about coming up with a solution. Although all video games can have a de-stressing effect, it could be wise to try relaxing games if you’re really tense, as this will often help more.
Building Friendships
At first glance, you might assume gaming is a solo pursuit – you might have an image of someone in a darkened room playing games on their PC or console. However, although some games and situations are just for one person (and this can be a good thing as well – we all need alone time every now and then), there are many opportunities to connect with others and build friendships.
One of the most obvious is playing a multiplayer game. Whether the rest of the players are in the same room with you or they’re spread out all over the world and communicating through text or voice, you’ll be able to build important and long-lasting friendships over your shared love of gaming.
You can also attend expos and conventions or perhaps take part in (or spectate at) gaming competitions. You’ll be with plenty of like-minded people and will easily be able to make friends in this way.
Improve Your Skills
Gaming is a lot more than just ‘button mashing’. If you want to be good at a game, you need to study everything about it, from the controls to the plot, to ensure you make the most of your time playing. When you know what to do, you can think of different ways to beat the game and improve your skills as you do so.
Gaming requires strategy making, problem-solving, and quick decision-making, and by playing regularly, you can enhance all these skills which you can then use in other areas of your life. It might be that having gaming as a hobby helps you in your career or helps to improve your relationships.
