Do you want to be depressed? Watch television 2 or 3 hours a day. The mental tension that often builds up with TV, with fast paced commercials and fast clips rapidly changing commercials and intensity can contribute to
anxieties and
depression, not to mention the often depressing nature of news stories and news magazines stories. The sedentary lifestyle that the average American succumbs to in daily watching television contributes to both depression and to physical health problems, which work hand in hind. It has been said that "television is the chief culprit" in such a lifestyle.
Video games similarly can have an impact no the psychological profile of children. There are some positive educational video games that can be used to supplement education. By and large video games are not being used for education but usually it is the more violent video games that children and youths gravitate to. Social isolation can be a byproduct, in addition to desensitization to violence. Many video games which are not necessarily considered to be violent are aggressive. This includes most race driving games and many sports games which exploit the excitement of aggressiveness.
The first video games were designed by military engineers who used missile technology to produce the "Pong" type of games. The next step were shooting games, and shooting in video games, whether it be an asteroids or a cartoon parachute penguin, or a police officer, or George Bush blowing away Muslims, remains a fixed feature of most video games.
One father who took away video games and TV from his children during the school week reported a remarkable improvement in his 10 year old's grades. He used to play every day after school for an hour or two in addition to television and sometimes movies. Restricting his game time to the weekends made a big difference, and the boy who was failing, achieved the Honor Roll without 9 months. Other parents have taken similar steps with similar, if not as dramatic results. (Newark, NJ, 2007, 2008. South River, NJ, 2006).
Video games and special needs children
Many in special education have described the most seriously violent video games that they regularly play, in some classes more than 60% of the special education class played the most violent video games available. It is possible that violent video games undermine both spiritual, emotional and psychological, as well as academic success. Video games are implicated by psychologists as contributing to symptoms of ADHD. (Nigg, J, 2006). This might be true of violence in the media in general, as it has been verified in clinical studies with violent R-rated movies.
Both parents and educators need to be aware of the tremendous impact aggressive, violent, and extremely violent games can have on a child's mind and values.
An active mind helps one to keep stable and out of
depression. Television takes less mental energy than reading, but at the same times tends to drain one's energy and is mind dulling.
Doing without television and cutting down on media time can help many. The rapid fire "sound bite" imagery of TV can be responsible for some forms of epilepsy, contributing to symptoms of ADHD, as well as to obesity and depression. Doing without television gives the mind a rest. The TV,
movies and video games, as well as the constancy of the radio in the car, overload the senses. It can be part of the package that leads to
depression,
ADHD,
bipolar disorder or
OCD. Cutting out isn't as bad as it sounds. Reading strengthens the mind and the news is absorbed in a more gentle way.
Media violence, video games and grades
Additionally, studies indicated that
TV, video games and movies (R-rated or violent), effect grade performance of children.
Children who are exposed to violent media influences have dramatically worse grades than children who are not, or who spend less time on the media. (October 2006, Pediatrics ).
TV and movies as well as video games are becoming
increasingly violent. The Internet provides easier access for children both at home and at school. Children need protection, but also education in these matters.
Imam, S. MD, MPH; Sargent, J. MD. (October 2, 2006). Association Between Television, Movie, and Video Game Exposure and School Performance. Pediatrics. http://pediatrics.aapublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/4/e1061
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