Video games have become an extremely popular, and all-consuming hobby for some people. And I hear from many that they can feel like they can’t stop playing games.
This comes from an acknowledgment that they might be spending too much time playing games, but something is holding them back from simply holding off.
This is part of my series on gaming and the many reasons why you might start, the good and the bad and in this post I want to explain why you can’t stop.
Validation
When you play, the more you play the better you get, and when you become the best. The validation you get from others will prevent you from wanting to stop. Because if you stop, you might not be the best anymore.
No risk
Many games come with multiple lives, and not only that but once you lose all your lives, all that happens is you start again.
It’s a comforting feeling to not have any risk in what you are doing, and that feeling can be hard to let go of. The problem with this is that you are avoiding any risk in the real world. You can find yourself hiding behind your games because it feels like you are achieving something. But you’re actually avoiding any kind of real life failure that you can learn from.
Random reward structure
I can confidently say that nearly all games are programmed to entice you to keep playing, they do this by feeding your nuggets of rewards, boosters, accolades, or anything that will leave you wanting more.
This circle you will find yourself in will stop you wanting to walk away with no end in sight.
<h3> Stop playing games </h3>
All of these aspects to gaming can lead to feeling as if the real world is a scary, unpredictable place (which it is) and a real fear of failure.
This is a habit that can be difficult to break from but not an impossible task. That are simple steps you can take to help you break the repetitive habit of playing video games.
