Most people think of online games like video game playing. But there are now online games for anything! No more limit on choose-your-own-adventure books! Online games can be used for relaxation, offering us a sense of order and focus. Online games can also be used to help us learn, as they offer us a way to get outside of our usual boundaries. And to even use new skills. When playing online, we are in control. This immersion into the characters can be confusing, frightening, or even bring out some of our anxiety and prepare us for real-life social situations. Online games can also be so exciting! We may not want to change the game when we lose control, but online flash games do that! If you play online casino games, you learn way more than if you are going through the book about building a toothpick bike.
Online gaming has become so popular that hundreds of millions of people enjoy it without ever having to lose a single game. Many people use gaming as a way to relax and de-stress, to read undigestionized information for long periods, and to escape the stress of day-to-day life. Playing lots of games can result in unusual anxieties, such as gripping fears or fears of quantity, derived from playing games. Some people will become obsessed with the popular games and their multiple endings, but that can make one less available for real-life social cues or friends in school. If you feel overwhelmed being paranoid about the ethical implications of online gaming and give no quarter to doubt or unexplained feelings, click here. Playing an online game also contributes to social isolation as we often talk only to ourselves. Talking to another person is so crucial to building and maintaining friendships. Online games interfere with communication at times when they feel easier than communicating concretely face-to-face.
