Why do I feel sad after playing video games?

You feel sad after playing video games because excessive gaming can create an environment where individuals are often isolated in the physical world, leading to feelings of depression and withdrawal from friends and family. This sedentary lifestyle can also result in sparse exercise, further contributing to depressive symptoms and a general sense of unhappiness.

Understanding the Impact of Video Games on Mental Health

Video games can have a significant impact on our mental health, with excessive gaming being linked to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. The limbic system, which is responsible for our emotional and behavioral responses, can be affected by prolonged gaming sessions, leading to brain fog and a state of emotional exhaustion.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. How do I stop being sad over a game? To stop being sad over a game, try taking a step back, staying social, filling the void with other activities, talking about it with friends or family, and waiting it out.
2. Why do I feel weird after gaming all day? You feel weird after gaming all day because gaming can trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol, increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate, and leading to brain fog.
3. Do video games cause emotional problems? Yes, video game addiction has been found to be related to personality traits such as low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, attention problems, impulsivity, aggression, anxiety, and depression.

Gaming and Mental Health

4. Do video games drain your mental energy? Yes, gaming fatigue – also known as gaming burnout – is a heightened state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion brought on by extreme and unrelenting stress.
5. Can video games increase depression? Yes, research suggests that video games may lead to symptoms of depressive disorders, especially in youth.
6. What is gamer burnout? Gaming burnout is a state of emotional and mental exhaustion that can affect your performance, mood, and motivation, as well as your physical and mental health and relationships.

Healthy Gaming Habits

7. How many hours of gaming is healthy? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 60 minutes on school days and 2 hours on non-school days for kids over 6 years old.
8. How much gaming is too much? 15-20 hours every week is considered excessive gaming, and more than 21 hours every week can have a detrimental impact on wellbeing.
9. Is 1 hour gaming a day too much? No, 1 hour of gaming every day is not too much and can even have positive effects on mental health.

Gaming Addiction

10. Is gaming anxiety a thing? Yes, gaming anxiety is a recognized condition, and research has shown that people with Internet gaming disorder demonstrate abnormal emotional regulation, expressed as anxiety and other psychological symptoms.
11. What are the side effects of gaming? Vision problems, seizures, and psychological problems are common side effects of excessive gaming.
12. How long does post-game depression last? Post-game depression can last weeks or months, but there are ways to make it less painful.

Emotional Responses to Gaming

13. Is it normal to cry over a video game? Yes, it’s normal to cry over a video game, especially if you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into it.
14. Is it OK to cry at a game? Yes, it’s OK to cry at a game, as long as it doesn’t affect your focus or performance.
15. Why do gamers rage quit? Rage-quitting often results when a player feels that they’re not in control of the game or when their competence is being challenged, triggering an emotional response.