Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 60% OFF your subscription ➡Here: go.babbel.com/t?bsc=1200m60-youtube-healthygamergg-jun-2023&btp=default&RU-vid&Influencer..healthygamergg..USA..RU-vid
Are there controlled studies on this? And how about RU-vid, Netflix binging, and sleep deprivation? After exams I’d always be insanely sleep deprived and depressed. Probably not much learning going on.
When you mentioned that with games we "stop learning", does it apply to games with any level of difficulty? Because one of the characteristics of hard games, whether the difficulty comes from how the devs made the game or playing VS a real person that is better than me, it often forces me to analyze my mistakes, learn from them and create new tactics and/or strategies. Btw, I'm learning to program and I got the part about dividing tasks, that's a crucial part of coding and have to do that again and again.
I dont think thats something he would say given the channel name. But yeah feels good & it improves our trust in him (not triggering our subconscious-ego-self-defenses lol)
@@flk2441 Dr. K is still playing games himself, so :o And gaming is not inherently bad (and way better than watching TV all day, esp. if one also moves around if that's possible with/during the game).
wow, I've been able to relate to your videos before but this one just hit with every word, and it was all making sense. I'm in college but I've always been a heavy gamer and procrastinator which has lead me to get behind in college. My sister graduated early, my friends already have six figure jobs, and I still can't do the simple things in life that I know I have to do. I can't ever stick with a positive behavior pattern for very long, and the cycle of feeling ashamed for not doing what I have to do then not doing it continues.
Decades of playing video games led me to joining the military, 3 degrees is aircraft mechanics and electronics, and owning and running 2 businesses.... My parents said I would never amount to anything playing video games all day.
This is why I enjoy VR gaming and social VR gaming like Vrchat. I seek out the intense immersive full body use VR experiences and on top of that have options like Vrchat to build social regularity. I’m not telling anyone going outside and socializing is bad, I’m just saying VR is giving a new avenue to live a fulfilling life than what might be “normal”. It’s okay to be different and build on top of culture rather than just following it.
Ive played games since i was younger and would play for hours and days even not even going to sleep but i also went outside as well and played . I love to travel and i love involving myself in activities outside of the gaming world. So i guess i have like a balance because i can tell myself .. "nah the game isnt important right now i gotta do this that and the third "..
So I'm low in Serotonin. Got it. The simplest answer I've ever heard. Time to get a doc. Also side note: 20:25 | 20:46 - 21:13 The way I am overcoming my "EXP deficiency" is by simply playing Minecraft. It's a Sandbox game that rewards exploring if you get distracted with something. It also rewards you when you come back from where you were with any missed items you forgot about. It also DOESN'T give you ANY markers as to what to do. Other than the achievements. But even then, it's just to get you started. Once you acquire new tools(if you're new to Minecraft this part is good for you) you begin to wonder what they could do or rather what you THINK they can do. You then start to learn on your own about what the thing the game showed you you can craft. And, if you'd like, you can challenge your memory to see if you know how to craft the new items with the "crafting book" in your inventory. TLDR/Simply put, Minecraft would be a great game to begin to help you with your "EXP deficiency." It's helping with mine, it may help with yours.
Yeah... I've had a traumatising childhood which consisted having no good friends, ignorant strictive parents, abusive teachers. Games have given me an escape from the dark reality and they were just so fun... For a long while, until i was 18. Now I'm 21 and i stopped playing but i still feel that debuff on my brain
My parents literally just spoonfed me videogames and told me to go play and leave them alone. They had no energy or patience after both working 10+ hours a day. And I lived somewhere with no friends conveniently (or safely) nearby. And during a time when being a gamer and otaku was something to be ashamed of and kept hidden. All of which groomed me from a young age to self-isolate and play video games. And as someone with adhd (non-hyper just executive dysfunction), autism (high-functioning), and depression. Video games are just comfortable and familiar. It sucks.
There was a time when video games no longer made me feel good, the spark and hype was gone and my productive life suffered. I started to only play on weekends, like a video game fast and wow man, working hard and then relaxing on weekend afternoons playing Tears of the Kingdom feels glorious and productivity went up too.
I took the same concept with Weed. Weed always feels better to smoke on a weekend especially after a long week of work. Having to do it everyday starts to mess me up at work and my social life
@@Grandmaster_Vic I'm trying to quit rn, I'm currently 22 and I've been going overboard with edibles for a year or two. It's just been a depressive downwards spiral that nobody around me seems to get. So I want to quit and kill off that part of myself so I don't regress. No telling how jacked up it's made my brain.
@@Foogi9000 you needa figure out where the addiction comes from. Like it could be something lacking your life that you tryna fill a void for. I do recommend seeing a therapist or do some deep soul searching to help you figure it out
@@Therealbigsaya there was a time where I would smoke 2 to 4 joints a day. It was a bad period in my life. Once things were turning I find myself not doing it as much
I am a daily gamer in my mid-50s now. Excelled in the Marine Corps. My memory and ability to adapt to things quickly could have been aided by some of the mind games I played. I had zero problems in the outside world. It needs done, I get up, get it done, and game once all the important things are done. Gaming is like a treat.
Listening to what he said in the video didn't make sense to me. I too served 8 years in the corps, was a gamer before, during, and after. I have a family, two beautiful intelligent daughters, and am only 32. I question his sources and statistics credibility. I know plenty of gamers who live fulfilled lives. Perhaps he's talking about the new generations. This I can understand because they've grown up on a screen.
I don't think he's talking about all gamers. In fact, I think he's talking about a niche of gamers. People who play A LOT of hours daily. Trust me, the people who he's talking to knows who they are. Most likely people who are not fulfilled at their jobs (or unemployed, or studying) and don't have children. Not necessarily younger gens, but definitely increased in younger gens.@@TheMadRooster09
I have been playing games since the late 70s. Even before we had computer games I would create fantasy games out of clay with my brother. The games were so complex we had a random generation for monsters and items which was a list over 300 where each item or monster ranged from level 1 thru level 8 or the very rare level 9. We eventually switched to computer games and we play a variety of computer games even today. So after 45 years I am a senior software engineer at a fortune 100 company earning almost three times as much as the combined income of the average family. Where would I be today without computer games?? probably one of those fellas in an average family.
I think he’s not saying “All gamers will experience this and feel this way” He makes several remarks throughout the video such as “if you feel this way then…” So I believe he is addressing a common occurrence he has seen in his professional experience (as well as his own life) he is not necessarily saying everyone who games struggles with these issues, but If you DO, then here’s some info to help
Right because as a species we all function in the same way but psychology has its weaknesses too because everyone’s brain runs on it’s own path meaning it would be almost quite inaccurate for lots of other people especially the neurologically divergent. There’s probably a ton of mental illnesses and disorders that remain undiscovered due to this same reason
For me it worked the opposite way. I had social anxiety and depression all my life and procrastinated a lot. I was a gamer in my teens and then gave up. Just a few years ago I picked up that hobby again and the games inspired me to change my life. I mostly play RPG's and i thought man, i want to be strong and brave as that characters and look cool as them. I actively search for a therapist, I found a job, have more money now, started to reach out to my friends again and go to gaming conventions to meet new people. Also I started to workout, got a new haircut and overall I am happier. Every day I first do all my tasks from my todo list and do something for my personal growth and the reward in the end is gaming.
+griffith Yes! That's the way to do it! Particularly getting your chores or things to do, done early! I'm trying to do this myself. I don't always succeed though!
Yeah games kept me out of trouble I use it for patience you don't always have the money to do what you want playing a game buys time till you can afford to do something, I also use it to think while I'm playing a game that some people consider boring it gives me time to think about the problems of the day and figure out something better the next day!
I am currently in deep shit because of my bad video game habits. I'm glad to have found this video. I'm glad to find someone who understands how I think and feel about my situation. Tysm, I learned a lot today
Here’s something that can change your way of life or thinking. This is the most important thing you will hear/read today. If you’ve told one lie, stolen anything, or lusted (which is adultery of the heart), you’ll be found guilty on Judgment Day and end up in Hell. But there’s good news: Though we broke God’s Law, Jesus, the prophesied Messiah, perfectly kept the Law, fulfilling all righteousness. He paid the fine for sinners ( that we could never pay ) by suffering and dying on the cross-absorbing the wrath of God that we deserve. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Then Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses. Today, repent and trust Jesus; God will grant you forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. God bless ❤❤
@@yaz8165 Here’s something that can change your way of life or thinking. This is the most important thing you will hear/read today. If you’ve told one lie, stolen anything, or lusted (which is adultery of the heart), you’ll be found guilty on Judgment Day and end up in Hell. But there’s good news: Though we broke God’s Law, Jesus, the prophesied Messiah, perfectly kept the Law, fulfilling all righteousness. He paid the fine for sinners ( that we could never pay ) by suffering and dying on the cross-absorbing the wrath of God that we deserve. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Then Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses. Today, repent and trust Jesus; God will grant you forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. God bless ❤❤😊
@@clashofaction249 Here’s something that can change your way of life or thinking. This is the most important thing you will hear/read today. If you’ve told one lie, stolen anything, or lusted (which is adultery of the heart), you’ll be found guilty on Judgment Day and end up in Hell. But there’s good news: Though we broke God’s Law, Jesus, the prophesied Messiah, perfectly kept the Law, fulfilling all righteousness. He paid the fine for sinners ( that we could never pay ) by suffering and dying on the cross-absorbing the wrath of God that we deserve. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Then Jesus rose from the dead and was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses. Today, repent and trust Jesus; God will grant you forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. God bless ❤❤ 😊
Tbh, what he says sounds like truth on the surface, but in actuality, it's very shallow. Decades of studies show the very opposite effect. People who play video games have a better ability in learning and problem solving. But it s true that not all games are made equal. Games that promote cooperation between players, puzzle solving, or very complicated mechanics are superior to mindless games in matter of benefits to the brain. Studies have also shown that effects on mental health are minimal, but if abused to escape real-world problems, they do the same thing as any other drug. Personally, there is also the mindset in regard to your approach to life in general. As his example says , feeling good because he beat the river, or because you achieved that or that, that works as long as your mentality says that those achievements realy matter, if you wanna use them to impress people, get a mate or something. But if you re like me, for example, and just do stuff for the sake of having fun, and not to get achievements, no experiment with life and not keep a monotone routine, well the entire premise of the video falls. I'm just saying.
Yeah, I'm still studying informatics but works pretty good so far. And if I don't know how to break down big tasks I just google it up or watch some videos and voilà. It's really funny how even being a fun person can be learned nowadays
@@mirrorcube3709 Congrats for finding out! Most people have no idea what it really means, and it's being used against them. One lesson at a time, step by step, progress is progress. Good-enough is good enough.
I've been a gamer for over a decade, and before I clicked on the video, I was puzzled by the title. To my surprise, it accurately described my life: subconsciously playing games while ignoring negative emotions, struggling to break down large tasks from real life into smaller ones and complete them, and experiencing stagnation in life's progress. I deeply appreciate the perspectives the author has provided, the issues pointed out, and the advice given.
It depends. Gaming just like alcohol can be used by people in bad situations as a way to distract themselves from their life, only for it to become too much of a distraction and take over their life. It's all about self-control. Games making you unable to turn large tasks into smaller ones might be a side effect of gaming taking so much time from your daily life that any skills the game doesn't "teaches" you (like turning large tasks into smaller ones, as well as a crap ton of social skills) you start to regress on. I don't want to sound like a devil's advocate, but some soulslike games actually help you learn how to turn large tasks into smaller ones, but then again they don't teach you other skills, so gaming of course should be controlled.
@@PraveenSrJ01 Alzheimer's patients are being told to play video games, memory games, and other brain games since it has an impressive impact on memory and cognition. I've been playing video games every month since the age of 10... usually for multiple hours each day. So how has 40 years of playing video games impacted my life? Well today I'm a Senior Software Engineer earning big bucks, no health problems with a hot girlfriend for the last 10 years who earns even more money. I never could have started working at Microsoft if games did not inspire me to build my own personal computer providing me the first stepping stone into computers. If you're someone who spends hours watching television each day or movies each weekend then you're doing less than someone playing video games each day. If you don't waste time watching television or watching movies then you're on a healthy path.
But compartmentalizing is what so many games do. They don't just give you everything the game has to offer at hour 1. You get them slowly over time. If anything, games really help you break down tasks to get you toward that end goal. So, I don't really understand how games specifically hindered that ability. I guess it also depends on what kind of games you play, your personality, learning aptitude etc. Blaming it all on videogames doesn't seem quite right.
This was really depressing. I turned to video games as an escape because my life has so much trauma in it. I feel as if I was born with nothing good or no good advantages. It seems like a lot of work needs to be done to get some good in my life, and it feels like there needs to be very little for something bad to happen. In the video game, I feel happy instantly and I can forget how badly my life sucks.
Step 1 for me was realizing that saying I have 0 skills is giving up. You won’t develop any if you never try. No one will believe in you unless you do first. Your comment is well typed and understandable, many people aren’t even capable of that much.
What has started to help me is to remember that, every time I get an urge to play, my life will be there, waiting in exactly the same state I left it in, once I close the game. Always.
Most people are born with No advantages over another person yes their is social political and monetary. don’t feel bad that you aren’t what you can become.
This video hit me like a thunderstruck. I’m an addict gamer since my 14 years old (addict cause that’s all I do in my free time, I’m was easily above 20k hours of playing game). Since I was 21 old I realized that gaming was not a good thing for me: “What I have gotten from the past 7 years? next to nothing… My life didn’t change that much, I have no friends, almost no memory of all the games I have played, no one to shares the memory of the games that I remember, no job, no qualification, no lover…“ I realize that all I have done in the past years was just escape my life... And I didn’t want that…. Now I’m 26 old it’s been 5 years that I want to quit gaming but couldn’t do it completely. I completly stopped playing my favorite game since 5 years but it wasn’t enough. I bounced from one addiction to another… Gaming then Facebook then RU-vid, then gaming again… I managed to restrict a little bit of those urges and gain some time to do other things like swimming, reading or cooking… But I still feel the urged to play / watching youtube time to time... I still feel the need, from time to time, to divert my thought with something and not feel anxious with my life. But why? Why isn’t reading / cooking / swimming / meditate enough for me? Why I NEED GAMING in my life to not feel bad? And this guy just answer casually at this question. 19:50 “where is the exclamation point?” “what SHOULD I do?” F*ck me. For the first time in my life I realize that all my life I never asked myself “what I want to do?” but always “what SHOULD I do?”. The world give me anxiety for this exact reason. Nobody tell me what to do so I’m scared of picking the wrong choice, having "the bad ending". I’m scare to pick any answer because I think about what people expect of me. But people don’t tell me what to do… they don't care. So I’m lost… I’m like the soldier that have missed his squad and is now all alone on the battlefield. “What SHOULD I do? WHO I am supposed to listen?” On gaming like on a battlefield you learn so hard to listen to someone else that you begin to fear to think by yourself! You became addict to the authority and you seek someone to tell you what to do! And when you are all by yourself you start to panic. Wow, what a revelation! But now I was wondering how to manage my emotions… And Boom! You hit me again with your wisdom dr K. 21:11 “just break your problem into 2… again and again” This sentence had the effect off a thunderstruck for me…. “All the solution of all my problem can be found that easely… why I was worry at the first place?” At this exact moment and for the first time in my life all the voice in my head stopped talking. It’s like all my anxiety was gone. All my problems, that I could barely manage emotionally 20 minutes ago felled now so easy, I was not worry about them anymore. It’s like for the first time in my life since my 12 years old I was back again in the present. It’s like I just was seeing my bedroom, my head and hearing my voice for the first time. It’s like I was not anymore a NPC watching the movie of his life waiting to receive the player… I was the player! This sensation continue to follow me from this day, and I feel like now I don’t need to play anymore because I can now live with myself. Thank you dr K. You freed me from my head, now I feel I'm back in control and I will make sure to stay that way. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I'm 21 now and I'm at the same point you're at. I actually clicked on this video because I've been having a lot of panic attacks lately but I've gone through what you have as well. I started playing at 5 years old and it's been constant bouncing from addiction to addiction when I quit playing video games. I'm so happy I found this video, I hope you're doing well dude
So what you're saying is, you have anxiety, you practiced escapism for most of your life and then you blamed videogames? Yeha I don't think gaming is the problem here, the problem is that you're too anxious to do anything, and the solution for that, is to grow a pair and throw yourself out there. It'll go bad, it'll go well, but trust me that 90% of the times you'll barely be in control of it
@yasininn76 Wanting to change is difficult when you dont know what you want. I was already aware that, somehow, the problem with my addiction came from me. I just could'nt undestand why I could'nt stop. This video helped me realise 4 things: 1) My anxiety come from the fact I was not feeling in control over my life (thinking "what SOULD I do?" instead of "what CAN I do?" / "what I want to do?") 2) Video game are so addicting to me cause they tell me exactly what I should do to win, they help me divert my thought from my self 3) By the way I use it, vidéo games make me use to think less and less by and for myself causing me to having less and less control over my life then increasing the urge to escape from it and the need of someone (/something) to guide me. 4) The feeling that I was not in control over my life and that someone sould tell me what to do in order to improve IS A LIE, in fact I'm as capable as anybody to think by myself for a good solution to a problem. In fact i'm the only one capable of knowing what I want. What Dr k helped me to do is for the first time vocalize thos feeling and undestand where their coming from. Now I undestand the cycle. Now I know if I dont change, nothing will change, and I will be "dead" all my life (ex : "The dark sad life of boogie2988") Now I know my problem is how I'm seeing myself and the world arround me. Now I know it's not an end in itself, I'm as capable as anybody to change. NOW I WANT to change, because I KNOW I CAN do it.... and that's what I needed. Everybody is different
the funny thing is I was born with ADHD and the certain quirks that I had pretty much fit neatly into each of these categories one after another. every shortcoming I have experienced, you have described an answer to. I never really played video games enough to change my brain chemistry like you were talking about, like literally less than 2 hours a week, and despite that, you've given me a perfect template to overcome my independent problems. it kinda felt like being handed the wrong pieces to a puzzle, but finding a way to make them fit inside the puzzle of my own head.
As a person who also has ADHD, Video Games is just a distraction for me, i've learn to control myself in the hyperactivity matter and video games calm me down, in some way. thought, im not addicted to them either. i played like 5 hours per week, mostly in a span of 2-4 days. And most of the categories that are talked about in the video also fit with some quirks i had
My ADHD on the other hand made me dependent on stimulants and drugs. I live for a surge of Adrenaline and it has begun to disrupt my sleeping patterns even though I work out 4 times a week, eat a healty diet and have a job and get a lot of supplements. I found that I use things like Ritalin, or other meth drugs prescribed for ADHD or Caffeine or gaming at nights a lot to stay alert all the time and also boost my morale up. When I take none of these substances for a day, I feel there is no point to living. I still do my tasks somewhat but I cannot understand the motif. I cannot understand why I wanted to do them or why I had those plans or why I'm even alive. On the other hand when I indulge in them every day, it takes that feeling of empty but it supresses my sleep hormone reproduction (melatonin) and causes a considerable level of stress in my body and It's very troublesome to have to go the gym restless. It slows down my progress too. I'm surprised i'm still building muscle to be honest.
@@corwyncalc4329 Exactly. And gaming addiction (and sometimes some other issues that have much deeper roots than just adhd, addiction or games). Which is rare amongst gamers. To me it has felt like Doctor K initially always praised video games as good for the brain, as science has always demonstrated, but in the recent couple months/years has capitalized more and more on an audience that related to ADHD and gaming (rather than any mental health like he used to, as a gamer who is for gamers, not against them, but that's what people want now, something to blame, and the easiest thing is video games especially when a lot of his audience with ADHD can relate to the issues he describes, and questionable self-help rethorics are more popular than ever and often demonize gaming), and has been talking excessively about all those absolutely incredibly negative effects gaming now has. He has increasingly made it seem like gaming is a much more widespread and severe issue than it actually is, and it's starting to feel kind of dishonest (even if i don't doubt gaming has those effects on the brain to some extent, and can be devastating for those who are addicted) as if it's more to appeal to an audience than to actually try to help explain and solve mental health issues, to help grow the channel or sell ADHD books. Which i admit would be pretty surprising coming from him, but you never know for sure what a content creator is thinking. I wonder what is actually going on, but something feels off about it. Has our science been wrong all along and making a complete 180° on gaming and all the benefits for cognitive functions, mental health, stress relief, memory, problem solving that they supposedly had, yet is all being backtracked on in the polar opposite direction? But it seems like it would be something that conservatives would push to demonize games as they've always done, yet Doctor K is absolutely not like that, so it makes me wonder how reliable his sources are, even if i trust his ability to be able to find legitimate studies. So what then, is the answer that this is just relevant to a specific subset of video games and susceptible players which make up a minority of them, but have more predatory game loop models, such as some of the biggest AAA games and mobile games? I could definitely see that be a thing, but that would make the way Doctor K has been sensationalizing it disingenuous. I've been wondering if anyone has been noticing this or felt this way. Of course, the videos and the lessons that you can learn from them are still very much universally valuable. I'm not dissing that.
The realization popped into my head like midway. What he’s essentially saying is to learn how to fail. And when you learn or work at things that aren’t games, recognize that frustration and annoyance you feel is progression, and that your actually getting it and can do it. And that you will do it
@@ArneBab Very true. Additionally, you would rent the difficult retro game and be stuck with it for three days. So you would have to "get good" over and over again.
@@GuyFromJupiter yeah i learned this by playing cuphead and geometry dash xd, but seriously tho, i feel like he talked a lot more for a specific type of gamers rather than all, i mean i always do everything i ahve to for a day, like studying and all that and than play games, cuz imo all that he said can apply (if not more) to social media like yt shorts and tiktork, instagram...
And now you just described why difficult games got my child brain hooked on the feeling of satisfaction of overcoming/understanding difficult/stressful things. Still very useful now. I'm in my 30s, 'been playing since I was 7-8. I decided to own a boat and become a liveabord in the next 10 years. Do I know anything about boat engineering? No. Am I aware I'll have to learn a ton of vastly different skills, including motor repairs, charting, plumbing, electrics, etc? Yes. Does that dissuade me? No, not even a little. Not knowing things doesn't scare me. Not allowing myself to learn and repeatedly doing the same thing, becoming stagnant, does. You want to do it? Then throw yourself at it.
I'm 42 and this is absolutely me. I feel like if I don't have step by step instructions I become paralyzed. School contributed to this. I never had to think about anything in school. I didn't have to study, I never did my homework and still passed. Even won awards in highschool. But the moment I left I had no idea what to do and I've flopped around like a dying fish for the twenty-ish years since. I never considered how much games probably contributed to this. I started when I was 4. My son was even younger. I'm worried at how much like me he is.
I have to disagree with that mindset though because plenty of well made games encourages the player to try again and ignore failure (which reflects the real world, one failure is not the end of everything). And usually there is more than 1 way or option to clear a game, which means problem solving skills. Learnt more from gaming about that than 14 years of school ever will.
I'm like you in that school setting, I studied for 5 minutes just to refresh and got 90/100, "that's great, more time for gaming" always top 2 or 3 in class, now at 25 I feel that severe lack in serotonin as I can't lift up my business, hell, even I don't know what I want to do for a living
@@Andmau2552 you're young, you don't have to *know* exactly what you are doing, either try stuff from your course of study or branch out abit, read around, get skills or something, explore your options. too often teachers and parents mistakenly believe a person at 14-16 should know their course in life when no way someone so young would have the wisdom to do so. middle age career changes and all that are more common than led to believe. Also not everyone likes or love their work, some people just choose one they can tolerate and live the life they want outside of work.
While watching this video I was encouraged to go outside and enjoy nature for a bit while I listened to it. Afterwards I took your advice and sat with my emotions. I'm shocked at how well this worked because within about an hour or two I felt encouraged to begin job searching. I'm not quite ready to give up gaming as a whole because it's a hobby I enjoy and it provides my friends and I with something to do together, but I can see now how stepping away from it and not suppressing your negative emotions can motivate us to be productive.
Hey man, its been two months. How's the search? You land something or an interview? I was crippled by gaming at one point, i think i still am. Cuz im here. But i wana know if you got to follow thru with this comment. Im gonna go stare at a wall i guess and see if it helps lol.
@@ChronicSkooma hey dude I was crippled by gaming even though I don’t play video games anymore I still get that overwhelming urge to play that gets triggered by me simply watching someone else play. For me gaming was a hobby but eventually turned into a coping mechanism.
@@HarpalMalhi-pn3to We don’t grow in our comfort zone. That’s my motivation. A flower rarely grows in the dark. It needs exposed to the elements, feel the harsh rain a d the hot sun. When we sit at stare at a screen we rarely grow. I fill my time with extra work I cannot ignore. I got a second job and I’m part of a nonprofit organization that helps veterans heal. A lack of free time will eat up my time I used to spend on a computer. I still game, but I pick games I can put down at a moments notice. (Dont play league of legends, try Kenshi.) multiplayer games caused me to have an emotional investment in the outcome of hours long frustrations. Spending 10 hours a day doing something and having nothing to show for it except rage really ruins your life. I turned my vices into helping others with vices. Maybe look into filling your free time with commitments you can’t back down from, force yourself to not think about gaming ya know? Just my two cents.
I'm not a (heavy) gamer, but I needed to hear that serotonin vs dopamine explanation. I've been depressed for several years, but sometimes I (or others) question whether that's even true because I do have small happy moments. Like feeling miserable all day, but then enjoying ice cream for 5 minutes. Your explanation makes so much sense. I refuse to be gaslit any longer! I will use this new knowledge to defend myself!!
He also has a video where he mentions that a clinical depression should take about over year to recover in normal conditions but external elements such alcohol or gaming can affect the normal cycle and throw the person in longer states of depression.
I mean to be fair not always is depression a person feeling that way 24/7. It doesn't mean your unable to ever have happy moments throughout your day. Its not so simple as being unable to ever be happy.
@@StephenHopkinsVaults The Great Depression refers to the economic state of many countries experienced. I think this happened during the years post-WW1 up until USA got heavily involved in WW2.
The best thing about this episode is, he knows what it feels like to be a gamer. He can even use words that gamers use to explain things. It's freaking amazing.
Of course. I hate it when people just tell you "just stop" to end all your problems, while this guy simplifies it to the point where you can watch paint dry and your problems go away.
@@ProjctAce331 from what I understand, it’s usually in ability based games like overwatch or that final fantasy mmo where you have a bunch of abilities which get put on a cool down when used. The dps rotation is you using each of your abilities in a sequence. Obviously, then, optimizing the dps rotation is when you find the best sequence of abilities to maximize damage.
You can apply this to any sort of escaping reality type of thing, like watching movies or series, sports and so forth. Because mainly without the hobbies we have life becomes very plain. Work eat sleep repeat. Without any hobbies we are all bound to be depressed. It is all about balance, to much of anything is bound to harm us in some way in the long run.
Exactly, excessively doing anything and neglecting yourself is never going to be beneficial. This video is very much like Star Signs or having your fortune read; throw a load of shit and see what sticks. It's much more likely that people predisposed to these problems find solace in gaming, not that it causes them. But if Dr K would like to publish his peer reviewed research to say the opposite then I'll happily change my mind.
Yes and no. It depends on the hobby. Spending many hours a day playing an instrument is what it takes to reach a good level. Doing intense sports too is very beneficial for the body akd the mind. Cooking, sewing, writing, painting, woodworking... If you spend your free hours doing those kind of things, the upsides simply not comparable to gaming or tv... The fact is, some hobbies definitely are superior to others. The key is to learn to find auch educational hobbies amusing enough to replace gaming amd tv with, say, going for a hike, learning an instrument, or anything new for that sake.
@@richardf.6430 It depends on the type of gaming, video games are a sport too. I agree that some hobbies are more beneficial than others, but in this case, gaming has bad things like everything else, but also good things, develops mental abilities, pattern recognition, learning new languages, etc. It depends on what you play, it is not the same to play something that you only have to press a button to play something that you have to create strategies, overcome challenges, etc. Can not generalize.
@@justl30b the way I engage with video games has definitely caused me to develop cognitive and spatial skills that I never would have otherwise , but at the same time I know people who engage with video games in a way that really doesn’t accomplish anything besides triggering the reward center for pressing buttons
0:16: 🎮 The video discusses the impact of years or decades of gaming on the brain. 3:38: 🎮 The imbalance of dopamine and serotonin in gamers leads to a lack of confidence and difficulty in engaging in the real world. 7:17: 🎮 Engaging in challenging activities that lead to a sense of contentment can help gamers overcome serotonergic aversion. 10:57: 🧠 The video discusses the role of serotonin in treating panic attacks and trauma-related hyper vigilance. 14:36: 💔 Betrayal in marriage can have a lasting impact on trust, similar to the effect of video games on shutting off negative emotions. 18:10: 🎮 Video games provide too much guidance and prevent gamers from developing problem-solving skills in real life. 21:42: 📝 The video discusses the process of breaking down the task of finding a job into smaller, manageable pieces. Recap by Tammy AI
I have been gaming for 32 years, and I have not experienced any of this. Course I have a very traumatic childhood and games help me mentally. Course I do this all in moderation. I also have insomnia due to CPTSD, and gaming puts my mind to rest so I can get back to sleep. So my case is unique to me as I don't know anyone else like me at all. I should also note that I only play games on their hardest difficulty.
@@gamervet4760 I think his target subject is probably chronic gamer, those that do it with no moderation, since you only do it in moderation, that's probably why.
3 years ago my dad asked me what was the most hours I had in any game. DOTA2, 3784 hours I replied. My dad then says, Imagine if you had that many hours in your other life passions So I persued 3784 hours of real life. Thanks dad ❤
@@MegaMikeZero Got about 17k hrs on WoW. And I did start playing it in the end of 2012. Before that about 10k hrs in Call of Duty 1+2(didn't like the newer ones). Then there's a lot other games like 4k in cs:go about 2000 in LoL Just end of last year I quit due to some health problems I got. Now I play maybe 5-8 hrs a week at most some casual games. Dota I only have about 600 hrs also starting from 2013 but that game never stuck to me. I'm just bad in Mobas and only good in FPS Games or MMOPRGS. In LoL I also still suck it was only a side game to WoW. So I put those 2k hrs in in a matter of like 6 years. With that little time commitment you can't really get good.
I had the gamer trait before it was gaming. I read fantasy obsessively from I was 8-16 yo. I now realise that it fulfilled all the same purposes for me and penaltied me the same way, as described here.
Yeah exactly the same I think that was 1 part of the video that I would have liked him to expand upon more. People use all kinds of substances and activities to avoid pain and I agree with the premise of how we use these things to avoid our internal negative emotion. However, I'm not sure I agree with the premise that, "before video games when we felt lonely we'd seek other human connection" as people have coped with loneliness in a myriad of other, much more, unhealthy ways long before video games existed (binge eating, drinking, smoking, self destruction). While I feel like gaming likely has unique characteristics that effect the brain differently I think the root of the issue runs deeper. And much like everything gaming, if done in moderation, is likely a net positive on one's life. I know it's the only way that I can still connect with friends and family who live thousands of miles away multiple times a week. The social benefits of gaming I feel are vastly uncommented upon in most modern "gaming health" debates.
@@PaulsonAustin I think the point is just to clearly illustrate the function that gaming plays in our lives, especially for people who haven't even thought about it this way before. Of course there have been all sorts of avoidance behaviours and addictions in existence for centuries, and maybe he could have mentioned that, but this video is specifically aimed at gamers, and even more specifically at gamers who may not be super aware of this stuff.
I find it interesting that you said "it feels like life is passing you by" As a mature student back in university, this is how I feel. I know that my end goal is good, but being in university feels like the world is passing me by.
What some people in this comment section don't get is he's not attacking gamers, he's a gamer himself, he's just stating objective facts to help people understand where their problems MAY come from, of course gaming has positive aspects, videogames are a form of art afterall, but the point of the video is to underline the negative ones (which sadly are the majority) to help people overcome the consequences of those negative aspects.
Especially I’m todays current industry which has literal psychologists on their team to do whatever they can to addict as many players as they can. It’s becoming a fucked industry
If he wants to make the video about the negative aspects of gaming thats fine. But dont make your caption say: "how years of gaming affects your brain" cause thats really not what he's talking about. He is literally talking about addiction and even starts out saying "being a gamer is living life on hard mode" like really bro?? And to say he is a gamer?? Lol when was the last time he actually streamed a game? All his videos in yt arent about him being a gamer but rather talking about the health aspects of having this lifestyle which is fine but dont go and make this video with the misleading captions and thumbnail and then just literally talk about addiction. I would have been fine if he had a caption that said "gaming and addiction" or something along those lines because in this video he literally associates gamers as addicts. (Gamers=addicts) which is obviously false. I was looking forward to watching a video about how gaming affects the brain because thats what the caption was saying. Instead I watched an addiction lecture with gaming as the drug and the gamer as the drug addict. Idk man it feels like theres an agenda behind this more than anything. I feel like i wasted my time watching this video because the captions and thumbnail literally mislead me. I would think he did that for the views but whatever. Im done and unsubbing from this guy.
I didn’t play games for 11 years and was socially successful. I ended up feeling annoyed with life. All of my different friend groups always had problems and drama. Now I play games, exercise and eat healthy. My life has never been more peaceful and rewarding.
everyone is peculiar and all this guy try to do is generalize everyone and everything into 1 single group, which is a very miserable approach and very unscientific.
@@MrEliasQueiroga people like you should mind their own businesses, if someone's happy with gaming it's okay, if you can't enjoy a simple video game it's your issue not ours
As a gamer with ADHD, i used videogames to help encourage me to do different tasks that i couldnt necessarily do. they were like my reward for doing daily activities. Working out along side that helped to boost my confidence out and about, and talking about videogames is one of the things i am passionate about. My students love it when i bring up videogame references in class too which helps get everyone motivated! it i guess it has a knock on effect
A lot of these points don't apply to me, but I see how they can affect others. The important thing is to find a way to moderate gaming and fill something productive in such as exercise, language learning, building/construction, farming, etc. Serotonin is produced by absorbing sunlight and doing activities that are engaging + challenging + productive. Youll sleep better for it, too. You dont have to give up gaming... but don't use it to give up everything else.
Agreed, I live a normal life, hang out with friends, hold a stable job in hr, and I spend my free time gaming. My friends are the same and we talk about games, work, dnd, all while bowling. Then we go home and hop on ffxiv.
18:19 I'm 26 yrs old and still don't have a license and Dr. K's explanation about not knowing what to do because i dont have an organic UI built into my eyes showing me quest markers was so spot on lol we have to make our own quest markers. We're the developers for our own lives.
Despite gaming taking a good portion of my free time, and being a huge part of my childhood, I believe it has given me the ability to learn things extremely quickly. Playing a very large selection of different games throughout my life has strengthened my ability to grasp concepts much quicker.
Exactly, thats the true affects on the brain problem solving ability. Without gaming i would not be as successfull as i am today. I also always say to my employer to pick the lazy person over the overconfident person. Lazy people will always find a way to solve a big problem with the minimal work necessary. This video may apply to some people but not the most people.
Similar for me. But also, I think one of the most significant challenges I faced in my childhood was severe anger issues; one of the big things that helped me overcome that was Dark Souls. Fighting Artorias was challenging, it took many attempts to eventually succeed - but it was too awesome to get angry at, so these repeated failures didn't get to me that much. That taught me how to face adversity without frustration, and it taught me to *enjoy* overcoming adversity (taught me to get serotonin from it - some genres of games are actually good for that!), which helps with taking more initiative in my life. (Then this was pushed a lot further more recently by mental health crises last year...but while living through those helped make me stronger, I still had to be strong enough *to live through them in the first place* - and while there are of course other factors, games like Dark Souls certainly helped me get to that point.)
Yes, gaming gives us skills, but unfortunately at the same time, it gives us elementary debuffs that hinder us from doing and applying those skills. Motivation, procrastination, energy management. Literally with everything in the digital world I noticed that there are both upsides and downsides to it. Managing the downsides is so hard, oof. But it seems to be the key to be learned towards a successful life. Our generation requires so much mental control. We have to be hyper-aware, what the digital media does to us internally, and combat that. I think it's as hard as opium, cocaine and other hard drugs. It's just soooo easy to get lost in it. Lost in a way, that we become externally controlled, we lose control to decide on our own, what we want to do now. I wish everyone the absolute best on that path towards learning to tackle it. I walk with you.
@@IroAppe Fair point about everything having upsides and downsides, but I think even that is a bit too much of a generalisation. Personally, I actually find that I feel *more* motivated and procrastinate *less* in months where I play games more. It just comes naturally for me to play a game like Elden Ring or Crusader Kings 3 for maybe a couple of hours, and let the "momentum" of the resulting feelings carry me through more significant goals. (Plus in Elden Ring's case, it helps teach perseverance. It's easier to keep functioning through even the lowest moods if I'm used to facing adversity.) As a way to track it, even; I write poems and short stories. The absolute minimum I write being one poem every 4 days - and in most months, that's the norm for me. But in months like this where I've spent more time playing games...I've *also* written a short story (which took about 3 hours of writing) *and* am ahead of schedule on my poetry, even while dealing with worse circumstances at home than I usually would. (Now to play devil's advocate, maybe that correlation is not from causation. Maybe I'm playing games more *because* I feel more motivated for some unknown other reason, instead? But either way, it shows that gaming hasn't been harmful in my case)
Well at least for me without my interest in gaming i would never had an interest in PC's and would probably today not work in the space sector firing up satellites. And you would probably say im a extreme case with my sometimes 40-60h gaming per week when i have nothing better to do. Not everone is same not everyone get negativly effected and i would assume there are other negative influences in the past which causes a "problem" with gaming since you will use it as a Exit door and not out of fun@@IroAppe
I am a very strange Gamer... I completed 3 university degrees, was popular and voted in president of the ASEAN club and SRC (Student Representitive Council), played basketball and badminton every Friday, and did my blue belt grading for Teakwondo, all the while raiding World of Warcraft every night and playing Nintendo games with my best friend every weekend. I always had good grades, so my parents didn't really care what I did. In fact, I got a new laptop every couple of years to play games on because they thought I was using it for homework.... which wasn't entirely a lie. I studied Infomation Technology, so most of the time, I was working on programming and game development, so... my gaming evntually became research and development for my university projects.
you're not strange, everyone is peculiar and all this guy try to do is generalize everyone and everything into 1 single group, which is a very miserable approach and very unscientific.
I'm a person who has been gaming pretty much my entire life and since I was young, it felt like when I tried to do something, I always had to struggle with things like procrastination and determination; I could start on something but then at the third day or so I'd quit. It felt like I couldn't control my life. I found myself always going back to games when I felt disappointed, and never actually addressed my negative emotions either. After watching this video I learned why all of this was happening... I'm relieved there are solutions to these problems, as I'm tired of being hold back by my own self when I want to achieve my dreams. I will commit to doing the things you mentioned in this video. Here's to a new start in life. 1. Engage in serotinergic activities 2. Learn to tolerate negative feelings 3. Break down tasks in two
That's awesome to read. The first step is to be aware that you are the one holding you back, and you definitely did. Stay strong when times gets hard. Good luck with your journey my friend !
I feel ya Bro, I too have been feeling like you my entire life and FINALLY I've found something that pretty much describes what I need to do. Hope we can achieve it.
I'm I lot older, I really did not get into gaming alot until my early thirties. So for me gaming is a hobby, I still did and do a lot of the every day things in life, but I would say that gaming does make me procrastinate a little more. Im socially awkward and don't like all the BS people do to each other, so I did retreat at times from social interactions (work was never an issue) to being alone even before I was a gamer, yet still have friends and forced myself to engage in social activities. The thing I see in gaming though is its a lot like life. There is a starting place, the place you are at now and the quest or goal, there are rules in life that you have to know to get to the goal, and there are thing to do in the real world to buff your real world stats to make you better at reaching your goals, like exercising, learning, working (making money), ect. You actually have to keep a lot of things in your head when you game to do well and that's true in life as well. So you might want to try to look at life as you look at a game and systematically break down what you want in life and how to get to your goals, then set a schedule in your life to get those things done in the real world. Here is the thing though, life is a long game and the only one that really counts, it takes time to get where you want to go, there are set backs and you will fail sometimes, that's ok everyone else does too. But if you keep working at moving forward in life you will see progress in time, be patient and work hard at it. You cant really escape your life, your always there, your always you, ignoring that will catch up to you one day. Treat yourself well, its amazing how so many of us treat ourselves in ways we would never treat someone we love,, so as Jorden Peterson says treat yourself like you would treat someone you love, do the same things for yourself as you would do for someone you love to have a better life.
@@Dimitris_Half Surgeons can play video games or participate in a similar activity for a set amount of time required to improve their hand-eye coordination without it consuming their life.
I came to the comments to say that too. There's a difference between: "wow, the new Zelda has launched, let's see if it's any good" And "I have 300k hours in Overwatch 2, I need a better rank this season"
@Arthur Dias that's what you think. Just because you are thinking rationally doesn't mean that the same reactions don't happen in your brain as if you were grinding in Overwatch for 200+ hours
Edit: wow thank you so much to everyone for all the encouraging replies. You're all awesome and I believe in all of you! I have ADHD, pretty bad social anxiety, and I was always terrible at most sports, so I found it hard to get into team sports that I could build my social interactions with. Started lifting weights about 6 months ago and it has changed my life. It’s weirdly boring in the action but it still feels so good. I’m a long way away from my personal goals but I’m benching 70 kg/150 lbs and deadlifting 110 kg/240 lbs. Lots of people are much better than that but I’m really proud I’ve found something like this
The best part of working out is you don't have to stop being a nerd to do it. You see the majority of the results in doing one hour workouts everyday. You don't have to be a 3 hour gym rat to see results. Get your Mike Mentzer style workout in, shower, eat, and then play video games. Makes life so much better because your body and brain begin to work better, making everything else more enjoyable. Same goes for nutrition. Make your homecooked meals all nutritious and then when you go out and eat junk food with your friends, your body isn't dying because you put yet another empty calorie in it.
I have been a gamer all my life but since 7th grade I had to be aware of my mental status. I adopted some of the techniques you mentioned today by chance throughout my life. The staring at a wall thing definitely is something I do sometimes for up to an hour. This last year operationalization with my problems helped. They problems don't seem as big as they once were and progress albeit small is still progress.
im always surprised by how often this guy can casually drop the best practical advice, backed by science and a very logical train of thought. his preparation process has gotta be bordering on perfect for these videos
Exactly!! Most self improvement channels just make a 10 minute video saying a whole lotta nothing while this guy is giving so much great practical advice, I love it
I am part of the community, but I am also kind of old (millenial) and have a young teen son. This video made me understand a lot about him and his gaming, as well as why I struggle to help him to be motivated to do anything but gaming. And I am not talking about going to ban gaming or being online. That's just silly. I literally mean: Being able to help him appreciate life more and be interested in it.
I have 4 sons, I game with all of them, honestly the best way I've found to get them to appreciate, work, and aim themselves at a goal is to believe they can, communicate that I expect things of them, validate their dreams when they tell me. Dr. K is describing my father to a T, and one thing my father never did for me was believe in me or himself.
i felt like a 1 lvl character aka a newborn while i was watching the video... he literally explained us why we feel like a shit AND provided us with solutions for this problem. things the author said seem so easy to come across like why wouldnt i think about it??? i truly appreciate your help, healthygamergg 🙏😭
This is one of your most life changing videos that you have ever put out. almost every single one of your viewers struggles with this issue and you just laid out the most understandable road map to self improvement. you deserve the world my friend ❤
I initially got defensive but I realised this is for those who are going through a severe addiction - and with addiction, its important to keep it in check and find balance
Thing is most of the time you're not aware you're addicted to something. Heavy addiction can look quite normal to the addicted brain. A lot of addicted people (myself included) look at people with an addiction and say "thank god i'm not addicted like that person", while being EXACTLY as addicted as that person. Not saying it as a fact, because i don't know you, but if your first reaction was to get defensive, maybe there is a reason for that.
@@HareK0nnen I admire your insight, thanks for taking the time to give your input. My defensiveness more so came from experience of seeing people, myself included, shunned for enjoying video games as a side-hobby. I should keep that insecurity in check.
The first minute is like... the most stereotypical idea of what a gamer is. Ita obviously untrue. I have thousands upon thousands of hours recorded across games and i have no issues socializing or communicating, i have aspirations and dreams like everyone else. A bit too stereotypical. Sadly, it's not far from reality for some
Man, this video hits like a truck. For someone who's been abused and bullied both physically and psychologically by my parents and classmates basically all my life, gaming is all I ever had to keep me going and I probably wouldn't be here without it, but I can see its effects on me now. I probably won't ever stop gaming as that's not the point of the video and also because it's a core part of me at this point, but I'll definitely sit down and think a lot on this. Thank you for opening my eyes, I appreciate it.
What happens to a business man that work all day and doesn't have time to do what he loves, is the same for a gamer that forgets take car other parts of life, at the end you will be unhappy. You must have time to do what you love, in this case playing videogames, there is no point of deny that, but it can easily become a vice, and this can literally can make you a mess even ruin your life. Be conscient of what you do with your time and how affects your body and mind. What the video says is scarily true.
I was a gamer early and I'm still a gamer, but procrastination was never a problem. The biggest problems in my life were that I'd do all the things that people said they wanted me to do, and then I never got the reward. Constant rejection and work completed in vain were the experiences of my 20s. I suppose maybe that's common for most young men though, whatever their hobbies are.
I've got a great LIFE hack for you! Rename your "To Do" list "Quest Log". Assign rewards for each "quest" e.g. mins of game time, favourite foods and snacks, coins, read one page of your favourite comic book, watch 1 episode of your tv show or anime. Make sure they are things you can give yourself right away after each task or at least at the end of the day (Like when you would have handed all your quests in at once, before logging off.) When it clicks in your mind that life is just a series of World of Warcraft daily quests, your productivity will just sky-rocket.
@@VixeyTeh Completely beside the point. The ultimate reward is other people. You work hard, you get a pat on the back or, in time, a promotion or the ability to grow your business. You work on yourself, you become more popular in your community. But what if that does not happen, or doesn't happen to the extent that you feel necessary for the slog to be rewarding? This is the problem even moderately successful people face these days. They lack the kind of community that would give them the necessary feedback, in terms of directions as well as rewards. Retreating into gaming is just a symptom. Society is disintegrating into cells too small to further support the human experience we evolved for.
I’m 33 and this video has described my life so accurately. Over the past year I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, and anxiety and I’ve been trying to do a lot of work feel better. This includes playing less games, therapy, doing more stuff outside, and ADHD and depression meds. It’s changed my life.
@@molikeur also its because alot of people who had ADHD in the past just slipped under the radar and lived a life of difficulty, there isn't an epidemic of cases, there's a realisation..
I don’t like how he uses himself as a reference. Just because YOU don’t feel accomplished after getting somewhere in a game is all on the person itself. I feel accomplished because I don’t mind gaming. He obviously noticed himself hating how much time he spent and therefore it changed his “accomplishment” feeling when he climbed the ladder to #83. lol people care about it if you talk to the right people. It’s your interest, obviously he lost interest. A ton of points make sense, but it’s all individual
It's such a good thing to have a person who truly understands you, who "have been there before" and knows what he's talking about. This channel can really help those who need it. I guess, I was lucky. I came up with those ideas about "bad thoughts", "small steps" and "easy hard work" almost alone. Buta reminder is always a good thing
As a 26yo man that has been a tryhard gamer his whole life, that feels behind in life and that struggles with socializing, this video made a huge impact in me. I wish someone told me all of this when I was 15. My mom used to tell me I acted like a drug addict when I was gaming and I used to laugh. Now I understand.
the sad thing is you would not have listen to them telling you all this when you were 15. my nom told me but as all kids i would not listen. i just did the same two weeks ago talking to my little cousin (15years younger) on what is better for him. he did not want to know. give him 10 years and he will come back saying he wishes someone would have said that to him (what i did). no one will listen, ever
Why does it matter how others think of you? Don’t let others shame you for your interests. Video games have been getting a bad rap since their invention.
I relate with you so much. My mom also used to tell me I was playing too much but I was completely in denial since I was addicted. I also developed issues with communication that got worse over time as I was isolated most of the time, and day to day life was difficult since. I started very young so it took really long to realize it, but now I just saw the bad sides of this hobby and wish I could spend all the time grinding games mindlessly doing other things I enjoy. It saddens me because I was a pretty smart kid and I feel like I wasted my potential. I really think that this is like a trap that you can't get out of by yourself once you get addicted. Of course, this is still entertainment. And if you do it under a controlled environment that's fine. But most kids don't have this awareness and unless their parents set boundaries, it's truly gonna affect them in a bad way.
@@tf9350 you can’t waste your potential unless your dead. You have plenty of time to do whatever you define as productive or that will lead to being successful. Even if you just tried, you would be doing more then those that don’t which is a massive chunk of the population. Everyone is afraid of failure in todays age, when in reality the most successful people have failed the most, but just learnt from the failures and kept trying
As an autistic person, socializing has always been difficult for me. I've never been able to "fit in" anywhere, or I'd always say the wrong thing and this makes socializing painfully awkward. Gaming has always been a way for me to escape that. While I don't game as much as I have in the past, I tend to engage more in hobbies that are of great interest to me now. Being home and keeping myself busy with projects and learning new skills is now my go-to for pleasure. I still like gaming tho :)
Im autistic too, but i have attention disorder, i tried some medicines but it keep being a shit, its difficult to talk with other people and i have already failed a lot trying to do other things, i try to study coding, something i like and i work with, but its just Impossible to keep it for more than 1 day. Im literaly just living and seeing my life going away while i waste my time playing, and sometimes im not really enjoying
@@victoroliveira8310 I recently got into coding as well. When I get into it, I stay into it for weeks on end but then it just sits on the shelf for a while until I think of something else to make. I get lost easily when the code branches off into too many different routines or functions. My programs are rather simple with the exception of an encryption technique I'd been working on. However, retention is spotty at best. Many times I'm still using google or going back to previous programs to figure out how something is done or how I did something before. I hope to make coding a career one day, but fear of failure is severely limiting me. If coding is something you love, keep at it! even if you don't get anywhere in life with it, it's still nice to have the ability to create something that doesn't exist elsewhere to perform a specific task, even if it's just for you.
I think you're generalizing and putting one type of person in the bracket of all Gamers which isn't true. My dad has been a gamer since the first systems have come out so have I and so is my nine-year-old son and while we do game a lot we are outside a lot playing sports doing other things outside and in the woods which is pretty much opposite of what you said in this video. My nine-year-old son has accrued seven trophy for baseball so far and still does just as good in gaming and in school.
Dr. K, I used to be in a state of Serotinergic Aversion for several years, and doing 'simple' things like studying, doing laundry, making myself food used to be so hard for me. Gaming was the only thing I found myself driven to do. As of the last year or so, I find myself constantly seeking serotinergic activities like studying, making food, working out, running, etc. However, I also find it hard to sit down and game for hours on end like I used to (not sure if this is a good or bad thing lol). I'd much rather do something 'productive' than game even though I want to game.
@@caseyeaston7470 For me, I think it started with forcing myself to actually make my bed every morning when I woke up. It’s such a small thing, but it made me start my day by accomplishing something tangible. From there it snowballed over the course of a year or two, where I would keep asking myself: “okay what’s next?”. I was eventually able to regain my love for weightlifting and long distance running among other things like studying and stuff.
I also had a similar experience of gaming less because it wasn't as rewarding as serotonergic activities. In my case I was able to take a shortcut because I has people close to me (mostly family) that ran and exercised at least semi-regularly. I just followed their lead and quickly got into running and joined my high school's cross country team / track & field teams. Because I made friends with people on the running teams I was surrounded by other people who encouraged me to run with them on weekends and further step away from playing games all day. In short, join a friendly / casual running club if you have the opportunity.
yea at this point im realizing how much worse my emotional state is when im gaming, I try and hop on but it genuinely becomes a bad experience most the time whether I win or lose the most important thing (imo) is the process of replacing all that time which gaming took up. getting off the game isnt an instant good feeling to me, I get this worrying sense of "what now?" and I think responding to that feeling in the right way is so impactful. it genuinely feels like im gonna be stuck with that "what now?" feeling FOREVER without gaming, but that's not the case at all. it's just a process of letting go of that dopamine dependence, and also figuring out what genuinely fulfills you. what makes you enjoy your time. and then working to be aware of that.
I’m 23, and this is one of the BEST videos on the internet. Not only is it revolutionary in terms of neuroscience, but in conveying information too. As if nothing was barred or hidden, as deeply opposed to someone sharing an idea with a competitor or rival, to hide as much information as they can from others so that they retain an edge of knowledge. This video truly grasps the concept of giving and sharing information, almost like that of what describes; An Act of True Love. Dr K., you set an exemplary figure that I am highly, and fondly grateful for.
You have just described the past 5 years of my life with words that I have never heard of but had many familiar experiences with. I am very glad to hear that there is always someone who will understand my situation and can help me through it. Originally I thought it was just myself that lacked the ability to do things, but now that you have informed me of everything I will try to take a step for change that I have longed for. Thank you. ❤
I am a casual gamer in my late thirties, I once was hard-core, shutting it off after twelve hours with that sinking feeling of regret. Though your points are to the extremes, I definitely agree with them and want to summarize that you need to be aware of it all and balance the physical world with the virtual, and this goes for any media device as well.
sometimes people are aware but due to other issues they feel unable or anxious at the thought of going out into the physical world and interacting with people in that kind of setting
@@timetotalk2023 that's life. Interacting with people keeps you grounded, as uncomfortable as it may be, the more you do the less scary it is and the less awkward the next round will be. Not saying you won't ever not be awkard, I still am at 40, but I embrace it and people like me for it, it's being unique and genuine.
its not about it being awkward or worrying u wont fit in. I personally used to love going out to party's getting fked up with my friends meeting new people and such but then i had some issues with some very nasty people who for about a year straight were trying to break into my house and steal my stuff partly my own fault due to the nature of the business i was in then. i had people pull knifes on me on the street try force me to go bk to mine with them and unlock the door cause they couldn't break it. i got stabbed on multiply occasions try to defend myself anyway now i cant go out without a knife and that's not safe for other people or myself if some1 with there hood up is walking behind me i assume im away to get jumped and im immediately clutching that knife or clenching my fist and 9/10 its just some1 walking minding there own bussiness on occasion i have been so sure ive ending up attacking people who weren't trying to do anything to me. i apologise for such a long repley but this is the short version tbh and this is just my reasons there r many others with other very complex issues that makes things that u mite find everyday and easy extremely diffcult, it is often far more than just fear of being solically awkward or not fitting in @@joelc3449
i apologise for the rant i don't know why i got so triggered. I have my reasons and you have yours for why interacting with people in the real world or going out can be difficult and nether are any less vaild or difficult than the other nor r the many other reasons other people struggle also. sry again joel @@joelc3449
i have found that going to the gym, playing games mainly only with friends online, and tracking my nutrition have kept me pretty well in-check as someone who plays video-games a lot. Having a job also helps because it indirectly takes time off the game without you having to force yourself since you’re going to have to go to work regardless. This is great because you’re doing hard work while you earn money for your time.
A video that unbiasedly and accurately explains how and why things happen and how to fix them is a thousand times better than someone just telling you to stop doing it. After the gifted child video this feels too relatable and significant to not learn from. GG
Nuance isn't really good when you're talking about science. What he is saying is pure fact, he's not giving his opinions. It's up to you to accept truth or not, but if you think you're more knowledgeable than thousands of neuroscientist who studies those subjets everyday for decades, then there is no point of talking about anything
Personally I feel like the longer video games are around the better a lot of us will be at teaching our kids how to manage themselves better then we did through this mix of virtual and physical world.
Well put kind sir. We use that as a guide and help, and if a mistake is made in the virtual world its literally nothing. But in rl its difficult. Why should i add more words to your comment, its beautiful thinking the way it is, i meant .
when you say "virtual world" made me think of those fucking online life simulator game things everyone I know who played those 10-15 years ago or whatever is completely fucked in the head (I never did myself)
@@celshante1769 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
@@juhis5936 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
I feel like over the last few years my daydreams became something of an addiction to me very similar to how you described video games in this video. Every time i begin to feel negative emotions, instead of sitting on them, i retreat into my own daydreams where stories take place, where things go right and wrong, but everything is under my control and it has the same effects as video games on me, the numbing of negative emotions and the gaining of dopamine, all taking place in my own mind. I could be doing a serotonergic activity but in the back of my mind there's always that ongoing imaginary storyline basically doing what video games do, only 24/7, it happens automatically, especially when i'm trying to read and study, it's exhausting. The worst part is that it has infected one of my favorite pass-times which is listening to music, i could be listening to anything, but it's like a sleeper agent, like the sound of music turns on the story simulation inside my mind, i literally can't try to relax by listening to anything because i begin to daydream immediately and it's intense, i can't think properly about the real world and so i just give up and allow myself to be swallowed by my thoughts, and it just ends up tiring me.
Thought I was the only one gang, it’s super intrusive a lot of the times but when ur bored it’s fun and gives a lot of dopamine. Blessing and a curse….
@@Amanwiza Yup, I'm a pretty big daydreamer too. The fact that you can do it any time and anywhere is both the best and worst thing about it. With something like a phone addiction you can just physically put the phone away. You can't physically put away your mind
I think a name for this might be maladaptive daydreaming? I've only heard of it so I don't know any details, but it might be something to look into for solutions.
I used to do this all the time, a little less now. I couldn’t walk outside without my headphones, walking with music gave some confidence haha. And once a day for an hour I would listen to music (mostly soundtracks) it would make the stress of daily things (exams, loneliness, future career, etc.) go away and ‘replenish’ my will to do things. Eventually life got more complicated and that coping mechanism was not enough, covid lowkey helped me avoid a panic attack or a meltdown at school because I avoided facing my peers and teachers face to face I was able to take criticism or downright bashing without being stared at, and eventually I became comfortable with asking questions online and in person. I still retreat to those behaviors when I’m feeling especially down so I’ll take Dr. K’s advice on doing things in real life I would like to do.
I have been playing games since i was 6 (28 now) Everything i have felt and experianced has been summed up nicely in this video. The feelings of never being good enough, the sudden hyper feelings of anxiety to the point i was even put on medication. Fittingly, the best thing that has helped me overcome this is that i have a 10 hr job that doesnt allow any electronics and is rather intensive on the body. The feeling of acomplishment i get from doing this job day after day is better than any world ive saved playing a game. Good advice and worth taking to heart.
for people asking what kind of work: I don't know what OP does, but I can tell you that it's easy to get a job in logistics and delivery (think Amazon, Fedex, UPS), they are physically intensive and no electronics allowed (except the ones you need to do the job).
@@Blasphemousa Im not him, but I do a job with a lot of human interaction and problem solving on the spot. I put myself in a chaotic situation and solve it over and over. I get a good sense of fulfillment. If not for yourself, help others. Make their days. That will generate serotonin.
Are there some studies that show that gamers have worse brains than others? And is it because of gaming or it's completely other problems that lead to excessive playing? I played 8-16h a DAY when I was in school. And it saved my personality and gave me a lot. It was my world. I was depressed and Gothic, Morrowind and HOMM3 was my medication. Now I'm a quite successful programmer talking about my salary and I'm not playing games. I don't watch movies either. Thanks I can read a lot of fantasy books. Sometimes. I live for the MUSIC, I play bass and I want to make and play music. And I can't because of work. I'm not depressed now but not happy as well. Work is the problem, games are ok, it's the world F-ed, not gamers. Or show me well formed studies please.
+1 programmer here, all friends are programmers, all gamers, great brains, great social lives, talented people. Work burns you out like hell, the world is cruel and escape is healthy. Games are like carbs, good in reasonable amounts.
+1 programmer here, all friends are programmers, all gamers, great brains, great social lives, talented people. Work burns you out like hell, the world is cruel and escape is healthy. Games are like carbs, good in reasonable amounts.
Seems really relevant to executive function issues experienced in adhd/‘high functioning’ autism, & suggests this may be an exacerbated effect amongst those on the spectrum. Interesting, thank you. 🕊🍃
There have also been studies on the negative effects that different types of games give you. For example, the most damaging and by far the WORST type of game to play for well-being is competitive team multiplayer online versus with and against random people you do not know. These games, when played for a while, tend to bring out the most hostility, and may indeed cause a reluctance to socialize in real life and be the most damaging to well being. (Think League Of Legends, valorant, call of duty) On the other end of the spectrum, the most beneficial type of gaming, studies found, were local multiplayer games. Games where all the people playing are present in the same room/area where they can interact with each other outside of the game. This will actually increase social bonding with people whom you may never get along with otherwise! So think couch co-op or versus like Street Fighter(NOT ONLINE), side-scrollers, etc. (The study was done between a group of teenagers with a group of seniors with nothing in common. After they played games together, locally, they tended to bond a lot better than the control.) Even though local gaming is more beneficial, it is not immune to how much dopamine it will release, but it will give more serotonin than competitive online team versus so there's that. I'm not sure where the exact sources are, but all the sources are cited in the book called "Superbetter". Quite an interesting read.
I'd agree that online multiplayer with voice chat,example call of duty is TERRIBLE especially for a young person to get into,it is such a hostile and disgusting toxic environment i watched first hand my young nephew turn into a broken fragment of a once beautiful human solely because of this environment. It was extremely sad to see,he was such a miserable kid. Fortunately im glad to say he's not into that stuff anymore,he prefer girls and being outdoors now. But the damage was done, he's a good kid n it's a process trying to bring him back to a more peaceful mindset. But at least he's on a better course now. Also as someone who grew up before the internet i can attest that playing games together with friends in the same room is a great experience.
Thumbs up. We've been playing some Dota 2 with THE BOYZ in the office on Friday evenings (and sometimes nights). Was super fun. Some of the best memories. Playing online with the same people feels more toxic and exhausting.
Honestly I totally get where you are coming from but I think there are exceptions, at least in my case, I always used to play Singleplayer games and such, and in my personal life people are very positive towards me and I usually find success, however, when I play online in competitive games, I get shit on relentlessly and cruelly very often, and to me that has been good, learning to take criticism, when my personal life doesn't offer much, and learning to deal with someone trying to be mean and offensive without taking it to heart or getting aggravated, naturally it isn't the most healthy way to come into contact with negativity, but perhaps if you are ready for it and know how to handle it, it can be beneficial, at least for me it was.
@@felipedias4205 That's a solid beneficial thing that I've also noticed from online comp. Dealing with negativity is good. But there gets to a certain point where, yes you can "deal" with the negativity consciously, but subconsciously, it will take a toll on your mental and internal well-being. Shit, even if no one is being negative, you can still FEEL it coming. You come to expect it. And when you expect it, your body is primed for it. Meaning you're stressing yourself out simply by existing in a competitive environment, whether you're aware of it or not.
The whole "gamify your life" is why I love the game "Ringfit" and the anime "Bottom Tier Character Tomozaki-kun" : whether it's sports gamified for Ring fit or social interactions gamified for Tomozaki, they both show that everybody is capable of doing stuff, they just need to be shown a way to do it tailored for them.
@@Birdie_ You're both correct. He spent 25 minutes explaining how gaming is a symptom of a problem (the problem being whatever is fueling the negative emotions), but also explained in the 25 minutes how the symptom (gaming) also becomes it's own problem with what it does to the brain and how it prevents you from figuring out the true problem. Figuring out the gaming problem (the henchman) is one of the stepping stones to figuring out the main problem (the boss).
That's right, the problem itself lies in negative complexes, aquired in life, affecting the individual's ability to properly adapt to the outside world. We are programmed to adapt to the outside world, and if we engage too much within pseudo-instinctive environments, such as video-games provide (f.e. feeling of success after leveling up or getting a kill), the unconscious fires signals towards the ego-consciousness and we feel at unease.
Symptomps themselves can beget new problems. Not every change in your life will be radical, but rather piece by piece. Treating symptomps can be a good starting point.
I don't feel the issues he mentioned in this video, but I understand them because I know a lot of gamers. It was very interesting to hear his point of view with a scientific approach. Honestly I feel really good with my gaming life, I would like to have more time to play games but I see them as a way to vent and chill, the same way I see the gym when I go for a workout, for me it's like a therapy. I think the main issue is when gaming becomes the main thing in your life or your main hobby. Nothing wrong with that, but I believe gaming is like any other hobby where if you do too much, it can bring issues to your life. Everything is about balance in our lives, being a gamer with a healthy lifestyle, going out for hikes with friends and eating healthy food will for sure bring a lot of joy.
I am also a doctor now. Finished my residency and fellowship. Became a husband and father. And honestly videogames were always there for me throughout the tough times. But raising a family, i slowly went from gaming 10 hrs a day to just 30 mins many times zero hours lol. Also it helped having other physical hobbies like swimming. I conquered rivers as a child.
One of the greatest activities to fight seratonin aversion with is working out. Not only will you feel better about yourself and more confident, it is also very good for your physical health and generally makes you more attractive.
You know for some reason, my parents and even school teachers (not gym teachers of course) would try to suggest that working out was too much work for me and that it would tire me out too much lol. This was happening when I was 14 - 17, but my case is unique because my ADHD meds (guanfacine) caused me to be almost underweight, and I’ve always eaten whatever trash I wanted to and remained perfectly slender my whole life. Only recently do I feel an actual loss of appetite though. Am I growing older lol? I always wanted to try doing climbing but it feels like my wrists have recently weakened a little over time. Although I can lift weights to a good extent (but I don’t even lift bro), I can no longer do a single pull-up, which is a little concerning. I think this is mainly because of the meds, but my parents are veggie and never let me cook meat in the house (I’d never eaten bacon for breakfast until 20). Cold meats and ready meals weren’t enough to combat this. Extremely careless on their part, but I digress. I also did jitterclicking on Minecraft every day for about 4 hours, on and off, of course. This lasted for about 3 months, until I quit Minecraft AND jitterclicking altogether because of the aching pains it gave me (also purple skin from burst blood vessel in hand). My wrist seemed okay pretty quickly, but it still felt weird sometimes. Fast forward 1 1/2 years and it randomly had constant, unbearable, almost excruciating pain. I waited an entire month where the doctor told me f*** all (to stop using it until it felt better for several weeks). I wore a kind of pressure bandage which neither me or my parents understood that I shouldn’t have worn at night, and we booked private a few days earlier than the free physio appointment. Private physio helped me immediately - physically and in soul. Though it took about 4 months of using it more and more, and doing resistance exercises (which was a challenge because I was scared the pain meant I was damaging my wrists, and I ended up doing them less than half as often as asked, even through him reassuring me that in my case it was safe), which reduced it to a minor ache after those 4 months, the pain is all gone now. But again, my wrists are both fairly weak and I think I gotta drop my meds if I don’t want to screw up my body completely going forwards… Well, that’s my story lol Also now I play souls, coming up for my level 1 no hit bosses using parry and knife run of Elden Ring
100% I wonder if its why I don't fit into Dr. Ks description, I love video games, but I work out hard and push myself. I don't seem to struggle with difficult emotions and I feel good about myself no matter where I am in my fitness journey.
Going to be honest. Gaming is a huge stress reliever. I myself had a huge issue with handicordination (still do) .But playing fast paced games such as touhou, rhythym games, and games that require timing and control such as elden ring and for honor. Significantly improved the ability to control my hands. Plus playing puzzle games increases your likelihood of thinking critically. Story driven games open you to new narratives and perspectives. Which makes you much more open to new ideas and inspires creativity of your own. Gaming has its positives and its negatives. I'm not talking about the negatives, out of the fact that I dont have much personal experience with them and I don't know much about it. So its not in my place to express my thoughts about it.
The breaking down your problems is what I've been doing for over 3 years now, I am still struggling to finish the "main quest", but it is a really good advice to give to someone who is struggling with the same problem. If I could time travel back, I would certainly give this advice to past me. I always thought that I was the only one struggling with this problem, but reading the other comments tells me that I'm not alone in this battle
I have a lot of gamer friends who are retired individuals, they say if it wasn't for the games or the pets they own, they say they would have gone insane or ended up in some mental institution. A few of them are widower, and some are veterans suffering from PTSD. I guess they dont need any of the negative emotions suppressed by the gaming but just some fun and relaxing things to do. I myself would have gone off the face of the earth if it wasn't for the gaming habit I caught on back in 2013, which helped me with my depression. I know sometimes it kind of feels like addiction, but as long as you are disciplined and on schedule, it is therapeutic. Like they say, everything in moderation always helps.
Exactly, I play video games between 1-3 hours a day, and I feel great. Some times I miss a day or two. Video games helped me to get rid of depression, also helped me with my career, I work in gaming industry and I make good money because of video games.
Honestly video games have been the healthier part of my life digitally speaking, mostly because I self moderate myself pretty well. My weakness has always been doomscrolling forums, Reddit, and now RU-vid. The advice is identical regardless but its important to understand the roll each of your hobbies plays in your life/well-being. Its not perfect for me but I do have a full-time job, workout regularly, walk my dog etc... but improving my social life and stagnant career are the hurdles I'm focusing on now.
I mean, I'm on my 30s now, have a degree, married, have a job, have friends and most weekends I hang out with them, but I play a lot of games as well (mostly story or single player games). I feel these videos lean more towards people who just won't do anything besides playing, and I get that. I just wanted a video with the actual benefits of playing games on a regular basis.
It's not his fault that there are almost no benefits, besides the pleasure you get in the moment and MAYBE some inspiration (I'm an artist and I like drawing characters or landscapes from the games that I like)
I think he touched on the advantages of gaming before. For people who actually play multiple games in different genres, in general, get better at adapting/learning new stuff. But for specifics though, different genre give different advantages [here are some of my personal examples] Strategy games (Civilization/Starcraft) - handling multiple steps of planning and managing different resources - thinking of what the other enemy is thinking First Person Shooters (CS:GO) -spatial and temporal awareness (estimating where someone might be based from their initial location and the elapsed time after spotting them) -better spatial awareness for driving as well (corner checks = looking at side mirrors instinctively), stress management (not panicking when an enemy is shooting at you) - better communications skills (if you actually are trying instead of flaming as well xD) Third Person Shooter (Warframe) - 3D awareness and physics - Mathematical optimization (Modding...if you know you know Story Driven Games - Life lessons - Puzzle solving (sometimes) Racing Games - Grasp of car physics like turning, acceleration (sound of engine and how fast the car could), braking, and crashing into different objects RPG (Elden Ring) - Advanced mental map - Analysis during crisis (assessing the situation and looking for ways to overcome it despite the presence of fire-breathing dragons) - Detachment......
Yeah I feel like whenever anyone says gaming or gamer it's just referring to multi-player games, which I guess is fair for these type of videos since people who play those get more likely to get sucked in and have more of an unhealthy addiction
The difference here is those that get addicted and those that dont. Anyone can get addicted or obsessed with many things and these people are most likely those with mental issues. The fact that you are married have kids a stable job that allows free time to play means that your mental health is mostly likely better off. Im sure you have your hardships but you have a better support system and mental health to overcome it and not get addicted or obsessed with something. If you had some trauma depression bipolar or hell lonely with no support maybe youd get addicted to porn anime gaming gambling drinking drugs food you name it.
@@catasplurge1000 my bf NEVER plays mp games and yet gaming is still 100% of what he does after work (he's at home office, so he never leaves his PC basically). Like literally there are no other interests and hobbies. It's so shallow and sad to look at honestly. I also love games, but only very few ones and I still manage to do something else with my life
Althought I agree with this, I would say that I used games all the other way. Then again, I like hard games, not because they are hard to beat but because they don't hold your hand and respect your intelligence. Games like: Stalker, killing floor 1 (prior to Demolist patch), Receiver 2, Simscity 2004, Path of Exile, Magical Diary: Horse/Wolf Hall, etc. I used games to have a immersive experience and maybe learn something. I am not saying that escapism didn't existed. I guess it does to everyone (the one that never sinned throw the first rock, Iamright?). I believe that the trend in 2010s to make games more casual also gave them an exponentiation in these problems referred in the video. Like all things in life, they need to be used responsibly. And if a game that clearly was made to be casual, easy going, relaxic; sooner or later the player needs to realize that it served its purpose. This also means, learning the lesson that to relax and 'switch-off' the 'real-world' we also need to make our own bed being responsible. Again I agree with this on games that are too casual and holds our hands and hostage. Like the friend that is always pampering our decisions/attittudes, gaslighting us in the long run. Btw, mediation or relaxing games can be hard too, if they force you to actual relax in order move to the next step. The next learning or interacting with mediation practices. But on hard games you can also enter escapism! Not because they pamper you, as generally they have the opposite effect, but because most likely something on the outside or 'real-world' is hurting you/holding you hostage, etc. Something that you don't know or can't resolve right now. And you probably tried but now understand that it needs to be taken in a completely new approach. Hard games don't make you relax but rather force you to deal with problems in the game and, indirectly, the problems in real-life as your are honing your tools. But again, again, you can still enter escapism. And I am talking about personal experience. At the end is all about personal responsibility and therefore consciousness. Games are great to experience or simulate a representation of reality and have fun. Being fun whatever we mean. Yet games are still a representation or part of reality, not the whole thing itself. So, my fellow gamers don't diminish yourselves being forced only on a part of reality but experience it whole. edit: typos
This feels like such a glass half empty look on videogames. I have been playing games since I was probably 6-7 years old and still play them 2 decades later because it is just a fun hobby to have and it is nice to be part of the gaming community and discuss what you like and not like with so many different people. I experience new stories and be informed on just different elements of the gaming industry. It's no different than watching lots of movies or reading tons of books. Sure, there have been times where a game kinda consumed my life like Totk recently for example, but gaming has never been the reason I have a more introverted mindset or feel down on myself or let my life spiral out of control at points. There are so many other factors in life than games to exacerbate that kind of feeling. Just like with anything else, if you have a good grasp on the limits, you shouldn't be encouraged to give up on what you like to do with your own life.
Exactly. This guy had problems so he assumed all or, at least, the vast majority, have the same problems he has which is just not true. Games aren't the reason he's had problems, those were problems he already had that he blamed on video games. Thumbs down to this video.
i feel the same. i think he was just stretching a lot of things just so he could make a video on the topic. i would prefer to watch a more honest version
This is what has me stuck. Ive always been a gamer, but after dropping out of college and discovering my ADHD and Autism, i went back to my coping strategy from my childhood- I kept playing games. I carry my switch if I've to go out anywhere and most days I stay in my room and stay in a state of escape. I'll bring this up with my therapist tomorrow. Thanks for the video. ❤
As a psychology major and lifetime gamer: Take this video with a grain of salt. It really depends on how you view gaming and what kind of attitude you bring to gaming. Yes, games stimulate you and trigger your “happy chemicals” a lot, that’s why games make you feel achieved and fulfilled. But the feelings you get from gaming and from real life are different; it is possible to balance one another. Enjoy gaming and enjoy life at the same time! It’s great that you can find happiness in gaming, please remember, all happiness deserves to be cherished. Being happy is not wrong nor is it a waste of your life. To me gaming helps my wellbeing and really fills the bad times when I feel empty; without gaming I wouldn’t be the mentally healthy person I am today. Plus, there are a lot of other things you can do to get an unhealthy amount of stimulation. I do think gaming is better than mindlessly scrolling through tiktok because you still get to learn stuff and use your learning (ie. rules of a game). My dad also games a lot, he does it in his free time and it helps with relieving his stress from work. Really, enjoy when you can. It is a precious feeling. Just remember that gaming should not be ALL of your life, it is only a part of it. Use it to its fullest.
Thanks, i was feeling paranoid about gaming, like "Should i quit it?" welp, reality is that i would gladly not game for weeks if i got a reason to do so...but life has gotten boring so fast for so long that games help to not overthink. I do need to find a fuel for life, but it's hard thanks to the economy, i'm just surviving, and not living, working from 11 to 9, gaming 2 to 3 hours to repeat it day after day until it's rest time it's not healthy, but i don't think it's the gaming side, lucky i'm dating a girl and i'm starting to feel the need to be better, not just because of her, but for me, she just let me see that i'm worth, i want to get a job that actually makes me happy, something that makes me fell like i'm a functional part of society, and not just the cashier. What games actually do to my brain was to mess up with my sleep, because i stay up late carving any feeling of freedom to not feel like a slave, i do sleep well, but not in the right hours. I do indeed going to seek for help, i just need the money to do so.
I fully agree. I'm a game but also musician and part time teacher... When I game I also game hard but I game in free time. I also play tennis so it's all about finding balance.
This stuff you are teaching doesn't just apply to gamers. Really this can happen with any additions. I know how it feels to not be confident, heck I used to be a total dumbass. One day, I went for a walk. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some activity in for once. It might have taken me an hour to walk out of my house, but when I got home, I felt amazing. I kept doing, going from walk to jog and to running. I became my best self and I have a life. I have a girlfriend, A job that pays the bills and a home. So if you ever feel like you can't do something, that you're a dumbass, go on a walk, trust me.
Wow this is actually eye opening, I’ve been playing video games since I was 5 as it was the main way I could communicate with my family due to having autistic gibberish syndrome as I liked to call it 😂. I did not realise that video games were holding me back and it wasn’t just my autism, I thought they were helping and they are but it has it drawbacks and I hadnt realised. The way you explained it was just perfect for me to understand and the way you explained how to overcome it has actually gave me ideas on how to move forward so thank you.
the "break your problems in two" seems so logical, yet it is so hard to do, isn't it? Dr. K can you make a separate video about this and go into specifics on what are the strict rules? E.G. every step should be something actionable or as specific as possible? Because I am always ending up abstracting everything until nothing makes sense any more xD
Yeah his example was unfortunately super basic, in a good way, but it also doesn't apply for me. Many gamers work for a living, so "getting a job" doesn't register, like "getting a relationship" would.
Where are the sources for all these "facts" seems like a random, well thought out opinion with little science to back it up. I am a gamer and for the most part I could not relate to any of this. The negative emotional repression is probably a thing, but a lot of activities have that effect of escapism. Learning should not be able to be prohibited by video games, especially more complex ones, actually increase or challenge your learning and adaptability. I would call bs on that one. Overall very weird video, that seems informational but might as well be miss information, who knows.
Hands down this video has been one of your best. I'm recovering from a severe video game addiction from my early twenties (I'm turning 27 now) and what you mentioned here resonated A LOT with me on an astounishing level. I'm certain I'm on a good way now, but negative emotions and fatigue are often plagueing me, resulting in a negative feedback loop, with it's ebbs and flows of affecting ego strength. The way you frame the problem takes away one important aspect of these negative feedback loops, and that's the way of self-relating, which is a key factor in leaving the past behind and not feeding negative complexes. They way you explain this issue on a neuropsychologic level makes me access important things: Self forgiveness and a sense of groundedness, well balanced with a sense of self-responsibility! Thank you Dr. K!
BRUH SO YOU KNOW RHAT THOSE KINDS OF THUNGS ARE BAD ALREADY NONONO DONT LOOK AWAY DO NOT THINK AWAY THINK ON IT!!! EVERYTHIJG SINILAR TO POR AND GAME IS THR SAME KIND OF BSDNESS WATCH SHIA LEBOUF JUST DO IT CLIP ON LOOP AND NOTHING ELSE HIGH VOLUME BUT DONT DAMAGE YORJ EARS DOWNLOSD IT EVEN YESTERDAY YOU SAID TOMORROW DO JUST DOOOOOOOOO ITTTTYT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,😡😡😡🤬
I'm only 12 minutes in but I gotta say, this is exactly capturing a lot of my feelings. I've started journaling a few months ago and at some point recently I managed to make a list of issues and negative feelings I have encountered repeatedly. It helps that a couple recent events since the start of the year have given me the drive to start journaling and self-healing, and a clear goal for the future that I'm willing to sacrifice and better myself for. I've recently graduated and been gaming all my life, so I guess this is the turning point. Thanks, doc.
Damn, I read this as "I'm only 12, but I gotta say". Was really impressed there for a bit 😂 even when you said graduated, I figured it must be elementary school
I feel like you have been playing all the wrong videogames oO There's a ton out there that don´t spike your dopamine every second, that don´t take away planning, exploration, problem solving, creativity ect. Some of my favourite games: Vintage Story, Sunless Sea, Breath of the Wild, Still games are no substitute for real human connection.
I have to be honest I am a gamer and I don’t think I’ve ever struggled with the things that this video covers. Not sure what I did to cause that or maybe just got lucky but it even has been the opposite for me in some cases
I think it depends on how much importance and what perspective You give and get from gaming. I have played games since I was a Kid, but also dont relate to the problems Dr. K mentions (and, tbh, I do find the scope of gaming he uses to be a bit small and limited) but I also cant really call myself a "gamer".
Questions: When is gaming okay? How do I still participate in one of my favorite pastimes, in a healthy way that will not have me developing this dopamine dependency? Is it okay as long as I don't use it to run from my problems?
Honestly, the way I see it is pretty simple: gaming is fine as long as I'm having fun. There are limits to that of course, but when things aren't going right and games are keeping me down, I'm not really having fun anymore, I'm just doing it to run from negative emotions. There's a pretty clear distinction from times in my life where I'll hop on and play a couple games with friends because it's fun to goof off and times where I get really stressed when I'm not gaming so I *need* to have my brain shut off. It's a work in progress but I think I'm getting somewhere in all of this
Interesting, but I play for over 30 year now and I don't feel like this applies to me... I am pretty successful in life and I do play over 5 hours a day almost everyday. I feel no fear and anxiety, but I do agree with him that this happens to some people, specially kids
I have been bullied for 12 years (yes, my main experience with schools is being bullied without going into details) so, I ran to gaming. I am satisfied with who I am, right now. So, the feelings have been burried in the deepest places I could find. Gaming did not cause my feelings to be turned off. Gaming saved me from considering offing myself. Based on my experience feeling lonely is prefered to being hurt. L.E: Also, I am financially independant. I am using gaming for escapism. I am well aware of the real world. I just prefer burying myself in escapism whenever I can. Sadly, devs and politics keep removing escapism from games. My problem is another but I am not in a rush of fixing it. I am addicted to WoW. Can I just drop it with a plan? Yes, absolutely, I just dont want to. It is not worth it.
Hey bro, it’s good you have insight that your gaming as an escape, but also realise that the cliche if “I can stop I just want to” does not address the underlying motivation you have for not wanting to stop. You should want to stop, and you need to tell yourself that you should want to stop, regardless of whether or not you actually want to. In another sense, your feelings are irrelevant to your reality, become a good person by taking care of urself and being ambitious, and life will work itself out. Good luck
I agree with the above, brother. It's good you acknowledge it, but you do need to practice some moderation and work on bettering yourself. Build yourself up and be a champion. You can be a king IRL and online! Moderation is key. Trust me, it's hard to start, but when you start accomplishing things , it becomes easier and you start to divide your time better. Good luck!
Yeah atm for me it’s games (mostly WoW) or wanting to commit suicide as well. I push keys and do mythic raid. I’m proud of myself when I kill new bosses or time a higher key (17% on mythic sark rn). I like levelling and learning alts, I often figure out my own builds and work out how to play toons myself. I don’t often watch guides.
@ReizokoRyu I disagree with this sentiment. I've been playing games since I was like 7? Or so, I'm 25 now. I've had plenty of accomplishments for my age, the only thing I lack compared to the very few of my peers who did accomplish it is a college degree. Mind you I have some college under my belt, and I plan to get a masters in robotics engineering. But besides college, I am financially stable and have been for 2 years outside of my parents house. I also did get higher education and got my caregiving and CNA certifications. I do also have a girlfriend of 3 years and a dog. I work about 48 hours a week occasionally I'll work a bit extra and hit 60 hours in one week. But I tend to work just about the same or more then a majority, while maintaining a healthy relationship and I still find time to game about 24-30 hours a week, while I also buy groceries, clean, take care of appointments, etc. I also will say I have experienced zero of the triats the video mentioned. I have plenty of confidence (sometimes too much) I adapt to situations way better then the average person, I learn faster then the average person, and I can hold social interactions just fine. I have my own goals and a road map I set up myself on how I plan to achieve them. So I'm also capable of planning (which was mentioned gamers can't seem to do) I don't believe you need to practice moderation to be successful. I play more than a casual would and while I play that much I am also a hard-core player that wants to be the best with my limited time. Planning how and when to use your time. And setting goals for yourself is how you become successful. I think the takeaway people should get from this video isn't video games are bad or even a hindrance. It should be to set goals for yourself to get where you are content with your life. The social relationships come and go. Friends come and go. Try to keep connections with friends and family, but if they leave for whatever reason, be content without them knowing there will be other people who come along later
@@Tilley53 this is also true! What I meant is moreso when someone has a genuine problem and gaming (or any other addictive habit) is the root of it. Like they willingly fail a class just so they can get some more gaming in, rather than study, etc. I'll admit, I come from somewhat of the opposite experience you've had. I can do well when I apply myself, but the problem IS getting myself to focus and apply myself, because I'd tend to put studies and etc. on the back burner. Passed on a lot of good opportunities in life cuz of it. Gaming will always be a part of my life, but I just spread it out a little more nowadays so I can commit to my other endeavors, that's all! 😊
This is everything I needed to hear. Gaming keeps stealing me away from what I want to do so I'll be sitting there having fun but feeling guilty the entire time and angry at myself for not doing what I need to be doing after work or on the weekends.
I have fallen out of gaming but I do remember mindlessly playing for 9 hours after school for every second possible and furthermore during weekends/holidays it would go upwards of around 15 hours or so. Now I just focus on self improvement after finding channels such as HealthyGamerGG and etc...
Remember to take breaks focus on the moment. Sometimes the best improvement we can have is being in the moment, as opposed to trying to improve our current situation. c:
Bruh the first 30 seconds of this is wild, if you play video games you can’t play sports or socialize? Don’t think he knows what he’s talking about on this one lmao
