The Dangers of Video Games

The Dangers of Video Games

Many people think that video games are purely fun, and that no harm can come from them. For most people, this is true, but for others, an increasing number of others, it is a problem that has latched onto them and will not let go. Romans 8:6 says, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” But for those who are addicted, Romans 8:26 says “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Like all of the good things God created, video games have been twisted to serve an evil purpose. Not all video games are bad, and not everyone falls into their subtle trap, but some are under that trap and need help that is unavailable.

Video game addiction is recognized in other countries, such as South Korea, as a major problem. In fact, “South Korea and China have declared video game addiction their most pressing health problem “(Vd and Kids xiii). Two large surveys in South Korea show that one in ten adolescents run the risk of Internet addiction and one in twenty are already addicted (Online Cravings, 26). One South Korean couple immersed themselves in a game where they took care of a virtual infant while their actual child starved to death (Online Cravings, 26). This of course is the worst-case scenario and does not happen often, but it shows the full destructive potential that video games can bring. Governments in China and South Korea have helped fund treatment centers and hotlines for electronic game addiction; however, in America nothing is done. “For now game addiction is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association…”(Play Turns to Trouble, 4). Even if one wanted to seek therapy, there are no set guidelines on what t...

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... said that ninety percent of youth play video games, and that excessive gaming has an almost definite impact on health, which could be obesity or hindrance of brain development. With such a high number of youth playing, it is important to monitor gaming and set guidelines on how much time one should play. Any addiction cannot be curtailed on its own, and needs to be replaced by a more healthy activity. At the very least, The U.S. needs to recognize video game addiction as a problem and form a set of guidelines on how to treat it. We can look at other countries such as China or South Korea for a guide on how to do this. As 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. We as a people need to realize that everything has the potential for evil.