Eat, sleep, game, repeat.

“Just one more game” is a simple temptation many of us have fallen victim to. For 

a gamer, it never ends, even if you end up sacrificing your sleep and time. This leads to whether games distract us from our priorities, like academics and family. 

 As someone who plays video games daily, it has become a habit to come home and 

hop on a Discord call. Playing games for hours and hours until the realization hits me that a pile of homework is waiting for me.

According to The World Health Organization, a gaming disorder is “a pattern of gaming behavior characterized by impaired control over gaming.”

Video games release dopamine, which allows you to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. For this reason, playing video games can easily become addictive.

 Instead of spending time with family and/or doing something productive, some seek

 comfort from online friends and ignore life problems. Before we know it, it’s midnight, and assigned homework is nowhere near done. The next day, it is easy to feel exhausted at school from staying up and regretting the decision. However, the cycle repeats. 

Not only do video games waste your time, but they also make it easy to spend money. It becomes normal to open your favorite game and immediately pull out your card to buy a new battle pass or skins. 

Although video games are fun, gamers can not help but wonder if they are wasting their time. If we cannot stop playing a game even though we have other priorities, do we have a problem?

Most people play games because it becomes an escape for those who just need a break from reality. However, if you make a habit of avoidance, the problems you ignore can pile up and consume you. 

Like every other activity, gaming should be enjoyed in moderation. While it is fun to submerge yourself in a virtual reality world, it is equally important to engage in healthy activities such as exercising or socializing. 

In the end, video games are meant for entertainment. It is a break from reality to enjoy every once in a while, and it shouldn’t overlap with your everyday life. If gaming does take over your life, it is only because you let it.