Is gaming disorder even a thing?
Yes, it sure is.
The gaming disorder was included in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in the year 2018.
The gaming disorder refers to the chronic lack if control of the gaming pattern to the extent that gaming behavior takes precedence over other daily activities such as self-care, engaging in social conversations, working, going to school and so on. The practice continues regardless of the physical, physiological, social and emotional consequences to the player.
According to WHO, it is important to note that not everyone who partakes to gaming from time to time has gaming disorder. Only a small fraction of people satisfy the condition set to diagnose a person to have a gaming mental disorder.
However, when gaming you should understand that you run the risk of developing symptoms similar to those of the gaming disorder. Therefore, it’s imperative to learn how to enjoy gaming healthily.
There are two aspects of enjoying gaming while staying healthy: Physically and Psychologically.
How to Enjoy Gaming While Staying Healthy Physically
1. Be friendly to your eyes
You know that your eyes are not meant to work for 24 hours in a day every single day- Don’t you? That is why your eyes blink to lubricate the cornea, and after a days work, you go to sleep to rejuvenate.
Do you notice how your eyes strain when you have stared at the screen for too long? You start feeling the fatigue, and sometimes you get a headache? That is your eyes communicating that the artificial light from the screen is hurting them.
So, take a break from the artificial light and breath in and out. After playing for a continuous 20 minutes, take a 20 seconds break to look at an object 20 feet away. It’s called the 20-20-20 rule.
Take a glass of water to keep your eyes hydrated too so that the can take the heat from the artificial light emitted by the screen.
2. Take A Break
Yes, take a break over and above the 20-20-20 rule. Take an actual break. Wake up from the seat and do something else- anything. The break helps you to relax and take in the fresh air. It is not just good for your body but also very rejuvenating for your brain. When you come back to the sit, you will be, and you are likely to perform better.
3. Be considerate to your back
Some renowned gamers have retired due to chronic back injuries. The back injuries are as a result of sitting in a bad posture for extended periods.
So, when playing the video game, maintain an upright posture so that you do not strain your back. You might require to get a good comfortable chair where you can sit without having to bend your backbone.
4. Exercise
Taking time to exercise might seem like taking time off from your game. However, the few minutes you take to stretch, jog, run or even hit the gym are an investment to your health. When you exercise, you help to sharpen your brain too.
Note, you do not have to go outside to exercise. You can do some simple exercise in your room when you are on a brief break.
5. Have a Healthy Meal or Snack
Most gamers are used to snacking while playing their game. This is the leading cause of obesity in most games. Therefore, take a break and go to the kitchen and make a healthy meal or snack. The break will be good for your eyes, brain and the food good for your health.
How to Enjoy Gaming While Staying Psychologically Healthy
Most of the above points will help you to stay both physically and psychologically healthy.
Additionally, the next three points will ensure that you do not fall into gaming addiction.
1. Make time to socialize
Socializing is one of the first aspects that most gamers stop doing. When you stop socializing to create more time to game, you start sliding into the rabbit hole. Therefore, as you continue to horn your gaming skills, also create time to socialize with your family and friends. Join your family at dinner. Take a day off to do something social with friends.
2. Take time to take care of your well-being
After cutting down on socializing, some gamers stop self-care activities to create more time to play. Don’t.
Take a break from the game and take breakfast. Take a shower. Brush your teeth. Do house chore and so on. Neglecting your self-care is a remedy for poor psychological health.
3. Track how much you are spending on gaming
How much do you spend on games, subscriptions, gaming gadgets? And other related items? If you find that you can not control your impulses to spend money on games, it is time to check yourself. The worst indicator is when you start using money allocated for other expenses to buy games and so on.
In conclusion, we want you to enjoy gaming. Therefore, if your PC or computer has any page fault errors, click this link https://techloris.com/page-fault-in-a-non-paged-area/. Get your PC working effectively, stay healthy and enjoy the gaming world.
